Heart of The Desert
by DynoStretch
Summary: In this Ocarina of Time story, after Link saves Nabooru from the power of Twinrova in the Child Timeline, she promises a great thing for Link in the future. Seven years later, the hero finds himself in a bizarre situation he had never faced before, is he truly up to the task? Read and find out! A mostly Link/Nabooru story with heavy harem elements
1. A Rescue Mission

_Hello folks, this is DynoStretch with another absurd piece of fanfiction._

_This story will be kind of a new experience for me to write, and it's definitely a bit more challenging to make then my previous works because of the subject material._

_As a warning, while this story is rated T for Teen, it does contain some adult themes, but nothing too raunchy, vulgar or violent, and there will also be some harem aspects to it if you're not into that sort of thing._

_That said, hope you all enjoy it!_

* * *

**The Legend of Zelda: Heart of The Desert**

* * *

In the furthest reaches of the great wasteland known as Gerudo Desert, there stood a towering building known as the Spirit Temple, where the Goddess of Sand is honored and worshiped by the almost all-female tribe known as the Gerudo.

At that time, standing before the entrance to the Spirit Temple was a ten year old boy with blonde hair, clad in a green tunic and cap, he was staring up the giant building with a look of determination in his blue eyes.

This was Link, who was once a child of Kokiri Forest, but had been chosen by the goddesses of Hyrule to become the legendary Hero of Time. His goal being to defeat the evil Gerudo King Ganondorf Dragmire and bring peace to the land. This task ended up requiring him to travel into the future to confront the cruel king as an adult and defeat him. After his work was done, he was sent back to the past so that he may live out his childhood.

But Link knew his work wasn't done, Ganondorf was still free in his original time period, still pretended to swear loyalty to the king of Hyrule, and it would only had been a matter of time before he enacted his plan to take control of the Sacred Realm, where he would gain immeasurable power. Link knew this well, he got to see it firsthand in the dark future he had gone to.

To defeat Ganondorf in this time, Link sought the help of the Princess Zelda of whom he shared a... rather complicated history with, in both present and future and told her what would happen. Now with the knowledge of what Ganondorf planned to do, Zelda was able to expose Ganondorf's evil plan to her father, and the Gerudo King had just recently been arrested.

With that mission accomplished, Link had his next goal in mind. He had traveled out to the Spirit Temple with the intention of helping a friend there...

* * *

Within the deepest depths of the Spirit Temple, the twin Gerudo witches known as Koume and Kotake were at work with a dark scheme. They both raised their hands, forming a dark vortex in front of them, and rising out from it was a young beautiful Gerudo woman known as Nabooru. She was wrapped in a strange energy that took the form of purple and black chains, seeming to symbolize how the energy was holding her in place.

Nabooru, despite being a Gerudo, opposed the evil power of Ganondorf, and had made the journey to the Spirit Temple to find a means of defeating him. Most of the temple was sealed off from intruders, but she found a helpful companion in the form of Link, who had come there to figure out a way in himself. After Nabooru questioned the weirdness of Link's name, the two formed a deal for Link to enter the temple and help her find the power she needed, in exchange for a promise she made to him.

While Link was successful in obtaining the Silver Gauntlets she had been seeking, shortly after that Nabooru had been found out by Koume and Kotake and captured by them.

Now as she found herself restrained by the witch sisters' chains, she had a look of both shock and horror, and drenched in a cold sweat.

"That..." Nabooru muttered, "That can't be... I can't let that happen! Not after everything they've done to us!"

"What do you suppose she's talking about?" came a voice.

Nabooru snapped out of her panic and looked up to see the two witches that had captured her floating there.

"I don't know, but when this is over, she won't need to speak ever again!" cackled the other witch to her sister, "The despair she's overwhelmed by will just make this all the easier!"

"You rotten witches!" shouted Nabooru fueled by anger, quickly forgetting about her reason to be afraid, "Once I get out of this I'll run you both through!"

"Ohohohoho," laughed Kotuke, "She's a tough one she is, even now she tries to break free!"

"Indeed," agreed Koume, "But it won't take long to instead break her spirit! Soon she'll be our loyal servant knight, and with her help we'll have Lord Ganondorf free from his imprisonment in no time!"

Nabooru's anger turned to surprise at their words, then a few seconds later it became a mild bit of amusement, "So that bastard finally got himself caught then?" she smirked, "Well I'd sooner die then serve the two of you, much less free that power hungry monster!"

"Oh you'll cave in soon enough." Koume said, the two witches started chanting spells to build more dark energy around Nabooru's body.

"Damnit..." Nabooru muttered, "How am I going to get out of this one?" she continued to struggle with the chains, but to no avail, "Ugh, I was too careless to let myself be trapped by them..."

Her thoughts wandered back to Link, he young kid she had entrusted to retrieve the Silver Gauntlets, and wondered if he was doing okay. She had to admit she had an admiration for him after finding out he traveled all the way to the Spirit Temple, and she felt somewhat guilty making him go into the temple alone to find what she needed, but when she saw him obtain the treasure just before she was captured, she had truly developed a firm respect for him, he had not just determination and courage, but heart as well, something she had never seen in any man.

"Looks like I won't be able to fulfill that promise to him after all..."

But then suddenly, from the dark corners of the ritual chamber, a small object flew straight out of nowhere and smacked Kotuke in her wide eye.

"Yeeeooowch!" screamed the witch, instinctively putting a hand over her injured eye, "What the heck was that?!"

"What was what sister?" asked Koume with a snicker, "Your arthritis catching up to you?"

"No, you old hag!" shouted Kotuke, "Something just hit me in the eye and nearly poked it out!"

"Who you calling an old hag?! I'm a prim and proper 400 year old!"

"You're 500 you liar!"

"Then doesn't that make you just as much an old hag then?!"

As the two witches squabbled against each other over anything that came out of each others mouths, Nabooru just watched with a drop of sweat going down the back of her head.

"How did I get captured by these two morons?"

"Psst!"

Nabooru's moment of self-reflection was interrupted by a small sound, she turned in the direction of where it came from to see a familiar and friendly face, her partner Link standing behind her.

"Hi Nabooru!" Link said, the child sporting a big grin.

"K-Kid?!" exclaimed Nabooru in shock, "What are you doing here?!"

"Trying to get you out of here," Link said, "I'll see what I can do while those buzzards are pecking at each other!"

"Don't worry about me!" Nabooru warned, "They may be old buzzards, but their power is much too strong! You won't stand a chance against them without-"

"This?" Link finished her sentence as he turned around, showing her something he had strapped to his back.

"W-What?!" exclaimed Nabooru, "How the hell did you find that?"

"Let's just say I've learned from experience!" Link said cryptically, "Now let's see what I can do about your chains."

"Hm, alright." Nabooru said, genuinely impressed at Link's skills and knowledge.

Link contemplated his options as he looked over the purple energy chains constricting Nabooru. He tried cutting through the chains with his Kokiri knife, but the blade just passed through them, letting him know they were purely energy based.

"Hmm... what could be used to counter this kind of dark energy..." Link pondered, then a thought occurred to him, "Darkness can be countered... by light!" He then reached into his pocket and puled out a small Deku Nut in his hand, "Nabooru, keep your eyes closed!"

Nabooru did as she was told and Link threw the Deku Nut down on the ground in front of her. The nut, upon hitting the ground, exploded with a bright flash, the light that came from the flash caused the dark chains surrounding Nabooru to turn a bluish color. Nabooru then took that opportunity to use her strength to break out of the chains.

"Nice one, kid!" Nabooru said.

Unfortunately, it was that very time that Koume turned her wide eye over to Link and Nabooru, seeing their captive was free and had an ally.

"Ah, sister!" exclaimed Koume, "Now's not the time for arguing! The traitorous wench has escaped!"

"Eheeheehee!" cackled Kotake, "Looks like she had a little help doing that, emphasis on little!" she said, referring to Link's short stature.

"Yeah, like you're one to talk you hunched-over old farts!" Link said annoyed, causing the two witches to fault over, while Nabooru laughed at Link's brazenness.

"That's it!" shouted Koume, she hopped onto her broom as her body erupted in magic flames, "Time for me to roast your bodies to cinders!"

"And then I'll freeze their immortal souls!" added Kotake, her own body enveloped in ice.

Link pulled out his slingshot while Nabooru unsheathed her twin scimitar swords, the latter thankful that the two witches didn't have the foresight to take her weapons away, and the two sides charged into battle.

Koume fired off a blast of flames, but Nabooru flipped into the air and swung out her swords at her, but the witch used her broom to quickly dodge to the side.

Link meanwhile ran away from the stream of ice that Kotake released at him, before rolling forward and shooting her in the eye.

"Graaah! So it was you, little brat!" screeched Kotake, "I'll shatter you to pieces!"

Link quickly ran over to Nabooru, who had just taken a step back to avoid a searing flame attack from Koume. The two witches flew upwards out of range of the child and Gerudo warrior's range, while Kotake prepared a more powerful ice attack. Link and Nabooru looked to each other and nodded in unison.

"Now die you pests!" Kotake shouted, shooting the ice spell straight down at the two...

Only for her sister Koume to then suddenly get hit by the attack.

"Yeeooow!" screamed Koume before turning to her sister in anger, "What was that?! You know that your magic is my only weakness, can't you control it properly?!"

"But I cast it right at those two!" retorted Kotake, "Maybe you need to lose some weight so you're not as big a target!"

"Lose weight?! I'm fit as a fiddle! If anyone's raiding the ice box it's you!"

"Ahem." a clearing of the throat came from Nabooru, the two witches looked down to see she was holding a shield on her left arm, the heavily polished, reflective material being shown off.

"T-The Mirror Shield?!" exclaimed Kotake, "Where did that come from?!"

"Found it," Link said simply, folding his arms behind his head nonchalantly.

"That's it, I'll fry you!" said Koume, shooting fire down on Nabooru.

"Wait, sister, don'-!"

It was too late, as Kotake was blasted by the very fire Koume cast being reflected off the shield and right back in her sister's face.

"Graaaah! It burns! You foolish overweight hag!" Kotake shouted to Koume, "We're going to finish each other off at this rate!"

"This is getting kind of stupid." Nabooru said as she and Link watched the two witches argue.

"Maybe we can just sneak out while they're yelling?" Link asked.

"Wait, quit yapping, we got priorities here!" shouted Kotake to her sister.

"Fine, we'll end these two with our ultimate power!" Koume said.

The two of them took to the high air and started flying in circles. Link and Nabooru watched as dark magic spiraled around the two witches, until in a burst of energy, where Koume and Kotake once were, there was now an absurdly tall woman with ponytails made of both fire and ice, and was holding twin wands. The witch sister were now in their fusion form known as Twinrova.

"Oookay, almost forgot they could do that." Nabooru said.

"I think we need a new plan." Link said nervously.

"Now to destroy you both!" Twinrova cackled with glee, firing a stream of flame at them. Nabooru held up the Mirror Shield like before, only instead of reflecting off the shield, the flame was instead absorbed into it.

"What the heck...?" Nabooru looked down at the shield, which was now glowing with red fire energy.

"The Mirror Shield is reacting differently to their fusion spell..." Link observed, "Try collecting more of her magic, and it might be enough to take down!"

"Right!"

Link then turned to firing slingshot seeds at Twinrova to distract her, while Nabooru aimed her shield carefully while dodging the witches other attacks. Soon Twinrova shot off another fire magic attack which Nabooru collected into the shield.

"Hmm, quite resourceful." said Twinrova grinning, "How about we mix it up?!"

Twinrova then fired off an ice spell at Nabooru, but when she tried to absorb that attack with the shield, the magic energy reacted violently, causing a backfire explosion that sent Nabooru and Link flying back.

"Link, are you okay?!" Nabooru asked, only to see Link had a few burns on his small body.

"Ugh, not used to this kind of power at this age..." Link groaned. Nabooru was confused by the way he phrased that, but went back on the defensive against Twinrova, using the shield to absorb another ice magic attack.

"Ohhohohoho!" laughed Twinrova, "So predictable, now I'll roast you both!"

"Damnit, dodging it is too hard, and we can't absorb it without a backfire." Nabooru said.

"Wait... backfire..." Link pondered, "Maybe that's just what we need!"

"Huh? What are you-" Nabooru then realized what Link meant, "Oh, I see what you're getting at!"

"Now die the two of you!" shouted Twinrova, charging up another fire attack.

This time however, Nabooru simply smirked and held up Mirror Shield, which was glowing with ice energy, and threw it like a frisbee straight at Twinrova, just as she was about to release the fire attack.

"Uh oh." Twinrova muttered as her fire attack impacted right into the ice energy engulfed shield, causing a backfire explosion that sent Twinrova flying into the air and down towards the ground, screaming out a "Kyyyaaa!"

"Now it's our turn!" Nabooru rushed forward, brandishing her twin scimitars and slashing through Twinrova with them.

Twinrova's eyes turned a blank white as she gagged out, impacting onto the ground in a daze.

"Nice work!" Link shouted to Nabooru.

Nabooru grinned to the kid, and turned to look down to the fallen witch, ready to deliver a finishing blow, but Twinrova had taken that moment to change back to her twin witch selves, the two of them woozy and in pain from the fight.

"Ugh, how could this have happened...?" groaned Kotake.

"This was clearly all your fault!" snapped Kotake, you're the one who use that last attack!"

"What about you, old hag?! You're the one that powered the shield up!"

The two witches were already back to their near-endless squabbling.

"Hey, are you two done?" Nabooru held her swords in a battle pose again, "Or do we need to crush you again?"

"Y-You know what dear sister? N-Never mind who's fault it was," said Koume to her sister nervously, "I think it's time we beat a hasty retreat!"

The two witches conjured their brooms and flew off on them, Link and Nabooru could only watch as the two flew out the room and to who-knows-where.

"Whew, we actually won." Link took a deep breath, only to be scooped up and hugged tightly by Nabooru.

"Kid, that was amazing!" she said happily, "I knew there was something great about you, back when we met!"

"Oof, as I recall you were saying how weird my name was!" Link said with a lot of embarrassment from being hugged.

* * *

Soon Link and Nabooru arrived at the entrance to the Spirit Temple, Nabooru stepping out into the outside and stretching, taking in the warmth of the sun.

"Aaahhh..." Nabooru said with contentment, "It's been too long since I've felt the desert heat!."

"It's too much heat." Link complained, "I don't know how you and your people deal with it."

"You just have to adapt to it is all." she said smirking. "Come on, let's go freshen up."

Link and Nabooru soon arrived at an oasis not far from the Spirit Temple, Nabooru was taking time to soak her head in the water and threw her hair back, while Link just collected a handful of water and splashed it on his face.

"I just have say," Nabooru started, "I knew there was something special about you when we first met, but you really pulled through for me today. I honestly can't thank you enough for what you did..." she paused for a moment, then asked, "But why did you come back for me?"

"It's no problem, I couldn't just leave you behind in there," Link said grinning, "We're friends after all, right?"

"Friends, huh?" Nabooru smirked, "I suppose we are then."

"Plus I suppose I wanted to see what that promise was going to be." Link admitted.

"Ah yes, that promise..." Nabooru said. She contemplated that and looked over at Link, who was taking a sip of the oasis water. A small grin formed on her face as a thought went through her mind.

_'Maybe... in enough time, he could someday be...'_

"Is something on my face Nabooru?" Link asked curiously.

"Uh, no, no." Nabooru said catching herself. She gave it a little more thought for a few minutes, then finally said, "So about that promise..."

"Yeah?"

"How about... forget that old promise." she said, baffling Link, before she said, "Instead, I have something even greater in mind for you." she said, "Something that will make you truly happy."

"S-Sounds nice." Link said, "What is it?"

"Can't tell you yet." Nabooru shrugged.

"Oh come on, really?!" :Link asked in annoyance, "So when can I find out?"

"I'll tell you what." Nabooru said, standing up and wiping sand off her pants. "How about you return to Gerudo Valley in say... seven years. When you do I'll bestow on you my new promise."

"Seven years?" Link asked, "Why so long?"

"You'll find out when that time comes." Nabooru said, "You got a lot of growing up to do first, and I got some preparations to make."

"Hm, okay..." Link agreed, "Then I'll come back to see you seven years from now!"

"Good, you won't be disappointed." Nabooru nodded, she paused on that note and then said, "Actually in the meantime..."

"Yeah?"

"I take back what I said about the original promise, you'll get it after all."

With that, Nabooru knelled down and gave Link a small kiss on the cheek, causing the young warrior's face to turn bright red.

"W-What was that about?!" exclaimed Link, "T-That was the original promise?"

"Yep, consider it a reminder of our new promise." she chuckled.

"A-Alright then..." Link said, rubbing his cheek a little, taking a look to see if any of Nabooru's lipstick was still on his face.

* * *

Sometime after that, Link and Nabooru bid each other goodbye for the time being and went their separate ways. As Nabooru watched Link journey off to his next destination, she couldn't help but smile lightly.

"Stay safe ki-... Link." she said softly, "You got big things ahead of you soon..."

* * *

**Well I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I'll have the next one coming soon.**


	2. The Bird and The Fighter

_**It's time for the second chapter! Before we start, I just wanted to clarify that due to enough comments, I'm rewriting a certain scene in this chapter to make more sense. Thank you all for your comments on this matter!**_

* * *

Seven years had past since the day Link saved Nabooru from Twinrova, and the two making their promise to meet again. He slowly walked through a vast canyon in the Gerudo Valley, taking time to look around for possible monsters. All he saw (besides lots of dirt and sand) was the rare pile of debris from what appeared to be the remnants from battles or something. He wasn't sure what tales the wreckage told, but pressed on regardless.

Over the past seven years, Link had grown from a small but hearty child into a tall capable adult. He still wore his choice outfit style of a green tunic and a matching cap, though he had long traded in his small knife and wooden shield for a steel sword fit for a hero, and a Hylian shield on his back.

His time during those seven years was not spent idle, he had gone on many adventures and quests, traveling to strange lands, meeting and befriending many people, and battling many villains and monsters. His skills had been honed over time, and he was a much greater warrior then ever, even more then back when he was in the dark future. His only true companion through all this was his horse Epona, a gift from one of my closest friends.

Returning to Hyrule after what seemed like forever, he took the time to meet with many of his old friends; the first and foremost being his childhood friend from Kokiri Forest, Saria. While she tried to maintain a calm demeanor, she was clearly worried and upset that she hadn't been able to communicate with him for so long using the magical song she had taught him. They concluded it was due to him not just traveling to other lands, but other dimensions as well. Link apologized and vowed to talk with her much more and share his stories with her from now on.

After that he made his way to Death Mountain, which despite the name was home to some of the most lovable guys Link knew, the rock-eating creatures known as the Gorons, and their leader Darunia. Darunia treated Link as a 'sworn brother', which was the greatest honor a Goron could give someone. After a rather bone-crushing hug, Darunia took his time to introduce Link to his son, who was also named Link. The Hylian hero admitted he was a little flattered at that, and almost flattened when Link the Goron tried to give his 'Uncle Link' a hug as well. Overall, they had a great, if painful, time.

Next came the waterfall basin where Zora's Domain was, home to the fish people known as Zoras, and the home of one of his close friends Princess Ruto. This reunion was kind of an odd one for Link, since she had given him a stone he needed to complete his quest as a wedding proposal after he saved her from a monster. While she had become much more sophisticated over the years, she still retained her somewhat haughty and playful demeanor. He wasn't too sure what to say to answer about marrying her, there was no doubt that even for someone half-fish, she was a beautiful lady all the same, He eventually worked up the nerve to apologize and say he wasn't interested in her as anything more then a friend. Surprisingly, she didn't really mind all that much, and just accepted him as a dear friend, though that still didn't stop her from shoving him into the waters of her home, splashing him, and followed it with a sweet kiss on the nose, saying that if he ever changed his mind she'd be waiting.

After that he had attempted to arrive at Hyrule Castle to meet with Princess Zelda and her Sheikah nanny Impa. That didn't go so well as the others, as he was turned down at the gate almost instantly, and his attempts to sneak in through the usual route in the garden were met with failure. Ultimately deciding it wasn't time to see them just yet, he went on his way.

Finally he came to Lon Lon Ranch, where much of the produce and livestock in the local area came from. It was also home to a childhood friend of his, Malon, daughter of the ranch owner Talon. It was joyous reunion to be sure, Malon calling him "fairy boy" as she was known to, and Epona was thrilled to be back with the other horses. Link eventually decided to leave Epona at the ranch so she could finally rest, thanking her for helping him throughout his adventures.

During Link's stay at Lon Lon Ranch he was met by a traveling postman wearing a bunny hood, who gave him a letter from Nabooru. The letter told him not to meet at the Gerudo Fortress where he was originally thought they would reunite, and in fact telling him not to go anywhere near it. Instead, the map contained directions to another location he had never been before. His journey took him to a vast canyon quite a distance from where he remembered the fortress was.

He was pretty eager to meet Nabooru and see just what this promise she made for him was, hopefully it involved him being able to rest for a few days, he had gone to so many places and gone on so many adventures, while it had been exciting it was tiresome as well.

Though despite all he had done and all the people he met though the years, there was one major thing, one regret he still had after all this time...

'Wonder if I'll ever see you again?' Link thought to himself. Taking a deep sigh, he continued onward.

As he went down the road, he heard a strange high-pitched sound. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was getting louder and closer as he walked. It was somewhat difficult to tell due to the canyon's echoing. It was then that the sound become more clear, and realized it was a woman's voice, and that it was high up. He looked into the air curiously, seeing what looked like a bird flailing around wildly, except it wasn't a bird, it was a... girl?

"Woah! Woooaaah! I can't stop myself! Look out belooow!" shouted the girl as she came downwards, right at Link.

He didn't even have a chance to react as the girl's forehead impacted right into Link's, sending him falling down backwards and the girl falling over on her rear.

"Yeooow!" Link shouted, rubbing his forehead in pain. Before he could even see who it was that impacted into him, she was quickly getting up and frantically looking him over.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she said, "Did I give you a concussion?! Are you conscious?! Blink twice if you're still alive!"

"Uh, I'm... alive?" Link clarified, "My head just hurts."

"Here, let me help you!" the girl said, getting Link up onto his feet, and then quickly running around his body trying to dust him off with what appeared to be feathers of some kind that seemed to be strapped to her arms. She then tried to straighten his outfit out (except it was already fine before she got her hands on it), and grabbed up his green cap from the ground.

"Umm, I could only find one of your socks..." she said meekly, holding it up to him.

"I-It's fine, that's my hat." Link said, taking the cap, dusting it off and putting it back on his head.

"Oh, I see! I'm so sorry for bonking you, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Aviel!"

Link took that moment to get a good look at the lady who crashed into him. It was clear from her tan skin, round ears, red hair, and revealing silk outfit that she was a Gerudo. This girl in particular had short hair done up in odd spiky strands that stuck out in different directions, reminding him of a bird, and she wore a pair of goggles around her neck. Her outfit itself was a vibrant light green color, and the top he couldn't help but notice, was holding her rather large bountiful chest in it. He also noticed she had a rather well-designed crossbow strapped to her back.

But the most unusual thing about her though were those feathers that appeared to be wrapped around her arms.

Link had to admit he was a little worried about the Gerudo in the area being hostile, but this girl seemed quite friendly.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Link." he said.

"Link? What an odd name..." Aviel said in thought, "If I was your mama I would had called you something like Rinku, or Ravio, or Legolas, or Bob.."

'Bob?' Link thought to himself, wondering what it was with Gerudo questioning his name. He then looked to her arms and decided to change the subject. "If you don't mind me asking, what's with the feathers?"

"Oh, these?" Aviel asked, her eyes brightening up, "This is my special treasure I found a while back, the Roc's Wing!" She held up her arms and much to Link's shock, the feathers fell open, making her arms seemingly transform into long bird-like wings. "With these I can fly free as a birdie!"

"So that's what I saw, that's amazing!" Link said. He had seen and used many strange artifacts and treasures during his travels, but nothing quite like bird wings.

"Hee hee," giggled Aviel, putting her wings to her cheeks and blushing, "I've never been complimented about my wings before! I've been told by my sisters not to trust men, but you seem really nice!" she leaned forward, unwittingly giving Link a generous view of her chest, "And I like your eyes, they're gentle and blue like the sky..."

Link was trying his best to keep his attention of Aviel's own eyes, "Uh, thanks... Actually, I was wondering if you know Nabooru, I have to meet with her somewhere here."

"Lady Nabooru? Oh, she's in the town at the very end of this canyon. It's a straight path, you can't miss it!"

"Ah, I see." Link said.

"Well, I suppose I better get back to my post." Aviel said, spreading her wings out, "It was nice speaking to you Bob!"

"You too, and uh, the name's Link." he said correcting her.

"Oh right." Aviel said, "I hope to see you again!" With that she took to the air. Link watched as she staggered left and right trying to maintain her balance, and flew up to a tall lookout pole with a crow's nest on top overlooking the canyon. Shortly after she landed (well more like crashed) into the nest, she looked out from it and he saw her waving her wing at him, which he replied by waving back to her.

'What a weird girl...' Link thought, 'Least she's a nice person, maybe the Gerudo aren't as hostile as before.'

He continued onward through the canyon, and eventually found a giant gate made form wood and steel, it was pretty high up, it reminded him somewhat of the gate in the Gerudo Fortress that lead across the desert to the Spirit Temple.

"Halt, male!" shouted a voice. Link looked and saw a Gerudo woman standing before him holding a halberd spear, she appeared to be a guard. He had been so distracted by the size of the gate that he didn't even notice her at first. "What business do you have here?"

He took a close look at the guard standing before him. She had her red hair done up in a loose bun, her clothes were the typical Gerudo attire and colored red. She had a black sash with odd markings tied around her waist, and she had steel bands attached to her wrists and shins. Her expression was stern and serious, a very distinct contrast from Aviel.

"I said, what's your business here, MALE." shouted the guard, glaring coldly at Link, snapping him out of his observation. Link did a polite bow at the waist and spoke up.

"Forgive me, but I have an audience with Nabooru." he explained, "I'd like to get access to your town."

"Do you really think I'd fall for such a trick?" asked the guard, "What would Lady Nabooru want with a male like yourself?"

"We go back a long way," Link said, "I have a letter from her right her-"

As Link reached for the letter, he realized it was missing. He scrambled around frantically trying to find it, only to see it was completely gone.

'What?!' he thought to himself, 'Where is it?! I just had it just a little while ag-' It then quickly occurred to him where it most likely had gone, as he recalled when Aviel crashed into him earlier.

'I must have dropped it at that moment...' he realized, then spoke up sheepishly to the guard, "A-Actually, I think I misplaced it and-"

"Hmph, a likely story." said the guard, pointing her halberd at Link, "I bet you're an assassin sent by the king to kill our beloved leader!"

'So Nabooru's in charge now?' he thought to himself, then spoke, "I assure you, if you just ask her, she'll acknowledge m-" Link's words were cut off by the guard swinging her halberd at him, and he instinctively jumped backwards. The guard pulled back, spun her halberd in her hand and struck a battle pose.

"I'll be your opponent, I am Nemisa of the royal Gerudo guard, prepare yourself male!" she stated.

"Nemisa?" Link pondered, "That's a pretty cute name."

Nemisa paused for a few seconds, still in battle pose. It was then that her eyes suddenly widened a little and her face flushed red.

"W-What are you saying you bastard?! I'll kill you!" she exclaimed.

With that Nemisa rushed forward with her halberd and swung it out, but Link quickly pulled up his shield and blocked it.

"Wait, I don't wish to fight you!" Link said calmly, "I just want to-"

"Shut up and fight!" she said, smacking the shield aside and lunging forward with the halberd's blade. Link quickly sidestepped from it, drew his sword and swung it out, knocking Nemisa back.

"So you can fight, good. It wouldn't be as enjoyable killing you if you couldn't." Nemisa said, she came at Link again and swung the halberd, only for him to deflect it with his sword again, causing it to fly out of her grasp and impale down onto the ground.

"There," Link said, "I'd disarmed you, now can we just tal-"

"Disarmed? Hardly." Nemisa said, she brought up her fists and went into a new battle stance, "That halberd is just for show. Now we really fight."

"But you don't have any weapon." Link pointed out, moments before Nemisa charged forward and thrust her fist at Link, forcing him to quickly lean his head to the side, her fist barely scrapping against his cheek.

"My limbs are my true weapons." she said simply.

With that, Nemisa swung her fists quickly and wildly, Link couldn't do much to counter from close range like that, and spent his time dodging and blocking her attacks, only to then suddenly get kicked in the side by her leg.

"Ack, y-you fight with both your fists and your legs?!" Link groaned, clutching his side.

"Karate style martial arts combat," explained Nemisa, flipping backwards and giving the two of them some distance, "A battle style of the Shiekah, now for the last time, draw your blade and fight!"

"Wait, it's not fair for me to fight against someone just using their-" Link's attempt to stop the fight went unheard as Nemisa came right at him again, forcing Link to pull out his sword and swung it at her, hoping to defer her from the fight, but she quickly swung up her leg, managing to block the sword somehow and making a 'clang' sound in the process.

"W-What?" Link realized, seeing that the steel bands she had on her wrists and shins weren't just for show, they were strong enough to withstand his sword.

"You don't think I wouldn't try to fight a sword-user without a shield of my own?" asked Nemisa with a sneer, she then kicked his sword away and then kicked Link across the face, sending him back a bit. He quickly regained his composure and ran forward.

'Guess I'm not going to be able to hold back then.' Link thought, darting forward and swinging his sword, the two were locked in a barrage of fists, kicks and sword slashes. Link's shield and Nemisa's bands blocking each attack.

"You're more skilled then I thought." Nemisa said, "But it's time to end this."

Nemisa then knelt down and leaped high into the air, going well over Link and landing down behind them, then swinging her leg at him, he quickly turned around to block the kick, but her leg managed to hit the side of his shield, sending it back, and allowing her to quickly lunge forward and came at him with rapid kicks and punches, not letting up for a second.

'Damnit...' Link thought as he desperately tried to read her attacks and dodging them, 'She's really strong, stronger then most people I've fought in the past...'

Nemisa tried swinging out at him again, but this time Link brought back his sword and sliced at her with his trademark spin attack. The technique surprised her, before Link then lunged forward and thrust out his sword at her, managing to graze her arm with it.

'H-He caught me off guard?' Nemisa thought to herself with a horrified look in her eyes. Clutching her arm, her body seemed to shake for a second, then spoke out loud, "No, no! I don't lose to another!"

"Another...?" Link asked himself.

It was then Link watched as Nemisa then reached into her pocket, seeming to be gripping at something. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them, clearly filled with rage.

Nemisa then came at Link again, forcing him to swing out his sword, but she started dodging his attacks, oddly through slow and delicate movements he hadn't seen before in battle, he thrust his sword forward and she spun to the side, he tried an overhead swung but she brought her leg up to block it before spinning again and kicking at him.

It was then Link had an idea; he brought out his sword, but instead of using it for an attack like she predicted, he used it to block the kick instead, surprising her. He then brought back his Hylian shield and thrust it forward, bashing it into her and sending her staggering back, giving Link a chance to rush forward and bring down his sword on her, forcing her to block with both wrist bands.

"Listen, let's end this battle, I don't want to fight you anymore." Link said calmly.

Nemisa's eyes widened in that moment as he spoke to her, but then she narrowed them coldly.

"I agree, which is why I'm going to end this." Nemisa said.

Nemisa then swung her leg up and kneed Link in the stomach, causing him to stagger back, before she delivered a powerful kick that sent him back a bit further. He gasped out a bit and looked up to the guard, seeing she was getting pretty tired herself.

He was about to charge in for another attack, but it was then something came up from behind and grabbed him by his arms. He then realized he was now surrounded by multiple Gerudo guards who had arrived in the area to see what the fighting was about, and two of them were holding him in place.

"You're under arrest Hylian male!" shouted one of the guards who had captured him.

"Wait!" Link said desperately, his injuries making it difficult to fight back, "If you just let me expali-"

But then the other Gerudo guard stuck her hand out and grabbed at his neck. She had squeezed a pressure point on it, which caused Link to start to get dizzy.

Before he fell unconscious, he saw Nemisa slowly walking up to him and glaring coldly...

* * *

Link blinked and looked around, finding himself in a strange dark void. He wasn't sure where he was, but at the same time it looked somewhat familiar in a weird way.

He wandered around, trying to figure out what was going on, until he saw a lone dark figure standing before him. He stared the figure down, unable to make out any details on them.

"Who are you?" Link asked, contemplating whether to draw his sword or not.

"Heh heh heh, it's been a long time." chuckled the figure, "Did you really think you could get away from me, pal?"

"What are you talking about?" Link asked.

"I'll tell you in due time, if you live that long," the figure said, "But you got bigger problems right now,."

Suddenly, Link found the ground beneath him vanish, and he started falling. He yelled out, hearing a sinister laugh as he fell into the void...

* * *

That was when Link woke up, gasping out. He flinched as he felt some pain shoot through his body.

"Ugh, that was a dream?" Link groaned, "Just who was that exactly?"

"Oh! He's awake!"

He heard an unfamiliar voice and turned in it's direction, seeing some Gerudo women looking at him through a window with bars on it. They started talking with each other, but he was in such a daze he could barely make out what they were chatting about.

"Hey, stay away from the male!" shouted a voice, which scared the women off.

He then took a look around to see where exactly he was. It was some kind of stone building he had never seen before, he found himself laying on top of a pile of hay, and there was a steel plate nearby with some bread on it. His gaze looked to the door and windows only to see they were all closed off by steel bears. He also noticed all this equipment was gone.

"Hm, so I'm a prisoner then, swell." Link muttered.

He forced himself up and took a look through the window, he couldn't make out too many details, aside from some more buildings, mostly made of stone like his prison. He also saw a Gerudo woman or two walking around, though they didn't seem to be patrolling or armed like he typically expected of the tribe. Some were casually talking and others were carrying bags around.

"Well this must be the town," Link said, "Least I'm in the right place. Big question is though is how do I get out of this prison?"

He peeked through the bars of the entrance to survey his surroundings, it seemed the prison was in the far back of the town, where there wasn't too many people going around, and there wasn't a guard watching over his cell. If he could get out it wouldn't be TOO hard to sneak off and find Nabooru.

It then occurred to Link he did have a way to escape. Thankful they didn't take his boots, he reached onto the fold at the top of his left boot and pulled out a hairpin he kept hidden in there just for such a situation. He started picking at the lock with the hairpin, and after a few minutes, got the lock open.

He took a second to peek out and make sue no one was looking, then sneaked off, his first instinct was to duck into an alleyway. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on his side at that very moment, as a small piece of hay from his prison bed fell off his hat, and brushed against his nose, he tried to hold the sensation in, but it was futile, and he wound up sneezing loudly. He hoped this wouldn't get anyone's attention but...

"Hey, the prisoner escaped!" shouted a Gerudo, alerting some of the guards in the town.

"Ah crud." Link said, forced to run off as fast as he could.

"Halt prisoner!" shouted one of a few guards chasing after him.

"Wait, this is a huge misunderstanding!" shouted Link, "I'm just trying to track down Nabooru!"

"He's after Lady Nabooru?! Stop him at all costs!" shouted one of the guards, and they all started running faster after him.

'I probably could have phrased that better...!' Link thought to himself, continuing to run.

Link quickly rounded the corner of a building and into an alley. Looking around, he saw a closed door and a large clay pot with a lid. Thinking fast with his situation, he opened the door of the building, then jumped into the large pot, covering himself with the lid.

Much to Link's relief, the guards took the bait; they saw the door was open and ran into the building to search for him, and completely ignored the pot he was hiding in. When he was convinced the coast was clear, he climbed out of the pot and looked around for his next move. He looked up at the roof of the building and decided that would be a good place to hide. He took to climbing up the side of the alley, using windows and windowsills to get himself up onto the roof of the building.

Peeking out, he saw there was no guards on the rooftops. He climbed up and sighed with relief for the break. He took that time to survey his surroundings, trying to figure out his next move.

"Hey!" shouted a voice. Link froze up at the idea that one of the guards might had noticed him, but then realized how familiar the voice was. He turned to see Aviel flying down onto the rooftop with her Roc's Wings and stumbled onto her feet. "It's you Ravio! I knew I'd see you again!"

"Aviel, I'm glad to see it's you!" Link said, running up and giving her a tight hug.

"A-Ahyayayaya!" stammered Aviel, blushing bright red from being embraced by Link, "W-What are you doing?!"

"Uh, sorry." Link said, letting go and stepping back, "I'm just happy to see a friendly face."

"I... I've never been hugged by a guy before..." said Aviel, putting her wings to her face with a deep red face, "S-So what are you doing up here, learning to fly?"

"Actually I'm running for my life." Link groaned, "I was thrown in prison and I barely escaped."

"Wow, that stinks." Aviel said, "You said you were looking for Lady Nabooru right? How'd you get arrested?"

"I uh, had some trouble with the guard." Link said, "\So do you know where Nabooru is?"

"Yep, she's over at the palace, it's that big building in the center of town." she said, pointing her wing at the large building with the banners hanging from it, "I'd fly you there if I could but my body isn't strong enough to carry anyone."

"It's fine," Link said with a small grin, "You seem to have a hard enough time flying around by yourself."

"Oh quiet you!" said Aviel in a huff, but then smiled lightly, "Actually, maybe there is something I can do to help you. They won't let anyone besides the higher ranked guards into the place right now, but I'll go distract those two, and you can get in through there," she said, pointing to one window on the highest floor, with a banner hanging just below it, "That's where I see Nabooru pass by the most!"

"Thanks, that means a lot." Link said nodding, "But aren't you taking a big risk doing this?"

"Ah it's fine." shrugged Aviel, "I get in trouble all the time around here anyway, and I always get on everyone's nerves..." she looked a look up into the air and said with a sad smile, "I think that's why they put me in that lookout tower, just to keep me out of everyone's hair..."

"Aviel..." Link muttered.

"It's fine," she said with a big grin, "I know my sisters think little of me, but I still love them all! They've warned me of how bad males are, especially Hylians, but you're way different then what they've said, I can tell you're a good person."

Link was a little surprised hearing all this from Aviel, she came off really weird, but he felt he could understand her a little more now.

"Okay, I'll go get the guards' attention, then you can hop over to the window without trouble!" Aviel said, "Actually hold on, let me borrow your sock." she said, taking Link's hat and flying off.

Link was a little confused about her taking his hat, but watched carefully as Aviel flew over to the guards near the banner she had been pointing to, she was flapping her wings wildly shouting something inaudible to Link from that distance. The guards seemed somewhat hesitant, but then she showed then Link's hat. The two guards nodded to each other and ran off in the direction Aviel was pointing.

"Nice!" Link said, impressed by Aviel's surprising cunning. He took that chance to leap over the rooftops one at a time and reached the one across from the banner. Taking a deep breath, he jumped form the last roof and grabbed onto the banner. Thankfully it was pretty durable material, and he was easily able to grip and climb up it to the window. He took the chance to peek inside, then climbed in, finding himself in an empty hallway

He slowly crept down the hallway, keeping an eye on his surroundings. He slowly took a corner... only to collide into someone.

"Ah, sorry about that." Link said.

"Oh no, it's fine, I was the one who-." said the person he bumped into, only for the two to take a look and recognize each other.

"Nemisa?!" exclaimed Link.

"The male?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Uh sorry, gotta go!" said Link, turning and running in the other direction.

"Halt intruder!" she shouted, chasing after him.

Link hurried down the halls, avoiding any pots or weapons Nemisa was chucking at him in an attempt to slow him down.

Eventually Link came to the end of a hallway, where there was nothing but a door, deciding it was his only way to go, he started opening the door to find another way to escape, only for him to get tackled from behind by Nemisa, knocking him over through the doorway to the ground.

"Stay where you are, male!" shouted Nemisa, "You're going to pay for-"

"Huh? What's going on here?" piped up a new voice. Link and Nemisa both looked up to see they were in a washroom, where a woman most familiar to Link was lounging in a type of fountain-like pool of water, the woman was looking intently at Link.

It was his old friend Nabooru.

And she was completely nude.

"Link, is that you old friend?" she asked with a bright smile, standing up and showing off her body completely..

"N-Nabooru?!" exclaimed Link, his face a deep red and with blood leaking out from his nostril

"You perverted-!" shouted Nemisa, grabbing his ears and yanking on them, "So this was your plan!"

"Wait, this wasn't what I was trying to do!" Link exclaimed, he reached behind himself to pull Nemisa off him, only to accidentally grab her rear end.

"Wha-" muttered Nemisa, her face flushed red.

"S-something's really soft..." muttered Link.

"What's soft?!" shouted Nemisa in a fit of anger, whacking Link upside the head.

"Legolas, they're onto us!" shouted Aviel in a panic, running into the room herself and tripping, causing her to fall on top of Nemisa and Link, her chest in particular engulfing Link's head.

"This is getting a little too soft..." muffled Link.

"I... think we all need to have a talk." Nabooru sighed, putting a towel around herself.

* * *

_**Well that's chapter two. This one ended up taking longer then I thought, but I'll try to get the next one as soon as possible, work is keeping me busy, but I get enough quiet time to come up with ideas for my stories. (also, thanks again for everyone's input on the fight scene. I hope it doesn't come off as too one-sided against Link this time)**_

_**Stay tuned for the next chapter coming soon!**_


	3. Nabooru's Big Announcement

_**Chapter 3 time, hope you guys are enjoying this so far! A big thanks to the followers, likers and reviewers who've been encouraging me to keep this going!**_

* * *

"Hoo-kay, so now that I've heard everyone's story, I have a few questions..." Nabooru said with her arms folded. She had just sat Link, Aviel and Nemisa down to hear out what exactly was going on over the course of the day.

"Before that though, can you please change into some clothes?" asked Nemisa awkwardly, as Nabooru was currently clad in a towel that only covered her from her chest down to just below her waist, giving the three a good viewing of her legs, one crossed over the other. Nemisa had her hand over Link's eyes to prevent him from gawking.

"As I recall Link," Nabooru started, ignoring Nemisa's request, "I had sent you letter of invitation to come here to Gerudo Town. That letter should have been enough to let you pass the guards, what happened to it?"

"I, um..." Link rubbed his hand behind his head, his eyes still covered by Nemisa, "...kinda dropped it at one point on the way over, and by the time I found out it was too late, and my personal blindfold over here showed no mercy."

"Heh, smooth move butterfingers." smirked Nemisa under her breath, earning herself a blinded glare from Link.

"Now my next question to Nemisa," Nabooru said, "What were you doing on guard duty today? I thought Losouk was was supposed to be stationed at the entrance today."

"Sister Losouk has fallen ill with the flu this morning, so I volunteered for the job. I can assure you if I had known about this male being your guest I would had been more accommodating for him." Nemisa stated firmly.

"You mean you would had beaten me up slightly less?" Link asked sarcastically.

"I'm surprised no one told you about my guest arriving." Nabooru inquired.

"I was given briefing notes, but they said nothing about a male coming to the town." Nemisa said.

"Notes...? Losouk...?" muttered Aviel in thought, "So that was what I found?"

"W-What do you mean, what you found?" asked Nemisa.

"Well when I was on my way to lookout duty, I noticed you had dropped a piece of paper." Aviel told Nemisa, "I was going to give it to you, but I saw the note was written for sister Losouk, so I brought it over to her home, I didn't try waking her up since she was sick, so I just left the paper there."

Nemisa's face paled at that moment.

Aviel just gave a goofy grin and rubbed the back of her head, "I didn't read it since I thought it might had been something personal for her, sorry about that."

Nemisa's hand slowly moved down from Link's eyes and was instead used to cover her increasingly embarrassed face.

"Anything to say Ms. Butterfinger McBlindfold?" Link asked with a smarmy grin.

"I withdraw what I said earlier." she muttered in a combination of anger and embarrassment.

"So next subject, why didn't anyone notify me about our prisoner?" asked Nabooru.

"As I recall in my briefing notes..." said Nemisa, "You were preparing for a big announcement later today, and we were told that you wanted absolutely no interruptions during your preparations."

"O-Ooh... that's right..." Nabooru said, recalling that morning when the guards had spoken with her about her plans for the day, she had been massively hungover from the night before and told them to screw off and leave her alone.

Nabooru's face paled almost as badly as Nemisa's a second ago.

"...Lady Nabooru?" Aviel asked.

"Ahahahaa, S-So it seems this whole thing was just a misunderstanding!" Nabooru laughed over-anxiously, "No harm done then!"

"Yeah except for the part where I almost got myself killed." Link muttered.

"Oh come on, this was nothing for you Link." grinned Nabooru with a wink, "Remember when you risked yourself back in the Spirit Temple for a kiss from me back when you were a kid."

"A kiss?!" exclaimed Nemisa, "Are males truly that shallow even at a young age?!"

"T-That's now really why I-" Link's explanation was cut off by Aviel butting into the conversation.

"Oooh, a kiss?!" Aviel said, putting her hands on her knees and looking intently at Link, "Tell me the details Ravio, how was it, how did it taste, did she use her tongue?!"

"I told you my name's Link!" the man addressed as Ravio exclaimed, "And we didn't do anything!"

Nabooru just watched the three of them banter, and soon found herself breaking out into laughter, halting everyone in their tracks.

"Ah-hahaha! I'm pretty impressed Link, you've only been here half a day and you've already made two good friends!" she said.

"Friends?!" exclaimed Nemisa in an annoyed tone, "I assure you I'm not friends with that m-"

"Yay, we're all friends!" exclaimed Aviel in a joyous tone, her arms turned to bird wings and she quickly hugged Link and Nemisa at the same time. Link's face was flushed enough from Nabooru being in a towel, but then was forced too close to Aviel's chest and Nemisa's angry face for either's liking.

"Well at any rate," Nabooru continued, "I would like to speak to Link in private at this time. Nemisa, Aviel, the two of you are dismissed to rest and prepare for my announcement."

"Thank you Lady Nabooru." the two of them said bowing.

"Bye Link!" Aviel added, giving Link a small hug with her wings before following a silent Nemisa out the door.

As soon as he door closed, Link and Nabooru turned to each other.

"Well you just keep getting yourself into trouble, don't you Link?" Nabooru said with a smirk.

"What can I say? I'm a magnet for it." Link replied with a grin.

There was a pause, and Nabooru leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. "It's great to see you again Link, you look like you've grown up into a fine handsome man."

"I can't believe it's been seven years. You look like you haven't aged a day since then." Link nodded.

"Heh, good looks and a flatterer." she said, "I think you'll do well around here."

Link laughed nervously, looking to change the subject, "So you're the boss around here now? It seems like the girls really respect you."

"I suppose." Nabooru said, she stood up and walked over to where she kept her clothes, "After everything that's been going on over the past years some changes really needed to be made."

She then removed the towel from her body, prompting Link to look away frantically, while she changed into her usual pink Gerudo outfit. Link did his best to hold back the urge to turn his gaze toward her, until she did it for him, grabbing his chin and tilting his head up at her.

"Oh don't be so modest," Nabooru said with a smile, "You saw all of me earlier, didn't you?"

"I-I guess..." Link said, "I was just kind of expecting Nemisa to barge in and clobber me for it."

"Honestly with that girl I wouldn't be surprised." she agreed, "Well, you must be exhausted after your travels. Why don't we get you freshened up? I'd like you to be ready to attend my meeting with the town this afternoon."

"Sounds good," Link said, "I could use a good bath."

"You can use mine right here." she said, gesturing to the fountain bath, "I'll prepare you some clothes for afterwards."

"Thanks." he said. Nabooru strolled out of the washroom while Link started undressing himself. As he was just removing his tunic and shirt however... 

"Lady Nabooru, I apologize for the intrusion, I believe I dropped something mine in h-"

Nemisa had just walked in through the door and saw Link standing there, clad only in his white tights and boots. Nemisa just stood there blankly, getting full view of Link's lean and athletic body, her face flushed a bright red as she looked for a few seconds, before reaching down and taking a small jewel that had been laying on the ground without a word, and shut the door.

"...I'm in so much trouble here." Link sighed as he continued preparing himself for the bath.

* * *

"People of Gerudo Town!" shouted one of Nabooru's bodyguards as she stood at the front the central palace, before her stood a sizable crowd of Gerudo women that made up the vast majority of the citizens, "Lady Nabooru has a great announcement for you all, one that she says will change our lives forever!"

The crowd cheered out, at least a few of them calling out for Nabooru by name.

Eventually Nabooru came walking in through the entrance, waving her hand to the cheering crowd, behind her stood Link, now clad in a red vest and green pants. Nabooru cleared her throat and started speaking out to the people. Link watched her as she spoke, he was pretty impressed at how far she had come over the years, she was highly respected by her people and stood as tall and strong as he remembered back when he first met her in the Spirit Temple.

Link himself however, was a bit unnerved by the crowd itself, especially after what happened earlier that day with the prison escape. He looked out and saw the crowd, some of them murmuring to themselves, presuming they were talking about him. Oddly enough, despite how the Gerudo typically looked, he saw a small handful of them had slightly different features, a few of them with skin as white as his, and some with pointy ears like the Hylains.

"...which bring me to my next subject." Nabooru's speech continued, "It's been six years since the tragedy that transpired, and we all still feel the pain of what happened..." Link was confused about what she said right then, but waited for her to get to her point. "...and our people suffer because of the strict laws imposed on us. While I have done as much as I have to change things around here, I feel we need something else in particular to aide us."

The crowd murmured to each other, wondering what she was talking about.

"Today my sisters, is the dawning of a new era for the Gerudo, where we shall prosper and thrive, for I have found the very thing our people truly need!"

She then took Link's shoulder, and pulled him up to stand alongside her.

"Sisters of Gerudo Town, I have found our future king!"

The crowd, and Link himself all paused for a few seconds, before letting out a collective-

"WHAAAT?!"

"What the heck did you just say Nabooru?!" exclaimed Link.

"This is Link, the future king of the Gerudo!" Nabooru announced, "I know what some of you are thinking, he may be a Hylian male, and I'm well aware of what some of you may think of them in general, but I can assure you this man is different, not just from most male Hylians, but from the former king Ganondorf himself, and with his help, we can reshape our town and bring us to prosperity!"

The crowd was clearly confused by this, they were all speaking wildly among each other about this turn of events. Link himself had practically lost his voice at hearing this.

'I'm... going to be the king?!" he thought to himself, 'Has Nabooru lost it?!'

His gaze then turned to see two familiar faces, Aviel and Nemisa in the crowd; the bird-winged girl's eyes were wide as dinner plates and her mouth was covered by her wings, while Nemisa's jaw was hanging down so low it was practically to her waist.

"Go on, say something." Nabooru said with a wink, pushing Link out and forward. Link was unsure of what to say, but cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Um, hello everyone..." he said, "My name is Link, and um, I... I hope to be someone you can be proud of to be your... king? I will work hard for the people and... uh... I'll.. be in the care of you all." he finished, bowing to the crowd at the waist.

The crowd didn't say a single word. It was a pretty awkward moment for everyone involved.

Suddenly however, one voice piped up, It was Aviel, waving her wings, and cheering out.

"Yaaay! Our new king has arrived, a kind man that will help us all strengthen and thrive! Long live King Link!" she shouted.

There was an awkward pause for a few seconds, before a few others joined her in the cheering, then more, until good majority of the crowd was cheering out for their new king.

Link wasn't sure how it happened, but he had to thank Aviel for saving him in this moment. Nabooru herself had her arms folded and nodded to herself with a smirk.

'You'll do just fine Link.' she thought to herself.

* * *

"Nabooru, are you crazy?!" Link shouted at his friend when the two had made it back to Nabooru's private quarters, "You're making me the king of the Gerudo?!"

"Well of course, a promise is a promise." said Nabooru simply.

"This was the promise you made to me?!" exclaimed Link, "But I can't do something like be the king! I've never been a ruler, and I don't know anything about diplomacy or politics!"

"Heh, honestly with the way monarchies are run these days, those qualifications make you better suited for the job then most." she said shrugging.

"And besides that, don't many of the Gerudo here hate men?" Link asked, "I'm only thankful Aviel won over the crowd so I didn't get killed on stage or something!"

"Many of them do," Nabooru said, "But I'm positive they'll have a change of heart over time, I mean you won over Aviel and Nemisa already after all!"

"I highly doubt that about Nemisa..." Link muttered.

"And really, you're over-worrying." Nabooru said, "Being the king of a tribe like ours isn't as difficult as you might think, and I'll be taking on the role of your adviser, helping you with your duties and decisions. I didn't spend seven years just doing inspirational speeches and taking baths you know." she winked.

"But... isn't there any other man who could take the role?" Link asked. He was caught off guard when Nabooru leaned towards him and stared into his blue eyes.

"No one that I would pick over you." Nabooru said, "As Aviel said, you're a truly kind and compassionate man, I could see that even when you were a mere child. Being a king is also about making the people truly happy, and I think with your kindness you can help save our people from their suffering."

"You mentioned that before in your speech..." Link said, "What's this about suffering?"

"I suppose you must not have heard about what happened all those years ago?" Nabooru asked, she walked over to a pile of pillows that made up her bed, she sat down on them and gestured to Link to sit down beside her, to which he complied. He had to admit the pillows were really soft, and despite the temperature the desert was known for, they were expertly made so as not to absorb heat. He laid back on them and looked to Nabooru.

"I'm not really sure," Link replied, "I've been gone for the past seven years on an important journey, and I guess my friends either don't know themselves or haven't said anything."

"Well, you recall how Ganondorf was captured? Well some time after you saved me from Twinrova, the Gerudo had made a vow to save him from his imprisonment, and declared war on Hyrule Castle."

Link's eyes widened.

"The war was led by Ganondorf's first wife, the war commander Lady Imono. She had assumed power of the Gerudo throne after his capture, and demanded his release. When the Hyrulian king refused, they went to war. I tried to stop Lady Imono and make her back down, but she didn't take me seriously, probably because I openly opposed Ganondorf's rule to begin with."

"And things didn't work out I presume." Link said as a statement rather then question.

"Correct..." Nabooru said, her features darkening. "While our sisters were strong and skilled, the Hylian army had them beat in numbers, equipment and morale. It was... a very short and one-sided war.. We lost lost many of our sisters in those few months."

Link contemplated what she said and stared down, not sure what to say, but a nagging thought was running in the back of his mind.

"Afterwards, the King, along with his Hylian Parliament, initiated a decree that all Gerudo be banished from the majority of the land of Hyrule, and would only be allowed to stay in Gerudo Valley. Many of us who lived in Hyrule's land, even half Gerudo, were tracked down and exiled. Those who refused were imprisoned... or executed..."

Link didn't say a word, his hands were squeezing the pillow he was sitting on, but continued to listen to her.

"It's been a little over six years since the war. I've been doing everything in my power to fix things, and while I feel I've made good progress, there is a lot more work to be done. Unfortunately, one major problem I can't fix is the threat of our population's decline. I'm sure you're aware of the way of our people when it comes to birth?"

"I remember you saying that this is an all-women tribe," Link said, "And that the only exception is the rare male Gerudo, born once every one-hundred years, and that one this time was Ganondorf."

Nabooru nodded, "Naturally in order to keep our population alive, we have to seek... assistance from men outside of our tribe, namely Hylians, as they are the closest to us when it comes to physical traits and reproductive systems. Unfortunately with the banishment, our people have barely been able to meet with any good men to have children. Between that, the many we lost in the war, and our inability to get vital supplies with merchants as much as before, I dare say if nothing is done, the Gerudo could face the threat of extinction someday..."

Link's eyes widened

"It... it sounds like the Hylian Parliament had given your people the death penalty." Link said.

"That's not really an exaggeration." Nabooru nodded, "While many of the the Gerudo hold resentment towards the Hylians for this, I personally don't hate them for it. I fully understand that our people were at fault in all this."

Link paused to reflect on that comment and continued to listen to Nabooru.

"When I made that promise to you seven years ago, I knew you would make a fine king in the future, but I never would had guessed at that time that my people would suffer so greatly, and how much I would need your help."

Link just looked down, hearing about all that the Gerudo had gone through, and the reason for it, it tore him apart. He knew there was something that had to be said to his old friend in that moment.

"Nabooru... I..." Link muttered, "I'm sorry, but I can't be qualified to be your king."

"What?"

"I can't be your king and help your people, not when I'm the one who made them suffer so much to begin with..."

"I... don't understand, how could you have done that?"

"You know why Ganondorf was arrested, right?"

"Yes, it was because he had planned to break into the Temple of Time and claim the power of the Sacred Realm, I remember those old witches discussing it before."

"Well, I became aware of Ganondorf's plan shortly before I saved you from them. I met with Princess Zelda in her castle and told her what was going on, and she reported it to her father the King... that's when he had Ganondorf arrested for his attempt."

Now it was Nabooru's turn for her eyes to widen.

"I know I had to do it to stop Ganondorf's plan, but I never would had thought of the pain it would bring your people, to this extent." he sighed deeply, "I'm flattered that you would hold me in such high regard to make me your king, but I can't call myself qualified for it, especially after being responsible for your suffering... and if the Gerudo ever found out the truth, they could never call me their king."

"Link, I..." 

"Thank you for everything Nabooru." he said standing up, "But, I have to leave now before it's too late, before your people all find out the pain I brought them. Please give Aviel and... Nemisa my regards..."

Before he could go out the door however, Link felt two strong arms wrap around and hold him close. He could feel two soft mounds pressed against his upper back, and someone leaning their head against his.

"Link..." Nabooru whispered, "I don't want you to think for even a second that you're responsible for anything that's happened here. What you did saved many people the land over, and Hyrule as a whole. If anything, I have more respect for you now then ever."

"But-"

"If I blame anyone for what happened to us, it's the bastard Ganondorf himself... Well, him and a few others..."

"A few others...?" Link asked, wondering who she meant.

"Its the choice you made, a choice you made with your heart, to protect the people of this world, that makes you more qualified to be our king then anyone I know. I don't want you to feel obligated to do this after the guilt you're feeling right now, but I'd like you to at least consider it."

Link paused, as he thought about Nabooru holding him as she did. His thoughts wandered to Aviel and her energetic bright smile, even Nemisa with her stubborn but admirable drive to protect her people. His thoughts then turned to the crowd he had seen, including those who were clearly half Hylian, but as Nabooru had said, likely banished from their homes and forced into exile.

"I... I'll think about it." he said.

"That's all I ask of you Link." she said with a smile, holding him close, she then brought him back over to the pillows to lay down, he laid back with his hands behind his head, in deep thought about what he should do about all this.

"For right now though..." she said, leaning over close to him, "Regardless of the choice you make, there's something I wish to do for you tonight."

"What's that?" Link asked.

Link's question was answered not by words, but by Nabooru giving him a soft kiss on the lips. His eyes widened from the surprise, as she held it for what seemed like forever. She broke the kiss slightly, and the two could feel their breath against each other.

"N-Nabooru..." Link blushed.

"Come on," smiled Nabooru, "Allow me to help you with the burden you're carrying on yourself."

She then kissed him again, her hands moved up and rubbing at his chest. He could feel her tongue force its way into his mouth, while Link's hands moved up to grip her sides. He could then feel her moving his vest off with one hand, as well as his pants with the other.

"N-Nabooru..." his face flushed, quickly getting the hint of what she intended to do, "I-I've never done this before..."

"It's okay," smiled Nabooru, "Stick with me and I'll teach you everything you need to know."

She kissed him once again and the two fell against the pillows. Nabooru's skillful hands went to work on him, as Link's inexperienced hands clumsily went by pure instinct.

And the two of them ended up sharing a wonderful night together...

* * *

_**Whew, well there's the end of the chapter. Sorry if I gave my male audience (probably my only audience) a case of blue balls there at the end, but I'm trying to keep this story PG-13 (plus I suck at writing sex scenes). I also hope I didn't get too heavy handed with the drama there at the end, I promise the next chapter will have a lot more humor and action to it.**_

_**Next chapter will be coming soon!**_


	4. Meeting The Two

_**Chapter 4 time and I suck at writing introductions! Enjoy!**_

* * *

The sun beamed down from a window, shining down on Link's eyes, causing him to stir a bit a and wake up. His sleepy eyes glanced around, trying to remember what exactly happened last night.

'Wow, haven't slept that deeply in a long time.' Link thought to himself. His eyes looked to the right where he saw Nabooru, laying on her side, leaning against the pile of pillow they had been sleeping on, staring at him. "Nabooru..."

"Morning sleepyhead," Nabooru said with a smile, giving Link a gentle peck on the nose. "Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

"It was... pretty amazing to be honest." he replied. Nabooru had taken charge for most of the night, and she really had demonstrated her skills in bed. Last night had been a wave of pleasure Link had never experienced before. In just one night he could feel all the tension and stress he had gone through in the past six years lifted off of him, he just felt so relaxed at that moment.

"Naturally." Nabooru said with a smug grin, playfully toying with Link's blond hair, "There's more where that came from, if you're interested."

"So what does this mean for us then?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "Are we... lovers now?"

"Well what do you want to call it?" she asked.

"I... I'm not sure. This is all happening so fast; coming to your town, seeing you again, being picked as the king... what happened last night... I... guess I just really need time to think about your offer..."

"That's fine." Nabooru grinned, running a finger along his pointy ear, causing him to shudder a bit, "Take your time to reflect on it. In the meantime, the two of us can just be friends... with benefits."

"That... sounds nice." Link agreed.

Nabooru's soft smile soon found itself covering Link's grin in another kiss.

* * *

"Do you sense it dear sister?"

"Yes, it's getting stronger... It's almost time..."

"Do... you think you'll be ready for when it comes to be?"

"...Yes... how about yourself?"

"Naturally, we have to do what is necessary, even if it means..."

"Right, just like our what mother did..."

"But for now though, have you heard the news about that great new thing?"

"Yes, why don't we set out to the palace and visit our up-and-coming king..."

* * *

"So was there something you needed me to do for you today?" Link asked Nabooru at the breakfast table, his mouth full of sausage and eggs. He had changed into the red vest and green pants he had been wearing yesterday, while Nabooru was back in her usual pink top and pants.

'Heavy sleeper, and a glutton too.' Nabooru thought to herself with amusement, then replied, "Come on Link, you just got here. You already said you want time to think about my offer, why not take some time to relax as well?"

"I guess." Link nodded, "I just don't want to be a moocher or anything."

"Think nothing of it." shrugged Nabooru, "In fact if you become our king you can have meals like this all the time!"

Link took another bite of sausage, "I have to admit with cooking like this it's hard for me to consider passing it up."

It was then that a servant girl set down a bowl of sliced melons, Link seized on it and took a piece, biting into it and savoring the juices.

"I've never had fruit like this before, what is it?" he asked.

"That's a Hydromelon, it's a fruit capable of growing even in the desert." Nabooru explained, "There's not much that can grow around here due to the extreme temperatures, but we make due with what we have."

"Huh, for the longest time I never thought of the Gerudo to be able to grow produce and things." Link said, "Up until now I've always just csidered you all as nothing but thieving, kidnapping bandits."

"Say that again." Nabooru said, her eyes a blood red and her body seeming to give off the dark aura of a giant serpent.

"Ahahaha, sorry, sorry!" Link said frantically, Nabooru calming down a bit upon seeing his panic.

"It's fine..." she sighed, playing with a piece of egg on her plate, "I suppose you have been gone a while, and stealing things really was what we were any good at back then. That's why when I took over things after the war and the banishment, I knew we had to change. We gathered what resources we could and organized willing help to teach the people to do things other then stealing and baby-making."

"Well it looks like you've done well for yourself." Link said, "I have to say I really respect how much you care about your people, I knew that even back when I first met you."

"Thank you, Link." smiled Nabooru, with a light blush at his words. "Hopefully someday I can say the same about you."

"L-Like I said, I'll think about it..." Link repeated, still nervous of the idea.

Breakfast soon ended after that and the servants came to collect the plates and utensils, Link couldn't help but notice a few of the servants were checking him out in the process. He turned to Nabooru who just flashed a little grin.

"Well I have some tasks to do, so for now why don't you go out into town and see everything for yourself?" Nabooru suggested.

"Would I have a problem with that, considering how much the people hate Hylians? I mean Nemisa alone was... well..." he trailed off.

"Ah, it's not nearly as bad as you might think. Yes there was a lot of resentment years ago, but time has healed some of those wounds. As for Nemisa, well, she just really hates men in general." Nabooru said.

"Why's that? Was she involved in the war or something?" Link asked.

"Nah, that was long before she was of age to even battle." Nabooru said, "She became like this just a few years ago... and she doesn't like to talk about what happened."

"I see..." Link muttered, decided not to push the issue with Nemisa, "Well okay, guess I'll just go ahead out to town."

"Great!" grinned Nabooru, "And I got just the person to see you around."

"Oh? Who's tha-"

"Link!"

Suddenly Link was tackled from behind by a scrawny person with feathery wings wrapped around his body.

"Aviel?!" exclaimed Link.

"Well good luck with her Link!" laughed Nabooru as she walked off to get started on her work.

Link stood there blankly for a second, and let out a sigh. He turned to Aviel, who was leaning forward with a small grin on her face, her arms changed back to normal and folded behind her back.

"Guess I'm going to be your tour guide for today, King Link!" she said, She did a little hop to empathize how eager she was, unwittingly causing her chest to bounce as well, Link tired his best to just ignore that.

"I, um, haven't actually decided on becoming king yet... So could you drop the king part and just call me Li-" Then it dawned on him, "Hey, wait a minute, you finally remembered my name!"

"Yep!" said Aviel, "You've become someone really important to me, like my sisters, so of course I'll remember you!"

"Alright, I'll go get a few things together and then meet you outside." Link said, he had ti admit he found it hard not to smile at her enthusiasm.

* * *

Link headed down to his and Nabooru's room to get a bag of rupees he had gathered during his travels. He been to many places and found many treasures, so he had a sizable amount, maybe he could even treat Aviel to something? He contemplated taking his sword with him, feeling a sense of unease about going through the town without it, wondering how potentially hostile some of the Gerudo might be. Was he judging them too harshly? It felt like a very thin line between being careful or just being paranoid.

He left the room with just the bag of rupees, when he felt an usual presence around him, he stopped in his tracks, only to feel two hands grip his shoulders, not aggressively or anything, but it was a gentle hold, with delicate fingers.

"W-Who...?" Link muttered, feeling two different forms of breath against his neck, one warm and the other cold.

"Greetings dear king, you're quite a sight to behold." said one voice to his left.

"A fine, handsome man, just as we were told." whispered another voice to the right.

A cold sweat ran down Link's head, he quickly broke from the hands of the two and spun around, to see two young Gerudo women staring at him. One sported a creepy and mischievous toothy grin, clad in a silk orange outfit that just covered her chest, sides and loins, showing off her shoulders, arms, stomach and legs quite well. She wore a type of headband lined with symbols, with a matching orange jewel on her forehead. She also sported a ponytail that went all the way down to her shins. The other girl looked almost exactly like the other, she too had a creepy smile, but it was more mellow and stoic, and rather then orange she was instead clad in blue colors.

"Just who are you two...?" Link asked.

"We'll save introductions for later, dear king. We just waned to take a moment to gaze upon your grace." said the orange girl.

"Yes, we weren't able to participate in the announcement to find out you now rule this great place." said the blue one.

"Ah, well, I'm not really the king officially yet." Link said, a little weird out how they were rhyming their words together. "I'm still trying to deci-"

He was cut off by the two girls approaching him closely, the blue one putting a hand to his cheek.

"I... can feel a mysterious power within you, it's quite strange and frightening." she whispered with a faintly blissful look in her eyes, Link found himself getting drawn into them.

"Yes, but in a way it's quite powerful, like a storm of thunder and lightning." grinned the orange girl, putting a hand to his chest, causing Link to shudder.

"What are you talking about...?" Link asked with a light blush to his cheeks

"We're not entirely certain, but time will tell... even if it takes many a moon."" said the blue girl stepping away.

"We'll be taking our leave now great king, we hope to greet you again soon." the orange girl said giggling. And with that the two of them walked off.

While he had never seen them before, the two girls reminded him way too much of a certain witch duo he and Nabooru had fought long ago at the Spirit Temple.

"Twinrova..."

But these two seemed quite different in various ways. Besides their youth and strange habit of rhyming each other's sentences, he didn't get a sense of malice or hatred from them, and then there was the way the blue clothed girl touched his cheek ...

"Hey Link, you alright?"

Link snapped out his trance and saw Aviel standing before him, with a look of concern n her eyes..

"Yeah, I guess so." he said, "Do you know those two girls that left just now?"

"Those two... who are you talking about?" she asked.

Link was now confused, did Aviel just miss them or was it just his imagination? Was the heat getting to him, or maybe it was due to those strange dreams he had been having lately...

"Maybe you just need some air?" Aviel asked, "Come on, let's go into town!"

"A-Alright." Link nodded and went off with her.

* * *

_**Okay, I'm going to end this chapter a little early because it's getting a little too long (again), chapter 5 will come pretty quick since I'm already halfway done with it. **_


	5. A Day With Aviel

**Chapter 5 time, this is a short simple one, but I really enjoyed writing it.**

* * *

Between getting arrested, escaping jail, and everything else going on, Link hadn't really gotten a chance to actually see the town as a whole, so he had to say he was pretty impressed. Having only ever been used to seeing the Gerudo at their stone fortress in the dark future, it was a huge contrast to instead seeing a lively place where the citizens went about doing chores, shopping and making casual chat.

The buildings were made with strong chiseled sandstone, there were lush green palm trees and desert bushes decorating the streets, giving the town lots of color, and even some little canals arranged along the streets with water from the nearby river flowing in. It certainly made what was once a home of thieves feel more like a resort. Nabooru seemed to have put her all into reforming the Gerudo's lifestyle and their ways.

Link couldn't help but notice some of the villagers were looking at him, whispering things behind his back. He tried to pay them no mind, but occasionally he'd catch one giving him an angry glare or a flirtatious wink, he honestly wasn't too sure which to be more unnerved by.

"...and there's the livestock farm, and there's the medical clinic, and there's the war barracks, and there's the mystics' tent, and there's th- hey you listening Link?" Aviel asked, knocking him out his trance.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Link grinned, "Thanks for showing me around."

"No prob, not like I have much better to do right now. Boss says I'm not going to be doing lookout duty for a while after everything that happened the other day."

"I'm sorry for that..." Link said, feeling guilty for it.

"Nah , don't worry about it." Aviel said, waving her hand dismissively, "I've been in hot water with her lately anyway, it was probably just inevitable." she then stopped and spun around, giving Link a big smile, "It just gives me time to spend with you, Link!"

Link's face flushed at that, she really was quite a nice girl and was genuinely happy to have her as a friend.

"Hold up a sec, I need to check the time." Aviel said, she ran over a Gossip Stone that was set in between two buildings nearby and kicked it with her leg.

The stone vibrantly around until it said, "Boing boing! The time is now 10:45 am!"

"Hey, it;s almost time for archery practice sessions over at the training camp." Aviel remarked, "Wanna go with me?"

"Oh, sure." Link said, thinking it would be a good idea to keep up his own training.

* * *

A woman took a bow and arrow, gazing at the target so far ahead of her, she pulled back the sting, her eyes not even flinching. She let go of the string and the arrow shot through the air, almost making a whizzing sound from the air around it, before it impacted right in the dead center of the target, scoring a perfect bullseye.

Aviel lowered the bow and turned to the students in the crowd watching and clapping, sporting her bright beaming smile.

"And that folks is how you do it." said the archery instructor to the crowd, "Thank you for demonstrating today Aviel."

"Of course Master Folura!" said Aviel doing a bow.

Link himself was in the crowd watching Aviel's demonstrations, "When she said she was going to archery practice, I thought she was just a student, not an instructor aide." he said.

"Oh yes!" said one of the students, "Sister Aviel is one of the best archers in town, some of us call her Aviel the Hawkeye!"

"Huh, I thought the town didn't like her very much."

"Maybe to some of the residents and her employers." said Master Folura, "But as far as the archery grounds go she's my most prized pupil!"

Aviel meanwhile was going over to the target to pull out her arrow, but had trouble budging it. She eventually pulled so hard she lost her balance and slipped, falling on her face.

"...she's just a little klutzy and weird." continued Folura with a sweatdrop going down her head.

"I see..." Link muttered.

Sometime after that, Link decided to take his own place in the archery range, pulling back his bow and arrow and firing off several arrows. He managed to hit a few perfect bullseyes, which got the onlookers clapping.

"Oh wow, I didn't know the king was so proficient with arrows!" said one of the girls.

"And he's cute too!" said another.

"Do you think he and Sister Aviel have something going on?" asked one.

"You like she'll become his wife?!" exclaimed a girl, "I'd ship it!"

'Um, I can hear you girls.' Link thought to himself as he heard the girls chattering, his face red at their words.

He looked over to see Aviel watching two girls firing off arrows, and having some difficulty at it. Aviel watched them carefully, before adjusting one of the girl's positioning with the arrow. She then went over to the other girl, she seemed to be taking a moment to point over to Link, while telling her something, before having the girl swap the hands she was using to hold the bow and arrow, indicating she was left handed like Link was. Sure enough, the two of them were firing with much better accuracy.

'Huh, she really knows her stuff.' Link thought with admiration.

* * *

"Link, I worked really hard today!" Aviel said cheerfully after archery practice, "Could I get praise from my king?"

"Um..." Link was at a loss for the right words, "Uh, your... 'king', praises you... I guess?"

"I don't mean like that!" said Aviel, puffing out her cheeks, "I want another one of your hugs from yesterday!"

"Oh, uh, sure." Link said, with a bit of nervousness. He walked forward, wrapped his arms around her waist and held her.

"Heeeeee..." Aviel said blissfully, "This feels so nice..." She turned her arms into wings and gave Link a hug back, covering him with her feathers.

'This does feel kind of nice...' Link thought, 'She is a really nice girl, and I'm having a great time with her., but... I wonder if Nabooru would mind if I did this? We're not really a couple but...'

"Hey, it's getting to be about lunchtime." Aviel said, breaking the hug, "Come on, I want to take you to a restaurant nearby!"

* * *

"So what is this exactly?" Link asked, sitting at a restaurant table, looking at a bowl of what appeared to be shredded ice cubes with yellow syrup covering it. They had just finished a modest meal and Aviel was anxious to order this particular item afterwards.

"It's shaved ice," Aviel said, "My favorite treat!"

Link went ahead and rook a bite of it, it had a distinct lemony taste, but it was very cool and refreshing.

"It's good!" Link said impressed, "Perfect for a hot place like this!"

"Right?" agreed Aviel, "I come here all the time!" she took a particularly large spoonful of hers and ate it in one gulp.

After a few seconds however, Aviel suddenly gripped her head and screamed out, trashing around wildly.

"KYAAAHHH!"

"A-Aciel?! What's the matter?!" exclaimed Link, quickly getting out of his seat and gripping onto her arms so she wouldn't fall.

"B-Brain freeze..." she muttered, rubbing her head with her eyes turned to dizzy spirals.

"O-oh..." Link said, seeing he was holding her closely, he quickly let go and got back down in his seat, He was relieved she was all right, but he was surprised how overly concerned he was for her.

It took some time for Aviel to get over her headache, but then she went right back to the shaved ice. Link's efforts to get her to slow down were futile.

* * *

"Okay, time to go clothes shopping!" Aviel said.

"Oh no." Link deadpanned, Aviel seemed to ignore his protest, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the clothing store of her choice.

While Link sat back watching Aviel picking out various clothing, he thought more about his situation with her.

"Hey Link, do you like these colors?" she asked, holding up a pink top, hood and veil with light blue pants.

"Oh sure." Link said spontaneously. Aviel grinned in response and added it to her pile.

'In a weird way, this kind of feels less like a guided tour and more like I'm on a date with her.' he thought.

"Hey Link, how about this?" she asked, holding up a plaid kilt. Somewhere, Link could swear he heard the very faint sound of bagpipes playing somewhere.

"Where the heck did you even find that?!" Link exclaimed.

* * *

It was already past nighttime when Link found himself sitting at a bench in a quiet, deserted area, with bags and bags of merchandise by him that Aviel bought. He took a deep breath, exhausted from Aviel dragging him around everywhere, the girl was a bundle of nonstop energy. The half-bird half archer herself soon ran up to him with a cup of water.

"There you go." she said, plopping herself down right beside him and sipping her own water. "So, what do you think of this place Link?"

"It's nice, a lot better then I expected." Link sipped his own water.

"Yeah, I don't know where our people would be without Lady Nabooru." Aviel said, "After what happened with the war, everyone seemed afraid of what would become of them. That's when Nabooru stepped up and helped them all change their lives." she then turned to Link and made a bigger smile, "And now with you around, I think things will get even better!"

"I... don't know about that. I'm... kind of unsure about becoming your king." he admitted.

"What?!" she asked sadly, "Do you not like being here?"

"No, I do and all." Link said defensively, "It's just... I'm not a very influential person, I'd always been more a hands-on type, a do-er, not a heavy thinker. I don't know anything about diplomacy or public relations or anything like that. Nabooru said she would help me, but I still don't think I'd be cut out for the job..."

"Well I dunno about that, but I think you're just a really nice guy." Aviel said, "The only thing I'm any good at is being an archer, but it's not exactly a very important thing around here these days, Usually the other Gerudo disregard me since I can be really annoying to them, but when I'm out on the archery range, I really feel important, with everyone depending on me there and cheering me on! I feel like... maybe I just need to do what I can with the skills I have to make people happy, even if it's not everyone."

Link's eyes widened, hearing those words of wisdom coming from someone like Aviel.

"What I can do with what skills I have..." he whispered. He closed his eyes and chuckled at how much he was learning from an weirdo like her. He leaned back and looked up into the night sky, "Well, I still haven't decided on becoming king either way, but I think you helped me think more positively about it. Thanks for that Aviel."

Aviel found herself flushed a little red at Link's compliment. She felt the urge to use her wings to hide her face, but resisted, and instead took an initiative, and gave Link a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"W-What was that about?" Link asked.

"Just something to help encourage you." smiled Aviel.

It seemed at that point that the weird klutzy girl who could turn into a bird and get brain freezes from shaved ice looked more mature then he ever could had thought.

"Aviel..." Link muttered.

But before he could say anything else, he felt a strange sensation, and out of instinct, grabbed Aviel and brought her to the ground, just as something shot through the air, slicing through a small nearby palm tree like it was nothing.

"Who's there?!" shouted Link.

"Huh, you're quicker then I thought." said a shady voice. Walking out from the shadows was an individual in a gray cloak, with numerous symbols and marking decorating the edges of it. The cloak was positioned just enough that Link couldn't make out who it was wearing it, but could tell from the voice it was a woman.

"And you are?" Link asked, getting himself up along with Aviel.

"You can just call me...The Slicer." she said coldly, pointing to Link, "And I'm here to cut down you, false king."

* * *

**The plot thickens. It's weird, this whole tour thing wasn't even originally going to exist, then started off as a simple little one-shot but somehow became an entire story arc. Stay tuned for chapter 6!**


	6. Beneath the Veil

_**Chapter 6 is here! This one turned out a bit lengthier then i thought, but I hope you all enjoy it.  
**_

* * *

"False king...?" Link muttered as he stared down the cloaked woman known as the Slicer, facing him and Aviel.

"Hold it!" shouted Aviel, deploying her crossbow instantly, aiming it right at the cloaked woman's chest, "I won't let you hurt Link! Now surrender or I'll shoot!"

"Now cute." said the Slicer, reaching back her hand to use another mysterious attack

Aviel deciding not to risk anything, instinctively shot off an arrow from her crossbow right at Slicer, but before the arrow could even make contact, the arrow was suddenly torn to pieces, of which fell to the ground harmlessly

"W-What...?" Aviel said in shock.

"Come on, let's run!" Link shouted, grabbing Aviel's arm along with the shopping bags,and running, he was seriously regretting not bringing his sword now. The two of them ran into a building nearby in the hope of finding help.

"Heh, run as much as you wish." chuckled Slicer, sinking back into the shadows, "But you'll soon meet your end."

* * *

Link and Aviel peeked out from a window, not seeing very many people out that evening.

"Maybe we should tell a guard about that hooded woman..." Aviel suggested.

"No.., that person is only after me. If we get anyone else involved it could just result in others getting hurt. We should lay low for now until we can get to the palace." he explained. "And you should go fly over there yourself."

"I can't leave you alone!" exclaimed Aviel, "I'm your tour guide!"

"Please Aviel, I don't want you getting hurt." Link said.

"No! I don't care how tough that lady is, I'll protect you with everything I got!" she said.

Link sighed, he knew he was fighting a losing battle with her, plus he admitted he could be just as stubborn at times.

"Well okay, but what can we do?" Link asked. "I kind of stand out too much being the only guy around here."

"Hm, I might have an idea..." Aviel said, rummaging through her shopping bags.

* * *

"Wowie..." Aviel said with a big grin, "I didn't think this would work out so well!"

"You... got to be kidding me." Link muttered.

He stood there blankly, clad in one of the girl's outfits Aviel bought, specifically the pink silk hood and veil, the matching pink chest top and the light blue pants.

"I wasn't too sure at first, but that outfit really suits you!" Aviel said, she herself was now in different clothing then before to help hide her identity, "Did you want to keep it afterwards?"

"Heck no!" Link exclaimed. He had to admit as embarrassing as it was, it did provide a perfect disguise.

The two of them slowly walked out of the building into the town and started on their way. As the two walked through the town, a few of the Gerudo citizens couldn't help but take a look at the blond lady in the bright pink outfit.

"Psst!" Aviel said under her breath, "Don't walk like a guy, put a bit of sway in your step!"

Link nodded, and started awkwardly shifting his hips as he walked. He pondered which would be the fastest direction to get to the place until a new thought occurred to him.

"Hm, now that I think about it more, we should probably not head straight to the palace." Link whispered, "The Slicer knew I'm the future king, so she might be looking around that area.. Let's visit a few more places to throw her off our trail."

"Okay, but where?" Aviel asked.

Their question was soon answered by a large group of women walking together down the street, chatting among each other and their next destination.

"Come on," Link said,, "Let's go with them. If we stay with a group the Slicer will have a hard time noticing us."

* * *

Link and Aviel went ahead and tagged along with the group of Gerudo who either didn't notice their two new companions or just didn't mind, and they eventually made their way to another building, a larger one with three floors.

"What is this place?" whispered Link.

"Dunno, this building is usually closed during the daytime." Aviel replied.

The two of them entered and followed the other girls down a long hallway and past a silk curtain, when they arrived at the end they saw it to be a type of theater with girls in exotic clothing dancing on stage, a fully loaded bar, and even drink girls going around the tables to serve customers.

"Woah, I didn't know a place like this existed here!" said Aviel, looking around.

"This worked out pretty good, it seems like a good place to hide." observed Link. The two of them went over a table and sat down on the pillow seats, and watched the dancers on stage. The club was filled with the music of some women playing various instruments, and a faint smell of lavender throughout the room. It was quite a relaxing place.

A lady soon came up to the two of them with a tray and some empty cups on it.

"So what can we get you ladies tonight?" asked the drink lady.

"Green Chu juice." Link instinctively, making sure to use a more high-pitched voice to sound more like a woman, "With two parts red, one purple, no ice."

"Hm, a woman of taste." nodded the lady, turning to Aviel, "And you?"

"Shaved ice please, with cherry syrup!" Aviel said.

"Uh, alright, I'll see what I can do." the drink lady said sweatdropping, walking off to complete the order.

Link and Aviel just sat back and continued watching the dancing girls on stage, Link had to admit they put on a pretty good show. It wasn't partiality explicit or anything, though their dancing clothes were more revealing then Gerudo outfits usually were. Link himself kept an eye out in every direction to see any hint of the assassin being around. Eventually the drink lady arrived, handing Link his Chu drink and Aviel a bowl of heavily crushed ice with red maraschino cherry juice on it.

"Well, it's not shaved, but I'll take what I can get." Aviel sighed, taking a bite, while Link just sipped his Chu juice slowly, continuing to watch the show.

Eventually the music ended, as the dancing girls came to a slow stop, doing a bow, earning a round of applause form the crowd.

"And that was Tales of a Thousand and One Nights." said a Gerudo walking onto the stage, who Link assumed was the host of the club, "Now for the time you've all been waiting for, our grand show for the night, the beautiful and mysterious red goddess of dance who charms the hearts of all who witness her, the lovely Madame Scarlet!"

The hostess bowed and left the stage while the crowd cheered loudly.

"Sounds like this Madame Scarlet is a popular one." Link said, "You know her?"

"Never heard of her." Aviel admitted, taking another bite of her ice.

Soon the curtain came up, and standing there was a rather stunning looking woman that made Link's jaw drop..

Madame Scarlet stood wearing a dancer's outfit consisting of a red silk hood and veil to hide her facial features. She had long red hair that stuck out from the hood and went down to her waist. Her top was minimal enough to show off her nice chest and shoulders without giving the audience a peep show. Rather then the baggy pants Gerudo were known for, she wore a thong with decorative gold along the top, and a long sash hanging down on both the front and back, which did well to show off her fit but still curvy form, with generous hips, as well her long legs, the left leg itself had a piece of gold jewelry around it. Speaking of jewelry, she was wearing plenty of it, just enough to radiate her beauty rather then distract from it. Her arms had long silk sashes at the wrists, one of the arm straps seemed to be longer then the other.

Link was in awe of her, he was normally not one to gawk at a beautiful woman, but something about her just stood out to him, more then most women he knew. He had met many attractive women in his life, Nabooru in particular stood out quite well, but Madame Scarlet was just on a whole other level.

The music soon started, and Madame Scarlet began her dance. Her poise was refined and delicate, her gentle movements seemed to flow almost like water, and she never once missed a step as she moved.

"Dance is an art that can tell many a tale," explained the show host out loud to the crowd, "One movement can speak of joy or sorrow, of romance or tragedy, and then shift right to the next. Madame Scarlet writes all her own dances, but never tells a soul of what they represent. It's what makes her so renowned in our show!"

Link took those words into account and watched Scarlet intently, her movements could be so slow and sensual, but then shift quickly to passionate energy. He wondered just what happiness, or sadness she carried in her heart...

The song soon came to an end, and the crowd cheered out loudly, whistling and screaming to Madame Scarlet.

"And now for the last show, we have a special treat tonight," said the hostess, "Our beloved Madame Scarlet herself will select a member of our audience to join her in her next dance! Who will be the lucky one?"

The girls all screamed and cheered as Scarlet came down from the stage and walked around the club, looking intently at everyone there.

"Ooh! Pick me Madame Scarlet!" shouted Aviel, waving her arms which were now in their bird wing form.

"Hey,, don't do that!" Link said whispering loudly, "Don't forget we're being hunted by an assassin! You'll blow our cover!"

"I could say the same about you!" grinned Aviel, her arms changing back to normal, "You couldn't keep your eyes off of her!"

Link cleared his throat awkwardly, "T-that's uh... I thought maybe she was the assassin in disguise and I was just... uh, you know... observing her?"

"Um, speaking of observing..." Aviel suddenly said with wide eyes, poking Link on the shoulder, "Someone's checking you out.."

Link wondered if it was the Slicer, and turned to instead see Madame Scarlet looking down at him. Link caught himself staring into her emerald green eyes, she was even more beautiful from close up. She didn't say a word, but simply reached down, taking her hand out to Link.

"Go for it!" whispered Aviel from behind Link, pushing him forward a little. Link nervously nodded and accepted Madame Scarlet's hand, it was a gentle touch that sent shivers up his spine. She then took Link and led him towards the stage, the crowd in shock and awe of her choice.

Link then suddenly remembered what she had chosen him for, and his nerves were shot. She led him up to the stage and looked out at the crowd in front of him, gulping. He was worried not just about dancing, but being in a woman's outfit at that very moment.

'I could blow my cover doing something like this!' Link thought frantically.

"It seems Madame Scarlet has chosen her co-dancer!" said the hostess, "This one appears to be a fine specimen of half-Hylian! In these dark times when we Gerudo are confined to the desert wastes, those who suffer the most are those who were born and grew up in the gentle plains of Hyrule, before they were banished to this cruel place by the Hyrule Parliament. We must show this girl how welcome she is in our home, and acknowledge her as our dear sister!"

The crowd cheered out wildly, and Link just reflected on the words the hostess said. Not just the exile that Nabootu had told him about, but how the Gerudo had accepted so many outsiders into their home. It was almost as if the people of this town were like a huge family...

"Ready?" whispered a sensual voice. Link tuned to see who had just spoken to him, Madame Scarlet.

"I... I'm not sure..." Link said in his disguised feminine voice.

"Relax," she said, despite her mouth being hidden by the veil, he could tell she was smiling slightly, "I'll do most of the work, just have some fun tonight, okay?"

"O-Okay..." Link nodded. For some reason , he was reminded of his previous night here that he spent with Nabooru...

The music started to play, as Link and Scarlet began dancing. Link's movements were a bit awkward, trying to his best to mimic or at least somewhat resemble Scarlet's. As the two danced, he couldn't help but notice Scarlet's movements were so close to his body, forcing him to try and stay one step ahead of hers, and eventually he found his movements to have more grace to them. It occurred to Link that Scarlet was helping him sync up with her own dancing, making his clumsy movement instead flow with hers.

'She's amazing...' Link thought to himself.

As the two continued, he took a look out to the crowd to see everyone in awe of their dance, Aviel in particular was sporting two big thumbs up in encouragement.

However, the enjoyment he was feeling was quickly shattered by the presence of a certain hooded figure walking into the club and sitting down at a vacant seat.

It was the Slicer, she seemed to be shift her gaze left and right, before ordering a drink and sitting back to watch the show.

Link didn't know what to do, he didn't want to risk shouting out to the crowd of who the Slicer was,, for risk of them getting hurt by that assassin. Even if he did try to fight somehow, he didn't know exactly what her weapon was.

He glanced over at Aviel, who was watching the two of them, unaware of the Slicer's presence. Link looked directly to Aviel and nodded at her to let her know something was wrong. Aviel looked in confusion, before puling her goggles down over her eyes which allowed her to get a good look at Link's expression, and saw Link doing slight head and eye gestures to signal to tell Aviel where to go. Aviel didn't know what it was about, but nodded and got up, walking off calmly towards the back of the club, over near the stage.

Link meanwhile, turned to Scarlet, who was still preoccupied with the dance. He hated to end the dance, esoterically since she was so into it at the moment, but he had no choice. Taking a moment to collect himself, he started taking the initiative in the dance, his movement forcing Scarlet to change her routine, which caught her off guard. Link put his hand to her waist and his other hand to her own, and their dancing became closer.

The crowd was in shock at how forward the chosen girl had become with the dancer. Scarlet's movements went back to taking over but then Link's went right back to making the dance his own. It was almost like a battle to see who would be the dominate one in the dance. Eventually, the music was starting to fade down, and Link took that has the chance to do one final move, leaning Scarlet backwards while looking down at her, just as the music came to an end, before pulling Scarlet behind the back curtain.

"T-There you have it everyone!" said the hostess, "Give a big hand for the great Madame Scarlet and her co-dancer!"

The crowd paused, then cheered out wildly for the two dancers, even the Slicer herself couldn't help but clap slowly. Her clap soon died down though, and an evil grin formed from under her cloak.

* * *

Backstage, Link and Scarlet took a deep breath, both exhausted from their dancing.

"That was... something else." said Madame Scarlet, "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"Um, just instincts I guess?" Link answered.

"Those are some instincts." Scarlet said with a smirk, "I've never had a co-dancer take the lead before."

"Sorry but I'm coming in!" exclaimed a voice. The two turned to see Aviel running up to the two of them.

"I saw it, that slicing lady is n the back of the club!" she said.

"A-Aviel, what are you doing here?" Madame Scarlet asked.

"Wait, you know each other?: Link asked Aviel.

"We know each other?" Aviel asked herself.

"Maybe... we should go to my dressing room." said Scarlet.

* * *

They three of them headed to the far back, where there was a personal dressing room with a wooden door. Then the three entered, Scarlet locked the door and turned to her two guests.

"Now that we're all alone, what's going on?" she inquired.

"Me and L-" Aviel started, she looked at Link and then to Scarlet, and made the decision not to blow Link's cover, "my friend... um, Lifeaf here are being attacked by an assassin!"

"What?!" exclaimed Scarlet.

"She called herself the Slicer." ' Lifeaf' explained, thankful Aviel was so quick to decide on covering his identity, "We came here to the club to hide out, but she turned up just before the dance ended.."

"We need to get Lifeaf to the palace where she'll be safe!" said Aviel.

"Hm, very well, just allow me to change first." said Scarlet. She then removed her hood and veil, showing off her face. Aviel and Link sat there for a few seconds, registering how she looked, before they were both hit with realization.

"Nemisa?!" exclaimed Aviel, "You're Madame Scarlet?!"

Link meanwhile was covering his mouth in an attempt to silence himself from shouting out in his masculine voice.

"Yes, I try to keep my identity a secret, but since your situation is what it is I'll make an exception. Besides that, I wouldn't turn my back on someone with the heart of a dancer such as you, friend." she said to 'Lifeaf' with a gentle smile.

'If only she knew...' Link thought, he took that moment to admire how pleasant her smile was, then spoke out loud, "I've seen you before Lady Nemisa, but I would had never known you to be such a great dancer."

"It's just something I started to do to relive some tension and stress." she said, taking her long hair and quickly raveling it up into her usual loose bun, "But its become something I've grown to love doing more and more now."

"I can understand, " Link said, "I've seen a few entertainers in my life, but I've never seen someone dance so beautifully and with so much passion. It's no wonder they call you the red goddess of dance."

Nemisa's face flushed lightly, before she went back to changing. She turned around and removed her top, causing Link to cover his eyes. As Nemisa removed her thong she took a look back to the two, and saw the blond 'girl' trying to avert her gaze.

"Is she okay?" asked Nemisa, now removing her jewelry.

"Y-Yeah," Aviel said, "She's just uh, shy! I'm gong to go stick my head outside and check for the Slicer." with that, she got up and went to go look out the door.

"Nothing to be shy about sister Lifeaf," Nemisa said with a giggle, "It's just us girls around here."

"R-Right..." Link had to admit even in that awkward moment that Nemisa had a nice laugh as well, it was strange for him to see this side of her.

He then saw her remove the sashes from her arms, and noticed something unusual about her wrist, a dark red mark that, by his experience in battle, looked like it had been made by a rather sharp and brutal bladed weapon..

"What's with that scar on your wrist?" Link asked curiously. Nemisa realized what 'she' was talking about and covered it with her other hand.

"This is... well..." she paused, "H-Have you heard the phrase... 'Time heals all wounds'', sister Lifeaf?" asked Nemisa

"One or twice, yes." Link said.

"Well this is a wound that no amount of time could ever mend..." Nemisa said, somewhat distantly.

"...I... heard you fought the man that was chosen as our king the other day." Link said, a tinge of guilt nagging at him, "Did it come from that?"'

"No, this is from... something else... long ago." Nemisa said, putting one of her steel bands around the wrist, covering it completely, "That weak male couldn't possibly hurt me enough to lave this mark. Just... please try to forget you saw it..."

Link was unsure of what to say about it, could this have had something to do with her hatred of men that Nabooru mentioned before...?

"So do... you hate the future king?" Link asked, deicing to take this chance to hear her out about him.

"He's... a fool, a weakling, and a pervert." said Nemisa, each of the three words she used to describe him practically pierced through his body like spears.

"However..." she continued, "Lady Nabooru holds him in such high respect, especially to decide to make him our king.. and Aviel has taken quite a shine to him, Honestly, I'm just not sure what to believe about him right now..."

Link wasn't sure what to say to Nemisa about her feelings, but decided to set them aside for now and concentrate on surviving. By that point, Nemisa had finished dressing back in her usual red top and pants, and put on her steel wrist and shin bands.

"Okay, let's go." said Nemisa, "Is it clear to leave Aviel?"

"Yep! Let's get moving!" Aviel said.

* * *

"So where are we going exactly?" Link asked, as he, Aviel and Nemisa went up a staircase within the dance club building, before starting to go down a hallway.

"I have a secret route that leads out to the rooftops, I use it to hide my identity as Madame Scarlet." Nemisa explained, "We can use the route to get you to Lady Nabooru."

"Thank you for this." Link said nervously.

"Don't mention it, friend." Nemisa smiled.

"She's a lot nicer then I thought...' Link whispered to Aviel.

"Yeah, she may be a man-hater, but she's really nice to other girls, you just need to get to know her better!" nodded Aviel.

"Honestly..." Link whispered back, "I think I already do..."

The two of them suddenly bumped into Nemisa, who was standing still in shock.

"Hello there," chuckled the dark voice of a figure ahead of them, "It seems the spider has caught her flies."

"The Slicer..." Link muttered, recognizing her voice.

"Hear me assassin!" shouted Nemisa, "I don't know who is having you attack this poor girl, but leave now or I'll be forced to strike you down!"

"Poor... girl? Heh." said Slicer with a wicked grin, "I'll be taking that 'poor girl's' life right now."

With that, Slicer extended out her hands, and the group could feel something zip past the three of them.

"Wha- What was that?" Nemisa asked looking around. Suddenly, Link shouted out in pain as a few cuts formed across his body.

"What happened?!" exclaimed Nemisa, "Ae you okay Lefie-" she was cut off by seeing Link's top and veil had come off, exposing his true identity to her.

"Uh, I can explain..." Link said, clutching his wound..

"I-It's you, the Hylian male?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Now die, all of you!" shouted Slicer, she brought back her hands, with her fingers still sticking out, but before she could anything else, a single arrow flew out from nowhere and came inches from hitting Slicer in the face, as she had just barely moved her head to the side to evade it. "What?!"

Link and Nemisa looked to see Aviel holing her crossbow, "I told you what would happen if you attacked my friend!"

Aviel then loaded and fired more arrows straight at Slicer, who sidestepped away and ran off.

"Nice work Aviel!" Link said, "Now let's get out of here!"

As the three went running down the route to Nemisa's secret exit, the woman in red was so furious even her tan skin was a matching red.

"I can't believe this... dressing as one of our own, that dancing, then I was changing in front of you..." she muttered to herself, "You have a lot to answer for, Hylian male!"

"Okaaay, but how about for now we focus on not getting murdered by the crazy assassin woman?" Link said.

"Grr, fine, I'll lead us out!" Nemisa said, running ahead, "Just don't get in my way!"

Link sighed at her short-temperness, but then saw a gleam of light ahead of them, a reflection caused by the light of the moon shining through a nearby window. It occurred to him what it was and he darted forward.

"Nemisa, wait!"

"What are you-"

Nemisa was cut off by Link running out, grabbing her around the waist with one hand, and gripping his other hand onto her own, the two almost stumbled backwards like this, but Link quickly turned and threw Nemisa away from the direction they had been running, as he fell against something that made him shout out in pain, as blood shot out form his side.

"Link!" shouted Aviel, she was going to run up to help him but Link held up his hand.

"Keep back!" shouted Link, "I figured out what's going on, she's using some kind of nearly invisible wire to trap and cut at us!"

"Fufufu..." chuckled a voice, as the Slicer emerged from a dark room, gripping at something in her hand, "You caught on faster then most of my prey. You're lucky it didn't cut your legs off like I had intended with that friend of yours, though it must have still hurt. But don't worry, soon you won't feel a thing."

Nemisa just stared down at Link, who was clutching his side in pain. She thought back to when the two of them fought outside the town, when she ran into him in the palace,when he danced with her...

"You moron..." Nemisa muttered, falling to her knees and looking down at him, "Why did you do something like that?! You could have been killed yourself!"

"Heh, I had to..." Link said with a grin, "I couldn't let one of the best dancers lose the use of her legs... much less see one of my friends get hurt..."

Nemisa's eyes widened, staring down at Link.

"Hold it, you slicing lady!" shouted Aviel wielding her crossbow, "I'll make you into a pin cushion if you try anything else!"

Slicer smirked and called her threat, taking a step forward, prompting Aviel to fire a barrage of arrows, straight at her. But this time, Slicer pulled on some wires, causing the arrows to get cut and reduced to pieces in front of her.

'Uh oh." Aviels said.

"Aviel, protect him if you can!" said Nemisa, standing upright and narrowing her eyes, "I'll fight her."

"O-Okay..." Aviel said, running over and helping Link up, while Nemisa stood before Slicer, going into her karate fighting pose.

"Heh, no weapon? How foolish." said Slicer, "Once I'm done with you the false king is dead."

"Try me." said Nemisa, before charging into battle.

Slicer smirked and brought up her hands, as some wires shot out in all directions, Nemisa quickly flipped over and ducked under the wires as they shot out, using the light of the moon coming fom the window to tell where they were, before coming right up to Slicer and kicking her leg at her. Slicer blocked, then swung some wires from her hand across the floor to cu Nemisa's knee, but she jumped up and kicked Slicer in the chin.

"Gaarrghh!" shouted Slicer, stepping back. She extend=ed out wires all around Nemisa, but the Gerudo warrior took a deep breath, and as the wires swung out to cut her, Nemisa stepped forward slowly, swaying her body left and right, almost like a rhythmic dance, avoiding each wire that tried to cut at her, before lunging out and punching Slicer in the stomach.

"Whoa, look at her go!" exclaimed Aviel.

"She uses her dance moves in battle too..." Link said, even in this dangerous moment he was awestruck by her dancing ability.

"You bitch!" scowled Slicer, "I'll slice off those pretty feet of yours now!" with that, she pulled her pinky finger backwards, causing a wire to appear in front of Nemisa's shins and strike against them.

"Ahahahaha! The red goddess of dance is now nothi- huh?" Slicer realized Nemisa was just standing there, but even flinching n the slightest. Nemisa smirked as she swung up her leg, yanking the wire up, allowing it to wrap around the steel band protecting her skin from the wires, then swinging her leg out with the wire, casing it to strike across Slicer like a whip.

"GYYYAAAHHH!" Slicer screamed as blood flew out from her chest.

Nemisa took that chance to run up and pummel Slicer with everything she had, before delivering one final kick that sent her flying backwards and tumbling to the ground.

"It's over." said Nemisa, "Surrender and we'll spare you."

"Surrender? Not likely..." chuckled Slicer darkly, "You may have beaten me, but the false king will die some day... my master demands it!" with that, Slicer pulled a single wire with her thumb... causing it to shrike across the entirety of her own body, she laughed out insanely as blood sprayed out from her, and soon she fell to the ground lifelessly.

"...s-she took her own life...?" Aviel muttered, holding Link closely.

"Just what was that all about?" Link asked, before flinching in pain.

"...maybe we should just get back to the palace." said Nemisa.

* * *

"Ugh," Nabooru groaned, "I can't believe he's already been targeted by an assassin."

Aviel and Nemisa were able to bring Link right back to the palace after the battle, and his injuries were being treated by an expert Gerudo doctor.

"Is Link going to be okay?!" exclaimed Aviel.

"He'll be fine." said the doctor. She was a tall slightly-older woman with a darker tan skin then some others. Her red hair was long and wavy with strands of hair covering her left eye. She wore the typical Gerudo outfits, but added to it with a long sleeveless white vest, and she wore a pair of round glasses.

"His injuries are bad, but not lethal. He's quite strong and healthy, and recovering quickly. I'd say he'll recover in about a week's time." the doctor said.

"Thank you so much Dr. Sarami." Nabooru said nodding, "You saved our king."

"Its nothing really, it's what I do," she sported a sweet smile, "Though if you truly want to thank me you'll let me visit him extensively after he recovers..." she added with a snide grin, her glasses gleaming with mischievousness.

"Ahem!" Nemisa cleared her throat, "I think it's a little too early to be talking about THAT kind of thing."

"Oh, did you want to take him first?" Sarami asked with her sweet demeanor, causing Nemisa to fall over.

"Hey, Nemisa...?" Link asked weakly. Nemisa's eyes widened and she slowly went over to see Link.

"What is it..?"

"I, wanted to apologize for what happened last night." Link said, "We were in a bad situation, but I didn't mean to get you involved in all that."

"Why are you the one apologizing?" she asked in annoyance, "You were injured like that because of me."

"I don't mind that," Link grinned, "I just needed to watch out for my friend."

"You, consider me a friend..." muttered Nemisa, "Even after everything I've done to you?"

"Of course," Link said grinning, "You're a good person, and I wouldn't had made it out of that mess if not for you."

Nemisa flushed red, at a loss of what to say to him.

Eventually Sarami made everyone leave so that Link could get some rest.

* * *

_A week later..._

"You doing okay now Link?" said Nabooru, seeing Link leave his room with his bandages gone.

"Yup, I feel great now!" Link said, pumping his fist. "Ready to seize the day!"

"Sounds good." Nabooru nodded, "By the way, we checked out that Slicer assassin's body, but unfortunately we couldn't find any kind of identification on her or her client. Seems she made every effort to hide her purpose in case she did fail."

"It's weird." sighed Link, "She kept calling me 'false king' and said something about a master. Do you think Ganondorf is behind this?"

"Doubtful." said Nabooru, "He's been sealed in a magical barrier in Hyrule prison, he couldn't so much as talk to a fly without them finding out. No, I'm not certain, but I think this might be... something else..."

"Hm." Link thought to himself, "So should I just stay here at the palace from now on or what?"

"Oh don't worry about that, things are going to be different now." Nabooru said, "I'm stepping up the guards around town, and I even have something ready to ensure your safety!" With that, she clapped her hands, and the doorway into the room opened...

And a young woman with bird wings immediately flew up and hugged Link.

"Link!" shouted Aviel, "I'm glad to see you again!"

"Seriously Aviel, it's only been seven days." sighed Nemisa, walking in as well.

"Huh? What are you two here for?" Link asked.

"Link," started Nabooru, "I'd like to reintroduce you to Aviel and Nemisa; your two new body guards!"

"W-What?!" exclaimed Link.

"Yep, looks like we'll be protect you from now on Link!" exclaimed Aviel,

"Um, thanks... a-are you okay with this Nemisa?" Link asked.

"It's... fine." Nemisa said, ignoring Nabooru's comment, "Allowing a reckless moron like yourself to run around getting in trouble without protection is the same to me as advocating murder."

"Heh. Well then, I guess I'll be in your guy's care." Link said bowing at them.

"Don't bow to us, you're the one supposed to be the king!" Nemisa snapped.

"So what do you want to do today Link?" asked Aviel.

"Actually," Link said, he took a look over at Aviel and grinned. "I had a few things in mind, but I was wondering if maybe later tonight we could go to that one night club..."

Nemisa raised an eyebrow at that.

"I... know a great performer over there, a dancer who's the best I've ever seen." he said with a light blush.

Nemisa's face flushed a little at that as well, but then she regained her senses,, closed her eyes and smirked a bit.

"I suppose we can find time to do that... um, your highness."

"Your highness? So we went from 'Hylian male'' to that? What a great promotion!" Link grinned.

"Ugh, don't let it get to your head." Nemisa rolled her eyes,

"Well if you don't want that, why not just call me Link then?" he asked.

"I... I'll thank about it, your highness." Nemisa said.

"Well what are we waiting for?!" said Avial, "let's go out into town!" She used her bird wings to start pushing Link and Nemisa out the door.

"Hey, cut it out Aviel! That tickles!" exclaimed Nemisa.

Nabooru laid back in her chair and laughed at the three, taking a moment to look out the window.

"Those three have gotten quite close, at this rate I wonder how soon it'll be before he'll.."

Nabooru paused on that note.

"Ah, never mind for now."

* * *

Meanwhile, in another location far from Gerudo Town...

"Master, I'm afraid the Slicer has fallen."

"A shame, she was a fine and beautiful assassin. Thank you Slicer, for all your hard work, may you rest in peace."

"So what do we do now?"

"I thought it would be simple to kill the false king, but it seems he's more capable them I assumed. We'll wait, and see what happens for now. Keep me posted when something new comes up."

"Of course master."

* * *

**And there's chapter 6. This was probably one of the most difficult ones for me to write, especially when I was describing things in more artistic ways. It's something I'm probably not going to do that too often.**

**I'll have chapter 7 out as soon as I can, next time Link meets a new friend, and ******learns some dark secrets about the world he's come back to...  
****


	7. The Animal Rancher

_**Chapter 7 time. I swear, these chapter get way longer then I plan. **_

* * *

"You want us to do what, Nabooru?" Link asked, looking up from his breakfast one morning. It had been a few weeks since he had been officially announced as the future king and the encounter with the assassin, and things had been pretty calm rafter that. Link himself was slowly starting to adjust to life in the palace, while Aviel and Nemisa were by his side almost wherever he went out now as his bodyguards.

"I want you to escort the head of our livestock ranch to meet with a caravan out by the border to Hyrule in the Gerudo Plains." Nabooru explained, "She's arranged to trade some of the animals she's raised for a load of supplies important to the town."

"I suppose I could do that." nodded Link, "But what about the banishment? Would we be breaking the law doing this?"

"Technically we're not crossing over onto Hyrule soil, it's the caravan themselves meeting with us, so we're in the clear." Nabooru clarified.

"Wait, why are you tasking our king with something like this?" asked Nemisa, "Why not send in some guards like usual?"

"We've tried that," sighed Nabooru, "But our last attempt to make the trade ended in failure, they were under attack by monsters and bandits, and... only a few of our sisters made it back alive..."

"...I-I see." Nemisa muttered, Link was a little saddened at this news himself, but continued to listen.

"I think someone with Link's field experience, as well as Gerudo warriors as strong as the two of you will be more of a match for whatever is out there." Nabooru said, "And of course we'll deploy some additional backup."

"I'm still concerned about this." Nemisa said, "I really don't think our king should be saddled with this kind of chore, especially with how dangerous it seems to be."

"Heh... are you really worried for Link that much?" Nabooru said with a small grin, "I didn't think you cared about him so much."

"W-What?!" exclaimed Nemisa, she folded her arms and huffed, "I... I'm just looking out for the king's safety, it's my job as his bodyguard after all!"

Nabooru just snickered at Nemisa's defense argument, while Link and Aviel cast knowing glances.

"I know you're worried Nemisa," Link said, "But I'm more then happy to help out with whatever I can do around here."

"...fine." sighed Nemisa, "Go ahead and do as you please, it's my duty to protect you either way."

"Thanks." Link nodded, "But don't worry, I can handle anything that comes our way!"

"Alright! I'm psyched to go!" Aviel said, "I've always wanted to go see the animals!"

* * *

"I really regret wanting to go see the animals." Aviel muttered, covering her nose with her bird wings as they walked a trail towards the livestock ranch "This place smells terrible!"

"Well what do you expect? This area is populated by cows, donkeys and pigs, you didn't think it was going to stink a little?" Nemisa pointed out.

"Still stinks." Aviel said in a nasally voice, trying to plug her nose.

"Oh grow up,, we have a duty to our-" Nemisa's words were cut off by her stepping on something that made a squishing sound. She paused for a moment, before her face turned green and recoiled from the place she was standing.

"YICK! You're got to be kidding me!" she shouted in disgust and anger, stomping her foot down.

Link and Aviel themselves couldn't help but burst out into laughter.

"Shut up before I shut you both up!" shouted Nemisa.

"Hey, sorry 'bout that!" said a new voice, "I must've overlooked that cowpie on the way home!"

A Gerudo girl walked up to the three of them, she was modest in height, probably about as tall as Link. She had a slim but slightly muscular frame. Her outfit was much different then most Gerudo, rather then the typical silk outfit she wore a small yellow vest that showed off her abs and brown shorts, along with boots, and she topped off her look with a straw hat. She also had a type of hand axe strapped to her belt, and had what appeared to be a stick of cinnamon sticking out of her mouth that she was chewing on. Walking along side her was a big pig about as high as the girl's waist with a saddlebag strapped around it, with a cucco wearing a neck bandanna riding on top of the pig.

"Howdy there, nice to meet yall, the name's Togau!" she introduced herself, she came right up to Link, spit on her own hand, and stuck it out to him, "Pleased ta meet ya, yer highness!"

"Oh, uh, likewise." Link said, taking her hand and shaking it, resulting in his hand being covered in saliva, he wiped it off on his side. "You can just call me Link, and these are my guards Aviel and Nemisa."

"Well I gotta say," Togau said, looking Link up and down with a grin, "Yer not what I would had expected from the new Gerudo king, but I ain't complainin', yer a cute one!"

Link couldn't help but blush a bit at her compliment, while he had slowly began to get used to the people of the town being flirty with him, it was still a little awkward around new people.

He then held an angry cliucking sound and looked down to see the cucco glaring up at him, making Link gulp a little nervously.

"Settle down there." said Togau, making the cucco turn it's head away "Sorry, she can be a little defensive of me. This is Imra, and the piggie is Oseg."

Oseg just grunted.

"Ah, it's no trouble." Link said, "I just have a bad history with cuccos..."

"Anyway," coughed Nemisa, desperate to change the subject, "We're here to escort you to the caravan."

"Sounds swell," nodded Togau, "The livestock are already gathered up, we just need to get them to the gate out of town."

The group followed Togau down the trail to the barn where the animals were kept. As soon as Link and the others went in, they felt a somewhat refreshingly cool breeze.

"Aaahhh..." said Aviel, "It's still smelly, but it feels kinda nice in here..."

"Like it?" grinned Togau, "We set up this barn recently to be weather controlled, it can be hard ta raise livestock in this harsh climate, so we had this place built to make it comfortable fer em."

"Comfortable before they're sent to slaughter?" Nemisa pointed out.

"Of course, happy and healthy animals means tasty ones!" said Togau with a laugh.

"Ugh, seeing them so happy almost makes me want to go vegan..." said Aviel looking around.

"This place is really well made." Link observed, "It almost makes me feel like I was back at Lon Lon Ranch."

"You been ta Lon Lon Ranch?" Togau asked suddenly, her eyes lit up.

"Yeah, I'm friends with the owner and his daughter." Link said.

"No freakin' way!" exclaimed Togau, "How are those two? Talon keepin' healthy? Is Malon married yet?!"

"Oh, so you know them too?" Link inquired.

"I more then know em," Togau grinned widely, "Talon's my big brother-in-law, and Malon's my niece!"

"Wait, seriously?!" exclaimed Link.

"Uh huh!" nodded Togau, "My older sister married that shaggy guy years ago and popped out Malon some time after that!"

"That's an odd way to phrase it..." Nemisa said.

She was then suddenly feeling a strange nudging motion, and turned to see a cow nuzzling her. "H-Hey, back off or I'll make you into a steak!" This earned a laugh from the group.

"Lady Togau, some of the cows out back are riled up!" exclaimed a ranch hand, running up to the four.

"Leave it to me!" said Togau, the four of them, along with Imra and Oseg ran in the direction of where the cow-related chaos was going on. The other ranch worker were trying their best to calm them, but to no avail.

"I got this, Imra, hand it over!" Togau said, as her cucco friend pulled out a fiddle off of the sack Oseg was wearing and gave it to Togau. The rancher took the fiddle and bow and placing the two together, started playing a slow and mellow tune from it. The music seemed to almost flow through the ranch all around them, a tune that struck Link to be very familiar...

Remarkably, the cows calmed down and mooed blissfully, giving the girls a chance to round them all up.

"W-Wow, she calmed them all down just like that!" Aviel said with her jaw dropped, even Nemisa was speechless.

"That music..." Link said in surprise, "That's the song Malon is always singing."

"You know about that too, huh?" grinned Togau, "Looks like we need to talk a lot more about my niece."

* * *

Soon the animals were gathered up, and Togau led Link, Aviel and Nemisa to the main gate, where they saw three more Gerudo warriors standing alongside a large wagon. The three warriors wore dark purple outfits, and each carried curved swords as their weapons.

"Hello King Link." said the middle guard, "I am the head of the three of us, Lady Nabooru has asked that we come to aide you and sister Togau in your travel to the border." She explained, while the two other girls bowed to show their loyalty to him.

"Thanks for that," Link said, "And you girls can just call me Link."

"...o-okay, Link as you command." nodded the head guard, glancing to the side with a hint of nervousness. The other two guards whispered to each other and giggled a bit.

Link just sighed, 'Considering it a command kind of defeats the point of being casual about it..,' he thought to himself.

"Hey Togau, this cow isn't being nice!" sounded a voice. Everyone looked to Aviel pulling on the rope of a particularly stubborn cow who refused to keep walking. Soon the cow angerly thrust it's head upwards, causing Aviel to let go of the rope and stumble back, only to fall backwards onto the supply bags.

"Careful!" shouted the head guard, "You could have damaged the goods!"

"Aheheh, sorry..." Aviel said, getting up.

"Honestly," sighed the left guard to the right, "What was Lady Nabooru thinking appointing _her_ as one of the king's top bodyguards?"

"Yes, Aviel the Birdbrain is more likely to get him killed then anyone." nodded the right guard.

"Who you calling a birdbrain?!" exclaimed Aviel, her arms turned into wings and flapping them like crazy in anger, "You're just jealous that Link hugs me!"

"The king... hugs you?!" exclaimed the left guard, "How did you of all people win his favor?!"

"Cause I'm his friend!" said Aviel sticking her tongue out at them.

"Why would the king want to be friends with a birdbrain?!" shouted the right guard.

"Would you children settle down?!" shouted Nemisa in annoyance.

"ANYWAY,," said an annoyed head guard, "It will take about a full day's time for us to arrive at the meeting location at the border in Gerudo Plains, we'll be there by tomorrow at noon given we're not held up long by too many distractions."said the head guard.

"Okay," Link nodded, "Let's get going then."

* * *

Link, Togau, Aviel, Nemisa, the three guards, and the animals traveled through the deep canyon that surrounded the path to Gerudo Town, on their way to the meeting location. Link was in deep thought about the various circumstances surrounding this mission, namely the road they had to take, and decided to speak up.

"So I was just wondering," Link started to Togau, "We're meeting with the trading caravan out in Gerudo Plains, why don't we just meet them at the waterfall bridge? Seems a lot more convenient for both parties."

"Well, my team used to do that for the first few years." said Togau, "But that area is full of Hylian knight guards to keep the Gerudo from crossing onto Hyrule soil. At first they didn't mind us trading, but over time they started charging us a toll to meet with the caravan."

"A toll, seriously?!" Link exclaimed.

Togau nodded, "They claim it's a bartering tax, but it seems like a load of hogwash too me." She heard a pig grunt, and she added a "No offense, Oseg."

"How can they do something like that?" Link asked.

"Like I said, they're part of the Hylian knights, even if the kingdom bothered giving us a chance to hear us out, it's an 'us versus them' type of matter, not much we can do." Togau said sadly, "We paid up for a while,, but then they started jackin' up the rate over time, until it wasn't any worth what we'd get from the trade."

"That's absurd, it has to be an act of extortion." Nemisa said, narrowing her eyes, "Damned Hylian mongrels." She heard a male sigh, and added a "No offense, my king."

"Has things with Hyrule really gotten so bad?" Link asked, "I've been gone for a while, but I thought the kingdom was run pretty fairly while I was a kid."

"Things changed a lot after the war." Togau said, "The Hylian Parliament was formed to help the king come to just decisions to fix everything, but there's too many conflictin' views of what's best for the land."

"Sounds like the phrase 'Too many cooks spoil the broth' would come to mind." Link observed.

"That's a pretty good way of puttin' it," Togau nodded.

"Ugh, I don't understand all this politics and law stuff." Aviel said, rubbing her head, "The heat's already murder on my head as it is."

"Not to worry of your head, birdbrain" said the left guard, "We''ll be arriving at an oasis rest spot by the afternoon."

"Gooood..." sighed Aviel with a blissful smile, only for her to quickly snap back and shout "Hey wait a minute, don't call me a-!"

"Don't start that again!" shouted Nemisa.

* * *

"We made it!" shouted Aviel cheerfully, the transport group all standing out at a sizable lake in Gerudo Plains, an oasis with numerous plants and palm trees growing beside it.

"Alright, we'll take a rest here for a while and keep going." said Togau.

Aviel meanwhile ran ahead of the group and jumped right into the oasis. "Come in guys! The water's great!" she shouted.

Nemisa sighed, "That girl can be so childish."

"Yeah, but she wouldn't be Aviel if she wasn't." grinned Link.

"I suppose..." Nemisa said, glancing to Link with a hint of a smile.

The group couldn't help themselves and followed Aviel into the water, while the livestock took to using the oasis to hydrate themselves. It wasn't long before everyone felt truly refreshed. Oseg was busy napping at the edge of the oasis while Imra was surveying the area from atop the pig.

"Oh your highness!" called out one of the guards, "Can we wash your back for you?!" she asked with a flirtatious smile.

"Yes, allow us to take care of you, my king." the other said, putting her hands on his shoulders, before yanking off his vest. Link's face turned a bright red, and most of the girls girls laughed or giggled at it.

"Hey, what are you guys doing to our-" Nemisa was cut off as she saw Link was now bare-chested, in the water. Thoughts of that time she walked in on him changing suddenly flashed through her mind, and she quickly responded by dunking her head into the water.

While Aviel and the two younger guards were focused on playing with Link who was frantically trying to get back his vest, Togau just sat back in the water, watching them all. Togau then turned to Nemisa, who had just came back up from the water for breath.

"So is King Link always like this? I didn't get to see him at the announcement, so when I heard we were gettin' a new big cheese I was expecting a snooty stuff-shirt or a straight faced hard-ass." Togau asked.

"He's... certainly unique I suppose." Nemisa said, leaning back against the edge of the oasis, flicking the water a little with her hand, as she watched one of the guards dunk Link into the water, to which he retaliated by yanking her under. "Sometimes I wonder just what he's thinking getting into all this, he just seems to selflessly throw himself at problems without a second thought."

"You really worry bout him don't cha?." grinned Togau, "You seem pretty close."

"N-Not in the slightest." Nemisa had her eyes closed and her arms folded, "As his bodyguard now, I have to worry about his well-being, there's nothing beyond that..."

"Hey Nemisa," Link called out, moving through the water towards the two of them, "How much longer do you think before we need to continue on the trial?"

Nemisa opened her eyes to see Link shirtless again, and she turned her head, trying her hardest not to stare. "I-It shouldn't be too much longer... We need to make more progress before nightfall."

Togau took a look at Link, then to Nemisa and grinned a little. "Hey Link, why not sit a spell right here?" she asked, scooting over enough that there was a fair bit of room in-between her and Nemisa.

"Uh, um..." Link looked to the side himself, unsure of what to say.

"Oh come on!" said Togau, grabbing Link by his arm and pulling him down to sit between them.

Nemisa kept her head turned as steam was rising up from her in embarrassment. 'That damn rancher...' she thought to herself.

"So yer highness," grinned Togau, "Tell me more about you and my kin over at Lon Lon Ranch, you guys close?"

"In a way," Link said, "Malon let me borrow one of her horses while I was on my journey. I had just met her before I got to Gerudo Town to drop her off."

"Ah yeah, that was Epona, right? Malon mentioned where she had gone." Togau said, "She was such a cute little pony back when I was little. Glad to hear she's still kickin', and I'm glad to hear Malon's doing alright."

"Are you not able to keep in contact with her?" Link asked, "How long has it been since you've seen her?"

"About six years now." said Togau, she looked up into the sky with a slightly sad smile, "Just right after the war..."

"Did it have to do with the banishment?" Link asked.

Togau simply nodded.

"Wait a second..." Nemisa realized, "You stated that this Malon girl is your niece, as in your sister's daughter, so doesn't that make her half Gerudo? As far as I know of the law she would have been eligible for banishment as well. How did she get past that?"

Link's eyes widened, Nemisa was completely right about Malon. It came as a surprise to him that she was the daughter of a Gerudo, but the idea that she would had been forced to leave Hyrule didn't even occur to him until now.

"Well.." Tugau trailed off, "It's kind of a long story..."

"Can we hear it?" piped up a new voice. Everyone turned to see Aviel and the guards in front of the three now, looking intently and with curiosity.

"Yeah, Malon didn't say anything about this, I'd like to hear about it myself." Link nodded.

"Puttin' me on the spot, huh?" sighed Togau, "Alright, I'll tell y'all..."

* * *

_Flashback to six years ago..._

"Come on Malon, hurry up!" shouted a young 13 year old Togau.

"I...I'm coming!" exclaimed an almost 11 year old Malon, gasping for breath to keep up with her young aunt, "I'm not as fast as you!"

"Ha, don't worry bout it! You'll catch up to me soon enough!" she said with a wide grin. They soon eventually came to where Togau had been leading them to, the cucco coop.

"It's times like this I wish Epona was around." Malon sighed.

"She'll be fine right?" Togau asked, "That friend of yours is lookin' after her."

"Yeah." smiled Malon, "I've been praying to the goddesses for their safe trip home someday."

"I'll sure they'll come back soon enough." grinned Togau, "Now comeon, I wanna show you this!"

The two entered the cucco coop and Togau directed Malon over to one particular nest where a mother cucco was looking over it's baby chicks.

"Awww!" squealed Malon with bright eyes and an equally bright smile, "Her eggs hatched! They're so cute!"

Malon scooped up one of the peeping baby chicks and cuddled it softly.

"I know, right?" Togau said, picking up one herself and nuzzling it against her cheek, "They're little yellow balls of fuzz!"

"It's called 'down' Togau." Malon corrected.

'Issat what they call it?" Togau asked scratching her head, "Shouldn't adult cucco feathers be called 'up' then?"

Malon giggled, "It's just feathers."

"Jees," sighed Togau, "I got a lot to learn 'bout this animal raisin' thing."

"It's fine, you'll catch up soon enough!" smiled Malon.

"Heh, well played." Togau grinned, remembering what she had just told Malon a minute ago.

Malon set down her chick, and it hopped right over to it's mother. She paused for a second, before asking, "So, uh, how's grandma doing?"

"My Ma? She's been doin' alright I suppose." Togau said, "Though the whole thing about the Gerudo king bein' captured really riled her up."

"I don't really understand what happened, but I hope grandma gets better so she can come see us again." Malon said.

"Me too Mally." Togau agreed.

"Well hey kiddos, why the long faces in front of these lil' miracles?" piped up a voice. It was Malon's father Talon, walking in with a bag of cucco feed.

"Oh, hi papa!" said Malon, "We were just talking about grandma, I'm just kinda worried about her..."

"Ah yeah," Talon said starting to distribute the feed to the cuccos, who immediately went to town on it. "You know, the day you were born Malon, you shoulda seen your grandma's face. The way she smiled was like nothing I had seen before on her. You coming into her life made her so happy, so we really outta figure out a way to go see her ourselves."

"Really?" Malon asked.

"Yeah," nodded Togau, "I was only three back then, but I could never forget that smile myself... sometimes I wonder if I should-"

Their conversation was interrupted however by the sound of some horses neighed out loudly and some men calling out for them to halt.

"What was that?" Talon wondered, he peeked out the door of the coop, only for him to freeze up, seeing some royal Hyulian knights, who were accompanied by a tall eccentric looking man in a white and purple robe.

Talon backed up a bit and gulped loudly, he turned and looked down at Malon and Togau.

"L-Listen, you two kids stay here and don't make a peep." he said, "I gotta go meet with them."

"What is this about papa...?" Malon asked.

"Don't worry none Mally, just lay low. Togau, please watch out fer her." Talon said.

"O-Okay bro." nodded Togau.

Talon took a deep breath, then walked out of the cucco coop causally, coming straight up the man and the knights.

"Well howdy there folks!" Talon said, sporting his typical big smile. "Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch, what can I do ya for today?"

"Ah, there you are Mr. Talon Lon." said the robed man referring to Talon by his full name, "Allow me to bring an introduction of myself to you, I am Sir Haralden, head of Hyrulian Foreign Services.

"Er, nice ta meet ya." Talon said, he stuck his hand out to shake, but Sir Haralden instead gestured to one of his knights to shake hands on his behalf.

"I'll get right to the point Mr. Lon." he said, "According to our records, you married a Gerudo woman named Murin approximately fourteen years ago, correct?"

"Erm yeah." said Talon, rubbing the back of his head, "She uh, passed away nine years ago from an illness..."

"I'm very sorry for your loss." said Sir Haralden, "I've also been told that the two of you had a daughter almost eleven years ago named Malon Lon."

Talon's eyes widened.

"What are they talking about me for?" Malon asked from the coop.

"I... don't know..." Togau said, a sense of worry started to fill her.

"Being of direct blood to a Gerudo, I'm afraid she falls under the Gerudo Banishment Act that was instigated recently enacted by the Hylian Parliament." Sir Haralden stated, "We need to see her immediately."

"I... don't know what you're talkin' about." Talon said nervously, "Me and the wife, uh, never had a... kid..."

"Is that so?" asked Sir Haralden, "He clicked his fingers, prompting a knight to go into Talon's nearby home.

"Mr. Lon, I'm sure you're well aware of the punishment for harboring Gerudo on Hylian land, correct?" Sir Haralden said, glaring at him.

"I'm... not too caught up that sorta thing, busy on the job and all..." Talon said.

"According to the law, those who hold Gerudo without surrendering them to the Hyrulian Foreign Services can be subjected to a number of punishments, from fines, to imprisonment, to execution. We won't hold your child responsible for this, her being a minor, but you yourself will face trial if we deem fit. So, I'll ask again, where is she?"

"I..." Talon wasn't sure what to say.

"Sir Haralden!" shouted a knight, "We found children's clothes in the bedroom!"

"That... was... a gift... for..." Talon couldn't bring himself to complete his sentences anymore, in reality he knew full well of the law, but he couldn't allow Malon to be exiled and forced to live in a place like Gerudo Valley.

"I... I need to go see papa!" Malon said.

"No!" exclaimed Togau, "If they see you they'll take you away!"

"B-But what about papa?!" Malon asked.

Togau just paused, looking out the door. She saw the look in Talon's eyes, then looked down to Malon, who was biting her lower lip, looking like she was about to run out to protect Talon. Togau just let out a sigh, then leaned down and hugged Malon.

"Togau?" asked Malon.

"I-I know I'm just yer aunt, but... I just gotta say, you've always been like a sister ta me." she said trembling.

"W-What are you saying?" Malon asked. Togau simply broke the hug and looked at her, giving her the biggest smile she could muster.

"You be good okay?" Togau asked, "Get big and strong so ya can help yer Pa with the ranch, and maybe someday you'll find a nice guy ya can be with... G-Goodbye Mally."

With that, Togau turned and went out the door of the cucco coop, closing the door behind her so malon wouldn't follow her.

"Togau, wait!" shouted Malon, tears forming in her eyes. Her words going unacknowledged, she looked down at the baby chicks surrounding her, peeping loudly, almost as if they understood the situation. She knelt down to them and scooped them up, hugging them all together, as tears ran down her eyes.

"I'll ask once more." Sir Haralden asked Talon, "Where, is, the girl?"

"I... don't..."

"Papa! What's goin' on?!" shouted a voice.

"Wha-?" Talon muttered as he turned to see Togau running right up to the group.

"I was just feedin' the cuccos by my lonesome, I thought you were gonna help me!" she said with a stern look. She then looked up at Sir Haralden, "Oh hi there, welcome to Lon Lon Ranch, are you friends of papa?"

"So you're Mr. Lon's child?" asked Sir Haralden.

"Reckon course!" nodded Togau grinning, "The name's Malon!"

Talon's eyes widened, "Wait, what are you doing To-"

"Papa!" interrupted Togau quickly, "Don't tell me ya forgot yer own daughter? Yer getting' old again!"

"Very well," said Sir Haralden to Talon, "It seems you were lucky this time. Knights, please take Ms. Malon so that she may join her fellow Gerudo."

"But..." Talon said.

"It's okay papa, I'm sure I'll be fine!" Togau said, she reached up and hugged her brother-in-law, taking a moment to whisper in his ear, "Take care of her bro, she needs you right now, and I know you need her more then ever..."

Togau broke the hug and turned to Sir Haralden, "Okay, let's go then!"

"Well aren't you a cooperative young lady? Thank you." Sir Haralden nodded.

As Togau ran over to join the guards however, Haralden then walked up to Talon. "However, there is the matter of you attempting to hide her, even if just briefly. That can't go unpunished."

With that, Herald gestured to one of the knights, who walked up to Talon, and swung his leg up, kicking Talon in the shins, and knocking the farmer to his knees.

"Tal- Papa!" shouted Togau, quickly correcting herself.

The knight just continued to kick Talon, who was now in a fetal position, sharply in the side, Talon clenched his eyes and did what he could to hold back the pain.

"Y-You bastards!" shouted Togau, before anyone could stop her, she went running right up to the knight and grabbing his sleeve, "I turned myself in! You can't do that to papa!"

"Someone stop her!" shouted Sir Haralden, One of the knights responded by running up and grabbing Togau, who bit down onto the sleeve of the knight kicking Talon, causing it to rip off. In that very moment, Togau saw a strange mark on the knight's upper arm.

"Enough of this." scowled Sir Haralden, "Let's just go."

With that, he and the knights took Togau away. Togau herself, being carried under the arm of the knight, looked on to Talon, eyes running down her eyes, as she forced herself to smile her brightest, and she soon disappeared out of the ranch with the knights.

Talon, having recovered from his situation, sat up on his knees, watching helplessly as he realized Togau was gone.

"Togau..." said Talon, his whole body shaking.

"Papa!" shouted Malon, running up and hugging her father, "What's going on? Where's Togau going?"

"T-Togau's just going away fer a little while honeybunch..." he said, tears running down his eyes uncontrollably, "I'm... I'm sure she'll be back someday!"

The daughter and father just hugged each other tightly, Talon was relieved that Malon was safe, but...

"Togau..." he whispered, "Thank you..."

* * *

"That was the last time I saw her or Talon again..." Togau muttered to Link and the group, despite her smile, tears werre going down her cheeks, "The knights grouped me with some of the Gerudo they had captured and those girls helped me get back to the fortress where my Ma and Lady Nabooru were. Sometime after that we all built and settled into Gerudo Town, and I became a livestock rancher..."

"That's awful..." Aviel said sadly, tears forming at her own eyes. The guards all seemed quite saddened and sympathetic as well.

"I never knew Malon and her dad had it so rough..." Link sighed, "It was hard enough to lose her mother, but you too?"

"Who do those Hylian knights think they are to do something so despicable?" Nemisa asked, her blood boiling at the thought.

"It's fine..." said Togau, "Thanks to Lady Nabooru things turned out better then I could have hoped fer us."

"I still don't like it..." scowled Nemisa.

"Yeah, I have to agree with Nemisa," Link said, "They just went out of line, I'm surprised Malon didn't tell me anything like this when I saw her last."

"I'm guessin' she just didn't want to trouble you with it." said Togau, "She was like that even as a kid."

"I suppose," Link said, "I got along with her pretty quickly when we met, she even taught me the song that Epona likes so much."

"Wait a sec," Togau realized, "Yer the kid who Malon said took Epona... That's it, I know who you are now! You're "Fairy Boy", ain't ya?! She would talk about you all the time!"

"F-Fairy Boy?!" exclaimed Link, recalling Malon's nickname for him.

"Fairy Boy, that was your name?" exclaimed Aviel, her once saddened and frowning face soon turned upwards into a big grin.

At that point, Aviel and the guards all fell over into the water and burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Nemisa herself was holding her breath with sweat running down her head, trying her hardest not to laugh herself.

"Yeah, yeah..." Link said annoyed, realizing he could never escape that name.

Togau meanwhile just looked to Link grinning, "Well, I'm at least glad to hear from you that she's doing well... I hope someday she can make my Ma proud."

"You mother? Proud how?" Link asked.

"Well ya see, Pa died about three years after I was born, and even back when I was a runt I saw Ma just seemed sad.. I didn't really understand it too much at the time, but she worked hard to keep me and sis well taken care of. Time passed, and eventually Murin grew up big and strong, and she eventually came ta meet and fall in love with Talon."

She looked up into the sky and continued, "They got married, bonked like rabbits, and shortly after that Malon was born. When sis and Talon showed Malon off to Ma, you should have seen the look on her face, even as a four year old at the time I could never forget the face she made that day. I had never seen her so happy before, at least as far as I could remember. It was something I knew I wanted to see again."

Her smile went down, "Sis died shortly after that from an illness though, and Ma just about fell right back into that depression, she was enjoying her time with Malon that's fer sure, but she was still taking sis' death hard, and I was too... I was thinking for a while that maybe if Malon meets the right guy, then she could give Ma a great granddaughter that would make her happy again... but thanks to that dang law she wouldn't even be able to see them..."

She then continued, "So that's why I've also made a decision fer tomorrow. When we get to the caravan, I'm gonna meet a nice young man there... and I'm gonna have him put a baby in me!"

"B-Baby?!" exclaimed Aviel.

"A-Are you serious?! Just like that?!" exclaimed Link.

"It's not uncommon." stated Nemisa, "While we are technically exiled from Hyrule, and the banishment law prohibits Hylians from mating with Gerudo, our sisters have done whatever they can to reproduce with men to keep our population going, even sneaking out to have primate meetings. It's not an ideal situation, but it's our only option other then meeting with random bandits or travelers."

Togau nodded, "Sorry for not mentioning this earlier, but it's part of why I choose to come along with you guys to begin with."

"It's okay." Link nodded, "We understand your situation..." he paused, thinking about everything she had said just now.

"Thanks fer that.." Togau said, looking to Link smiling.

"Well I think it's time for us to get moving again." Nemisa said, "We have much terrain to cover before nightfall."

"Good idea." Aviel stuck a hand out of the water and wiggled it, "My fingers are getting all pruney."

"Alright, ;let's saddle up and head out!" said Togau, back to her bright spirits again.

Link just paused, looking at Togau as she climbed out of the water and starting rounding up the animals.

'Is that really what she'd want...?' Link thought to himself.

* * *

_**Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the new character. I'm already a third of a way through chapter 8, so hopefully I'll have it out quickly. Leave a comment if you like!**_


	8. Bandits Raid

_**Alright, time for Chapter 8, enjoy!**_

* * *

"No way, so Link dressed up as a lady Gerudo to get away form that assassin?" laughed Togau as Aviel told the story of what happened a few weeks ago to her, "I wish I coulda seen that fer myself!"

The two younger back guards wee giggling like crazy about it themselves while even the head guard was straining herself from laughing.

"Wasn't very funny to me..." grumbled Link.

"You know I was able to save the outfit if you ever want to wear it again Link!" Aviel chirped.

"Never again." Link said annoyed.

"Honestly, of all the stupid plans... it didn't even work by the end." Nemisa said.

"Worked long enough to fool you." Link pointed out with a small smirk, causing Nemisa to turn away scowling.

"Wait, what does that mean?" asked Togau.

"Well you see Nemisa and Link were dan-" Aviel was immediately cut off by a bonk to the head by Nemisa.

"That's not important right now." Nemsia said, "We need to focus on making as much progress as possible before nightfall."

"Meanie..." muttered Aviel with a round bump now on her head.

It was then they heard a strange high-pitched screeching sound, the group came to a stop near a large rock formation that towered over them.

"Did... you guys hear that?" Link asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, what was that?" Aviel asked, looking around.

"I recognize it," said the head guard, pulling out her sword. "And they're coming quick..."

It was then that leaping out from the rock formation were a large group of lizard-like creatures with horns on their snouts and armored backs, brandishing swords, spears or whatever weapon they could carry. They landed down in front of the group, one of them extending it's tongue out to smell at the Hylian and Gerudos, and let out the high pitched sound again, causing the others to do as well.

"The Lizalfos!" stated Nemisa, going into her martial arts fighting pose.

"Oh man, that's a lot of them..." Aviel said, pulling out her crossbow.

"Don't worry, just let us protect the king Birdbrain." said the left backup guard, pulling out her sword.

"Yeah, and don't get in the way." said the right one, following her companion's suit.

"I can handle things just fine!" shouted Aviel.

Link meanwhile unsheathed his sword and shield, going into a pose, while Togau brandished her handaxe.

"Can you fight alright with that?" Link asked Togau.

"Pretty good, but it's not my only weapon!" Togau grinned.

The two sides stood firm, staring at each other, before the head Lizalfos screeched out and they charged into battle.

The fight was a flurry of power, speed and skill, Link blocked off a spear with his shield before cutting down the Lizalfos wielding it. Aviel carefully aimed and picked off Lizalfos from a distance to whittle down their numbers, while Nemisa sidestepped left and right with dance-like grace, before kicking then punching a Lizalfos away. The backup guards fought bravely with their swords until they were surrounded by a circle of Lizalfos, but they stayed back to back, then lounged forward striking at the circle without allowing any of the lizards to get behind them.

Togau wielding her handaxe, smacked away various ones that came at her, but more showed up after that. She simply grinned and put her fingers to her mouth whistling.

"Alright, now get em Imra!"Togau said, as Imra the Cucco flew up into the air and dive-bombed the Lizalfos, smacking and smashing them away with the raw unmatched power of a Cucco. A bigger Lizalfos came at Togau, but then Oseg the pig came running in, grunting and snorting steam out from it's nostrils, before plowing into the Lizalfos, sending it flying.

"Whoa, Togau's piggy and cucco are strong!" exclaimed Aviel.

"Yeah, that cute Cucco is a lot more useful bird then you!" snickered the left guard, driving back a Lizalfos, only for another Lizalfos to jump out and attack her. She panicked and went into a defensive formation, only to realize it stropped attacking her. The guard opened her eyes to see the Lizalfos convulsing on the ground with an arrow in it's chest before it dropped dead.

The guard paused and looked over to Aviel, holding her crossbow and grinning, and telling her "What was that you said?"

"Uh, t-thank you..." the left guard said, "I guess I got too careless..."

"Don't thank me yet!" Aviel said smiling, "We still got more of them!"

"R-Right!" nodded the guard, as they rushed into battle.

Link was busy fighting off more mobs of Lizalfos, it seemed like no matter how many he fought, more showed up. "Why are there so many of these guys?" he thought, "Are they being drawn here or something...?"

"Link let's take em down together!" shouted Togau, Link turned to see she was riding on the back of Oseg, she had scooted backwards to give Link some room o the pig's back.

"Okay then!" Link nodded, he did a jump and landed onto Oseg's back, and the two charged into the mob of Lizalfos, Link smacking them with his sword and Togau with her handaxe, with the speed and strength of Oseg intensifying their blows.

The battle continued until they ran into one final Lizalfos, a taller one with silver scales.

"Careful King Link!" shouted the head guard, "Silver Lizalfos are among the strongest of them all!"

The silver Lizalfos the head guard described screeched out and was prepared to swing it's sword forward.

"We got it, right Togau?" Link grinned.

"Course reckon!" Togau said, finding herself sporting a light blush at Link's own smile as the two rushed forward on Oseg. Link stepped off the pig and leaped into the air, distracting the Lizalfos long enough for Togau to swing her handaxe and slash it across the chest of the lizard while Oseg plowed into it. Link meanwhile came down and swung his sword, slashing it across the chest.

The Lizalfos stood strong and screeched at the two, only for Nemisa to step up in front of Link and Togau, take a deep breath, then uppercut the Lizalfos into the air.

The three backup guards quickly brandished their swords and slashed at unison across the Lizalfos in midair, while Aviel took off high into the sky, once she was high enough, she changed her arms back to normal and using her crossbow to fire a barrage of arrows into the Lizalfos in midair, before Imra flew up top above the creature and delivered a powerful Cucco beak peck, sending the Lizalfos falling to the ground and impacting. The creature groaned out in pain, before it's body disintegrated, along with the other Lizalfos as they usually did when slain.

"We did it!" squealed out Aviel, only to then quickly realize she was falling after changing her arms back to normal, she tried to change back to her wings, but ended up fumbled around with her crossbow. Thankfully for her, she wound up crashing down on top of the left and right guards, who had jumped out to catch her.

"Ooow... I'm sorry guys..." Aviel groaned.

"D-Don't worry about it Birdbrain," said the left guard cheerfully, despite having been forced to eat dirt."You did great!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, can I borrow those wings sometime?" the other asked as they got up.

"Uh, I would but they're a little too important to me." Aviel said, maybe a little too defensively then she intended.

"Man Link, I didn't peg you as such a great swordfighter, it's no wonder Lady Nabooru had you come!" Togau grinned.

"Well, just had a lot of experience is all." Link rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"No need to inflate his ego." Nemsia said crossly.

"Hmm, what's this?" Avial asked, kneeling down at a strange rubbery and slimy purple-pinkish object.

"Hey, I know that!" exclaimed Togau, picking it up, not even minding how slimy it was, "Someone get me a good thick bag pronto!"

Putting the object in a bag and tying it up she put it into Oseg's travel belt.

"So what is it?" Aviel asked again.

"It's a pheromone gland from a Lizalfos, that big silver one must have been a female." Togau said.

"Ew, gross." said Aviel, "Forget I asked..."

"What makes it worthwhile enough to bring with us?" asked Nemisa.

"Normally it gives off a scent to attract other Lizalfos, but if you break it down just right, it can be used to make a really impressive perfume! It sells for high prices, so these things are really coveted by buyers. I figured the caravan might be interested in it while we're there!"

"Wow, you're pretty well versed on merchant practice." Link said.

"It comes with being a rancher like myself." snickered Togau.

"Sure you just don't want to use it to attract one of the caravan owners into giving you a child?" smirked Nemisa slightly.

"Ahhaha," laughed Togau, "Nah, Lizalfos ain't my type."

Link meanwhile stood silently, thinking about what Togau was set out to do tomorrow.

"Let's just keep going." the head guard said, "The sun is starting to set, so let's try to make as much progress as possible before setting up camp."

* * *

By the time night fell down on Gerudo Plains, the group had assembled together a sizable campfire, big enough for the seven travelers and their livestock. The Hylian and the six Gerudo all sat around the campfire, enjoying the warmth.

"Good work today, everyone." Nemisa nodded, "We made good progress and achieved a grand victory over those Lizalfos, we deserved this rest."

"Alright then," Togau said, pulling out her fiddle and bow, "How about some music, yall?"

"Sound a lot better then nothing but crackling fire all night, sure!" one of the guards said.

"Any requests?" Togau asked looking around.

"Actually, I might have one." Link said, "I'll even accompany you on it."

"Huh?"

It then that Link reached into his things and pulled out a wooden orange-colored ocarina, surprising everyone.

"Oh, you play too?" Togau said excitedly.

"A little," Link said, "Want to do a duet?"

"Reckon course, just start off and I'll accompany you!" Togau nodded.

Link put his lips to the ocarina and started playing, the music was a surprisingly upbeat and whimsical tune, like something you'd hear while walking through a magical forest. Togau got a feel for the music Link was playing and started following him on her fiddle, making it into a much more snappier and bouncier tune.

Aviel and the guards took a quick liking to it, clapping their hands in tune to the music. Nemisa herself stood at a distance to watch over the area, but hearing the music was causing her dancing instincts to kick in, and she found she was tapping her foot in sync to it, she was trying her hardest to resist, not wanting to make a scene of herself. It was one thing when she was disguised, but not when she was a bodyguard to the king.

Soon Link and Togau finished their music, and was met with applause by Aviel and the three guards.

"Dang Link! Where'd you learn a cute little ol' tune like that?" Togau asked.

"It's a song I learned from a childhood friend of mine." Link said smiling, "I even got this ocarina from her as a gift.".

"She sounds like a sweetie." Togau said, "I'd love to ta meet her."

"Encore! Encore!" shouted Aviel, waving her wings around, occasionally batting against the head guard, much to her annoyance.

"Yeah, play something else!" shouted the left guard.

"Got any other songs Link?" Togau asked.

"A few." Link grinned.

* * *

Some time later, the music had ended, and Aviel and the guards were all asleep. Aviel herself had wound up with her head resting on Link's lap, her bird wings were covering herself and Link's legs.

"Looks like ya got yer hands full with her." Togau said to Link.

"Yeah, but I like having her around.,she was my first new friend when I came here." Link said, patting Aviel on the head, which made her smile and snuggle more against him.

Nemisa meanwhile still stood guard, being used to staying awake for long periods so she could do her other job as well as guard duty. She couldn't help but listen in on Link and Togau's conversation as she did though.

"Hey Togau," Link started, "I didn't say it before but... I wanted to thank you for what you did for Malon all those years ago."

"I-It's nothin'." Togau said with a blush, "I was probably gonna have to go back to the valley soon after anyways, I just figured I'd help her out."

"Still, what you did was a great thing. I kinda wish I could had been there to help you myself." he said.

"Ah don't bellyache 'bout it." Togau said, "Malon's a good girl and deserves ta be there with her Pa, and I hope someday she can find a good man, marry him and have a kid that she can love forever."

"That reminds me," Link decided to bring up, "Are you still going through with that plan tomorrow with the caravan?"

"Y-Yeah..." Togau said, a bit nervously "Hopefully it works out. I'm sure at least one of the caravan men will be looking fer a quick bang, even if it's just with someone like me."

"What do you mean by that?" Link asked.

"Well, I've never been what you'd call a pretty lady." she said, poking at the fire with a stick, "I don't have any ladylike curves or looks... my body's got too much muscle and my skin's got calluses from working on the ranch... I don't really like wearin' makeup or jewelry or junk like that... and with the law in place I don't know how many opportunities I'll have to make a baby..."

She continued, "Ma's past few years have been cruel to her, and Dr. Sarami doesn't know if she has much longer to live... I just know before she goes to join Pa and Sis in the afterlife... I wanna show her a baby that'll make her smile again..."

Link paused, absorbing everything Togau had just said.

"I can really respect that drive," Link said, "But is that really what she wants?"

"Huh? Whadaya mean?" Togau asked crossly getting pretty upset, "How do you know what she wants?!"

"I'm just saying..." Link said defensively, "I may not know your mother personally, but during my travels I've met with all kinds of parents and their children, and ..." his thoughts went to people like Talon and Malon, like Darunia and Link the Goron, like the researcher and his daughter from an odd music box house in a faraway valley...

He then went to say, "...and, at least from my perspective, I think when she smiled all time ago, it wasn't just because of Malon, but also because of Talon, and your sister, all together and happy."

Togau's eyes widened.

"I think what it was that made your mom happy wasn't seeing a baby, but a family, a family that her own daughter had and cared for with all her heart, and loved her back."

"Y-You really mean that...?" Togau asked, surprised to see Link come to this conclusion.

"Well, I'm just guessing." Link rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"No, no.. you may be right..." Togau said, pausing for a short while, and then made a slightly sad smile, "It's funny, you haven't even met my Ma yourself, yet you seem to have figured her out better then I did..."

"Hey, I didn't say that." Link said, "I think you're a little hard on yourself. Like, you said before you're not very feminine but..." he looked her over, "I think you look just fine to me..."

"Huh?" Togau exclaimed..

"I'm sure you'll have a good chance tomorrow." he said firmly, "Frankly I think anyone who doesn't find you pretty is a fool, Togau."

"Ya... think I'm pretty?" Togau paused, her face flushed red.

"Y-Yeah, I... oh! I actually have something for you." Link realized. He reached into his travel pack and pulled out a modest sized white flower.

"A flower? Where'd you find that 'round these parts?" Aviel said in surprise.

"Found it while we were at the oasis. Hold on, let me see your hat for a second.." Link then reached up to Togau's straw hat and after working with it, he stuck the flower into the hat's strap, "There, maybe this will give you a little more confidence about yourself."

"T-Thanks..." she reached up and stroked the flower a little, then looked to Link himself and stared gently into his eyes, "Yer just full of surprises, ya know that?"

"Well..." Link started, a little nervous about the way she looked at him, "If I end up choosing to be king after all I need to think about my people, right?"

"Honestly, I think it's takes a lot more then just being a king to say things like you just did..." Togau smiled warmly. "Hey, how about another duet song, just between us?" she then said, pulling out her fiddle.

"Okay," Link said, "Something for good luck tomorrow, this one's called the Song of Healing."

The two of them started with their instruments, something slow, gentle and soothing, to keep the others from waking up.

Nemisa meanwhile had been keeping her distance to see around the area. She took a look back at Link and Togau playing their instruments again. She could hear the music flowing through her ears, it was a deep, passionate tune, it started to get to her, bringing back some old memories, and made her reach into her pocket and grip a small jewel in her hand.

It was then her foot started to move. Feeling the rhythm of the music, she made sure no one was watching, and started to dance. Her legs moved with the sound of the music, her hips shaking left and right, and her hands swayed into the air and downwards as Link and Togau played their notes. She smiled beautifully from the passion the two were putting into the music.

Soon their song ended, and Nemisa took that opportunity to do a bow to no one in particular, mostly out of habit from her other job.

It was then she was taken out of her trance by some loud clapping. Her eyes widened and she turned around to see Link, Togau, Aviel and the guards all applauding her.

"That was great Nemisa!" Link said proudly, always being one to be captivated by her dancing.

"Yeah, seriously!" exclaimed Togau, "You can dance with the best of em!"

"You could probably rival the great Madame Scarlet!" said one of the guards.

Nemisa's face was flushed bright red from this, before she grew angry and shouted, "Would you all get to bed already?!"

All this did was prompt everyone to share a hearty laugh, while Nemisa went from angry to just annoyed and took a long sigh.

* * *

The next morning, the group continued down the trail towards the caravan meeting location. Nothing much of circumstance really happened for what seemed like the longest time.

"Glad we haven't ran into any more Lizalfos around here." Aviel said.

"I still feel a little uncertainty though..." Nemisa muttered.

"I'll just be glad to make it back home." Link sighed, "I still haven't gotten used to the heat in this area."

Aviel casually glanced off to the right, and saw a very faint speck in the distance. Curiosity came over her, and she pulled down her goggles to get a better look at it. She saw what seemed like a gleam of light reflected from the sun. Her mind suddenly went back to when the assassin attacked Link back at the dance club.

"Everyone, get down!" shouted Aviel, pulling out her crossbow and firing it off immediately. The arrow shot out and went whizzing through the air, before it impacted into what turned out to be another arrow, sanding it flying into the air and plunging into the ground.

"What the heck?" exclaimed one of the guards, "That almost hit us!"

"Yeah, someone just tried to shoot at us!" Aviel said.

"Alright, whoever you are, come out!" Link shouted, unsheathing his sword and shield.

"Heh, guess the cat's outta the bag, boys." said a new voice, appearing out from behind a rock formation, along with a sizable group of other men. They were draped in standard traveler's clothes, but with ragged hoods on to protect their heads. From their ears and complexion, it was clear they were Hylians, most of which looked well built even from under the clothing. They were wielding mostly swords, but there were a few with spears as well.

"What do you want with us?" Togau asked, narrowing her eyes. Imra, perched on her shoulder, ruffled her feathers angerly.

"We're just here for the livestock you got back there." said the man in the front, presumably the leader, pulling off his hood and showing off a clean shaven face and shoulder length blonde hair. He gave a smug grin as he added, "You should just make it easy and hand em over. We wouldn't want you ladies getting' hurt now."

"The bandits." The head guard said, pulling out her sword.

"Wait, isn't that a guy there at the front?" asked one of the bandits.

"Yeah, looks like the mighty Gerudo are so weak that they need a big strong man to help them." snickered the leader, "So how much did they have to put out to get you to work for them, buddy?"

"Those bastards..." snarled Nemisa, clenching her fists, looking like she as about to throttle them.

"Come on, calm down Nemisa..." Aviel said, trying to keep her partner under control.

"My name is Link." the young man answered calmly, "We're simply trying to meet with a caravan to exchange these animals for supplies. Let us pass and there won't be trouble."

"Heh, guy doesn't know his place." said the bandit leader, he pulled out his sword and held it out, "Let's teach them, boys."

The bandits all pulled out their weapons and stood ready to battle, forcing Link's side to do the same.

"Aviel, keep an eye on that guy who shot at us earlier." Link said, "We can handle the rest of them."

"Right boss!" Aviel said, gripping her crossbow and wearing her goggles, watching the sniper carefully.

"Kill em all!" shouted the leader, and the two sides charged into battle.

The Gerudo guards ran in clashing against the bandits, while Togau sent Imra and Oseg to attack. Nemisa grinned a bit too eagerly as she ran in and started swinging her fists at a bandit, while Link fought another in sword-to-sword combat.

Aviel meanwhile was taking to the air to get an eye on her sniper opponent. An arrow shot at her, but she flew down to evade it, and then went hiding behind a rock formation.

'I have to keep that guy distracted so he doesn't go after Link and everyone..' she thought to herself, quickly sticking out from behind the rock and firing an arrow at the sniper, who quickly ducked it, before firing another at Aviel, who managed to duck that as well.

Nemisa threw his fists at the bandit she fought, who was blocking her attacks with his spear, He tried to thrust it forward to impale her, but she weaved her body to the side, dodging it completely, before slamming her elbow on the spear, knocking it down and surprising her enemy, before punching him away. However it didn't faze him much, the bandit just came right back for more.

"Strange..." Link said to Togau as they stood back-to-back, clashing with different opponents, "These guys don't seem like normal bandits..."

"How do ya figure?" asked Togau, as Imra swooped by, bashing her opponent across the head before Togau knocked him away.

"They're too fit and nimble, they seem to be well groomed, and their weapons look well maintained. I would had expected a few more unshaven faces and scars, and their equipment be more damaged for how tough they are." he observed, kicking away his own opponent.

One of the backup guards was getting overwhelmed by a bandit with a stronger sword then hers. She tried swinging her blade at his legs, but the bandit jumped over it and knocked her down to the ground. The other backup guard came up from behind him with her own sword, but was knocked away by another bandit.

Link quickly took down his opponent, before running up and bashing the bandit that had knocked down the guard with his shield. He helped up the guard and the two charged in to aide the other guard's situation.

"Oseg, time to go!" shouted Togau, hopping onto her pig comrade and charging into battle, she swung at a bandit, but they countered with their sword. Togau turned and swung again, but the bandit was able to slash at her, making her lose balance and tumble off of Oseg. The pig stopped in it's tracks to see if it's master was okay, only for the bandit to grin and turn to attack Oseg, causing him to squeal in panic.

"Leave him alone!" shouted Togau, charging forward and swinging her handaxe at the bandit, she manage to slash at and rip at the sleeve of the bandit's outfit, cutting his arm and causing him to yelp in pain, while also opening the sleeve of his shirt.

"What th-" exclaimed Togau with wide eyes. There on the bandit's arm, she saw some type of marking; a mark that made her remember something from years ago...

"_Y-You bastards! I turned myself in! You can't do that to papa!"_

She then thought of a ripping sound, and a mysterious mark on someone's arm.

"T-That..." Togau said, staring at the man's arm, "Where the heck did you get that mark?!"

The man stood silent, scowling at Togau as he clenched his bleeding arm.

Nemisa meanwhile managed to get the upper-hand on her opponent and knocked him to the ground. Taking what she overheard Togau say, she then took his sleeve and pulled it up, seeing the same mark.

"I don't know, what it is,." said Nemisa, " But this one has the same thing."

"So does this one!" said a backup guard, examining the one she and Link took down.

"Just what are these marks?" Link asked. He heard a chuckle as the leader of the bandits came up to them.

"That's... that's the same mark I saw on those Hylian knights back at Lon Lon Ranch!" Togau said.

"Heh, guess there's no point in hiding them boys." said the leader, signaling to his men to pause the battle. He then pulled up his arm and showed off the same mark as the others, "Not like these savages are going to live to tell about this."

"Just who are you?" Link asked, holding up his sword.

"I'll lay it on you, the name is Wallace, a General of the Hylian knights." the leader said with a smug grin, "We all have this tattoo as a mark of our status."

"T-The Hylian knights?!" exclaimed Link. "So that explains it..."

"What are you damn Hylians doing out here?!" shouted Nemisa, "This is Gerudo territory!"

"Well we used to waste our days standing watch over the valley's bridge to keep your lowlifes from crossing into Hyrule, but after you all stopped coming and paying the toll, we did some investigation to find out where you were now going for your supplies. We were going to set up another toll road for you, but figured just swiping your stock would be way easier." Wallace said.

Link simply narrowed his eyes coldly at the knight before him.

"So you're the reason for the last run going bad." Togau said, squeezing the handle of her handaxe, while petting Oseg to calm him.

"Yeah, those weaklings couldn't handle true men, they just died like the weak feral savages they were." Wallace shrugged. "A waste really, they would had been great to have some fun with."

Link gripped his sword, hanging his head down in thought.

"You monsters!" Nemisa shouted, "What gives you the right to do something like that?!"

"Are you deaf as well as weak?" asked Wallace, "We're knights of Hyrule, we're protected by the law! If it can be proven that one of your own slayed one of us, the Parliament will decide it as a declaration of war against the kingdom, and they will show no mercy like last time! We made sure that rule sunk in to the others we fought!"

"Wait a minute..." Togau said, "Yer sayin' the reason the girls from the last trip were taken down was because they didn't want to get our tribe in trouble with the law?"

"Yeah," Wallace laughed, "You should have seen them all beg for us to spare your town. It was so pathetic it was hilarious!"

Link's body was trembling, his teeth clenched.

"We had fun killing them, and we were even generous enough to leave a few alive so they would know what happens to those who mess with us!" Wallace continued to boast.

"They all sobbed, 'Pwease don't huwt them!'" mocked one knight.

"Yeah, and then I gutted her on the spot!" laughed another knight.

The Gerudo warriors all stood coldly, their facial features darkening.

"Tell you what, I'll give the lot of you one chance to save your hides." Wallace said, "Just get on your knees and beg for mercy, and we'll let you go sink back under your rocks!"

"That... just ain't right..." muttered Togau, "Usin' our loved ones against us..."

"Like we'd ever do that." Nemisa said coldly, "What they've done is unforgivable."

"Knight General Wallace, was it?" Link finally said in a cold voice, "Tell me something... You call yourselves knights of Hyrule? Ones that protect it's people and the crown...?"

"Of course." shrugged Wallace, "We're esteemed knights who fight for true justice, and take down the evils of this land. Why we would even be seen as true heroes to the peopl-"

Wallace was then cut off by Link looking up with fierce and angry eyes.

"DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!"

"L-Link?!" exclaimed Nemisa, she saw pure hatred and anger in his eyes, she had never seen Link like this before, enough that she didn't even realize at that moment she had called him by his name.

"You claim to be "knights of justice", hen you murder defenseless people on their knees, and use the law to hide yourselves behind?!" Link asked, walking up to Wallace.

"Hey, watch yourself you bastar-" a knight had tried to confront Link,but he decked him in the face with his shield without even looking at him. He glared with pure anger at Wallace.

"You're all an insult to the king and princess, and everyone in Hyrule." Link said, "And as the King of the Gerudo, I'll show you what happens when you mess with my people!"

"T-The king?!" exclaimed Wallace.

"That's insane! I thought we captured the king!" said one knight.

"Did they get a new one?" asked another.

"So... you're the new king huh?" smirked Wallace, trying to hide that even he was a little shaken at Link and what he said, "The Gerudo truly have fallen if one such as you is their king now. I'll have fun cutting your throat."

"We'll see about that, prepare to fight." Link said, brandishing his sword.

"Even knowing that if you so much as strike down one of us, your sandhole of a tribe will all die?" he asked.

"Heh, you think you can intimidate and control us with that law? Think again." Nemisa said, pounding her fist into her palm, "This isn't about the livestock anymore, this is about avenging the honor of our sisters."

"Yeah, we ain't backin' down!" shouted Togau, alongside her cucco and pig,who were just as battle ready.

"We're not gonna let em get away with what they did to our people, right everyone?!" Aviel asked.

"Right!" shouted the Gerudo guards, raising their weapons.

"Very well," grinned Wallace, "Then die!"

With that, the two sides charged back into the battle, Link and Wallace clashing at each other with their swords.

The other knights came at the Gerudo, but Nemisa went in first and started punching and kicking at them with reckless force. Togau swung her handaxe wildly, knocking away some knights while Imra and Oseg backed her up charging and pecking at the others. Even the backup guards seemed to have gotten their second wind, joining together and using team attacks to overpower each knight that attacked them.

Aviel took off into the air while the sniper knight shot at her wildly with arrows. She swooped up and down and left and right, making it impossible for the sniper to get a lock on her. Aviel landed to the ground and fired off an arrow that hit the knight directly against the top of his helmet, obscuring his view. When the knight readjusted his headgear back into place, he saw she was gone.

"Got ya!" Aviel said from behind the sniper, he gulped a little realizing she got the drop on him, and she bashed him over the head with her crossbow, sending him to the ground unconscious.

Nemisa had her hands full with a particularly large knight, who was wielding a broadsword. He had her outmatched in range, but Nemisa thought fast, and when the knight tried swinging his sword out horizontally, she leaped on top of the large blade itself and kicked the knight in the chin, knocking him down to the ground.

Togau rode in on Oseg and plowed into a few of the knights, trampling them. One particular knight came at her with a spear, but Imra came down and grabbed at it with her talons, holding back the knight's ability to use it, before Togau slashed his spear in half with her handaxe, while Oseg plowed into his stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground out-cold.

Link and Wallace meanwhile struck swords rapidly, neither side letting up for even a second.

"It's a shame you wasted your life on these savages." Wallace said, "You would had made an excellent knight of Hyrule."

"If this is what the knights have become," Link said, "I'd sooner be the royal muckraker."

"Fitting, as these savages are lower then animal droppings!" laughed Wallace, as the two swung their blades.

Wallace then knocked Link away by punching at him with the side of his sword, before running up and swinging it at an angle. Link dodged to the side, then brought his own blade forward, to which Wallace reacted by dodging to the side as well and kicking Link back, making him roll across the ground.

"Now I'll end you!" Wallace shouted, leaping up and coming down on Link with sword pointed down at his chest.

Link however, grinned as he shot up, ducking and rolling out of the way, causing Wallace to impale his sword into the ground.

"W-What?!" he exclaimed as Link took that opportunity to slash Wallace with his sword.

"Graaah!" shouted Wallace, yanking out his sword from the ground, "Die you savage!"

Wallace charged at Link, who simply ran forward and their blades clashed one last time before one of them delivered one final blow across the other's chest..

When it was all over, Wallace stood in shock as his sword fell to the ground/

"I-It can't be..." Wallace muttered, before falling backwards to the ground unconscious.

Link simply sheathed his sword and shield and let out a deep breathe.

"That was rough..." sighed Link, "It's been awhile since I felt that way before..."

He then looked over to see Nemisa, Aviel, Togau and the guards, who had all defeated the rest of the knights.

"Let that be a lesson to you all!" Aviel said grinning, as the rest of the group cheered in victory.

"I never would had thought we could defeat Hylian knights!" exclaimed one of the backup guards.

"Yes, but we wouldn't have if not for the king and those three." said the head guard, looking over at Link, Aviel, Nemisa and Togau.

"They all make a good team." nodded the third guard with a smile.

"Link, you gonna be okay?" Aviel asked with concern, "You got pretty scary back there..."

"Y-Yeah." Link said, "Don't worry girls,I'll be fine."

Togau herself was unsure of what to say, in one way it was indeed kind of odd how angry Link got earlier, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel something else, a strange and unfamiliar excitement from seeing him like that...

* * *

"So was it okay for us to just leave them all alive like that?" asked one of the guards as the group continued down the trail to the caravan, "We didn't kill any of them, but they might come back for revenge, or even report this to the kingdom."

"It'll be fine." Nemisa said simply, "Just trust me when I say they're not coming back..."

* * *

Back at the location of where the battle had taken place, the knights were all sprawled out on the ground, some out cold, others groaning in pain. Knight General Wallace himself was just as bad off.

"D-Damn Gerudo... they defeat us, then leave us behind?" asked one of the knights.

"Can we even show our faces to the captain of the guard at this point...?" asked another.

"Heh, don't worry boys." Wallace said, "As soon as we're recovered, we're going to bounce back and kill all those savages!"

"Yeah! We'll give them all hell!" shouted a knight.

As the other conscious knights cheered, Wallace smirked wickedly.

'Yeah, keep cheering you morons...' Wallace thought, chuckling to himself, 'I'll recover faster then the lot of you, and when I do, I'll just slaughter you all and claim the Gerudo did it. They'll all be wiped out and I'll be a hero.'

It was then that one of the knights noticed a small purple-pinkish ball on the ground.

"Hey, what's this?" he asked, picking it up and looking at it closely.

"Looks like a Lizalfos pheromone gland to me." said another.

It was then they heard a high-pitched screech somewhere in the distance.

"Huh? What was that?" asked a knight.

"Oh no..." said the other.

"What are you guys going on about?!" Wallace demanded, only to hear the high-pitched screech himself. It took him a moment to realize what it was exactly, and his whole face went white with fear.

"No..." Wallace muttered.

Approaching the fallen knights was a group of Lizalfos, the reminding ones of the pack that had been defeated by Link and the Gerudo the other day, attracted to the scent of the gland. Upon seeing the helpless Hylian knights, they all screeched out and leaped at the knights with their weapons.

The great Hylian Knight General Wallace's screams of terror began and were soon silenced.

* * *

"...even if their fellow knights find their remains." Nemiaa continued with a smirk, "They'll see it to just be a monster attack."

"Wow, I don't know whether to be impressed or creeped out, Nemisa." Aviel said.

"Ugh, I know it was to keep the Hylian Parliament out of our hair, but what a waste of that pheromone gland.." whimpered Togau.

"My conscience says I should feel bad for them, and yet after all that I just don't." Link sighed, "Is that normal?"

"It's fine," shrugged Nemisa, "If we let them be, they would had just gone on to hurt others."

"I guess so..." Link said, still looking a bit downcast.

* * *

It wasn't long after that the group finally reached the meeting place with the caravan. They were a little later then planned, but the caravan owners took one look at the healthy livestock Togau had raised and they were eager to make a generous trade with the group. Where the animals once were on the Gerudo's side, there was now loads of valuable supplies unobtainable in Gerudo Valley, and enough to sustain the people for a long while.

"So you raised these animals yourself?" asked one of the caravan merchants to Togau, he was a particularly handsome man, who gave the rancher a soft smile. "You keep like quite the capable one, and a lovely one at that."

"Ah-haha, just doin' what I need for my kin." Togau said somewhat nervously.

She and the man were being watched by Link and the Gerudo as they were hauling supplies onto the wagon.

"Do you think she's going to...?" asked one of the guards, trailing off from her question.

"Maybe..." said the other guard.

Link just stared out at Togau, he know it wasn't his place to interject with her plan, but he did still feel a bit of uncertainty about her situation, not to mention a different feeling he couldn't really describe, as he saw her and the man walk off to chat more...

Aviel took a look at Link's worried expression, and nudged him to get his attention.

"It's okay Link." Aviel said with a sweet smile, "I'm sure Togau will do what she really thinks is right."

Link just nodded, but looked out to where Togau went again with concern.

* * *

Some time later in the day, the supplies were finally hauled up and the group were ready to leave, but Togau herself wasn't back yet.

"So where's Togau? We need to get going." Nemisa said looking left and right.

"Hey, hold on yall!" shouted Togau, running up to the group, "Ready to take off?"

"Yes, did you do everything you needed to, sister?" the head guard asked.

"Course reckon!" nodded Togau, "Now let's get back to the town!"

As the group headed down the trail to Gerudo Town, they all discussed their business with the caravan.

"So Togau," a guard spoke up, "How did things go with that hot guy we saw you with?"

"Oh him?" Togau asked, "I had a few personal things I brought on the trip to trade with him, took some negotiating, but I made a pretty rupee fer it."

"What about the OTHER thing?" asked the right guard raising an eyebrow with a grin, "You know what I mean."

"Oh that? Nah, nothin'' happened."

"Wait seriously?!" exclaimed both of the guards.

"But what about you wanting a baby?" Aviel asked.

"Eh, I changed my mind, least for now." Togau said, "Got too many responsibilities at the moment to worry 'bout a kid. Besides, I don't think that guy was my type."

"Well, we'll support whatever you decide Togau." Link nodded with a smile. He couldn't help but feel some relief at the same time, though a nagging thought went through his mind at the time, and he wondered to himself if was it just for her sake...?

"Thanks Link." smiled Togau, she paused, then whispered under her breath, 'Who knows? Maybe I don't need to go too far to find someone to help me with what I really want after all...'

"What was that?" Link spoke up.

"Nothin'!" Togau said, she turned around and looked to Link, flashing a big grin, while a gentle breeze flowing across the plains made the flower in her straw hat sway a bit, "Let's just get home."

* * *

_**And so ends the livestock transport arc. I have to say, as nasty as the bad guys in this chapter were, it was a lot of fun writing them as a bunch of total hate sinks. **_

_**I still need to plan out the details of the next major arc, so it might be a little while before I get it out. If I get too much writer's block, I might just pump out a little quickie filler chapter or two to keep you guys preoccupied. Until then, see ya!**_


	9. Mystery of The Night

_**Time for chapter 9. I'm having a bit of trouble with the next major arc, so as promised I pulled out this little chapter. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Link took a look around, it was just a second ago he had fell asleep and yet he suddenly found himself in a strange but familiar place.

"Been a while since I was here." Link said to himself.

He had just fallen asleep after another hot night with Nabooru. She had been delighted about the success of the livestock transport and decided he was due for a reward. Link was starting to get used to the love-making sessions with Nabooru, and she was keen to teach him many ways to pleasure a woman as they did. He had wanted to take some time to think about just what she was to him, but it seemed he had another situation to deal with instead.

It was that strange dark void from before, that dream he had shortly after meeting, and getting his butt kicked, by Nemisa when he arrived at Gerudo Town. He took the opportunity to survey his surroundings and try to get an idea of where he was. He could see some kind of tall large object in the distance, but wasn't certain what exactly it was.

"Was that there last time I was here?" Link muttered.

"Hey there pal, long time no see."

Link quickly whipped around and saw the dark figure from before. He could see it a little clearer, that it was a man of some kind, but like the large object he couldn't make out any details of him.

"So did you enjoy the taste of it?" asked the man, "It was just a sample of what you could have."

"I'm sorry, I still don't know what you're talking about." Link shook his head.

"Never mind, you still got a while to go." chuckled the man, "Well have fun with them in the mean time."

"Hey wai-" Link was cut off by the ground disappearing again, and he fell into the void.

* * *

Link snapped awake, looking around to figure out where he was, only to see he was back in his bedroom, laying back on the soft pillows he had been sleeping on for the past weeks, and it was still nighttime outside. He felt a warmth against him and looked to see Nabooru, her arms wrapped around his chest, holding him close to her.

He found himself looking to her face and just stared at her lips. Usually Nabooru wore lipstick, but she had washed it off before they spent the night together. While the makeup did make her lips stand out more, he found the natural beauty of her lips to be just as lovely, if not better. Some nights rather then making love they'd just make out, and she took the time to train him on the best ways to do even that. Her full lips were rather enticing, so he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss, making her smile lightly in her sleep.

Seeing his lover's smile gave him a real sense of bliss and comfort, it felt like the unease of that dream, the pain he had suffered during his battles the other day, and the anger he felt towards General Wallace in particular just melt away.

He shifted himself towards Nabooru and wrapped his own arms around her, leaning his head towards hers. Link could hear Nabooru make a blissful moan and tightened her hold on him, and the two of them just held each other for the rest of the night.

* * *

"Link!" shouted a voice, causing Link to stir. He slowly opened an eyes to see Aviel looking down at him, her face inches from his own.

"A-Aviel?!" exclaimed Link, realizing she was sitting on his stomach. He turned and noticed Nabooru was already gone.

"Are you just gonna sleep in all day?" she asked, "You're gong to miss breakfast!"

"O-Okay, just get offa me." Link said, feeling a little embarrassed seeing her so close to him like that as he laid back on his bed of pillows, and bear-chested on top of that.

"But you're comfy." Aviel said, only to be grabbed from behind by Nemisa and lifted into the air by her.

"Okay you, don't trouble our king." she then glared down at Link, her face flushed red seeing him once again shirtless, then turned and walked off, carrying a wiggling-around Aviel, "Hurry and get up, Nabooru wants to discuss more about what happened with the caravan trade."

"R-Right..." said Link.

* * *

"Hmph, it's hard to believe something like that happened with the Hylian guards." Nabooru muttered, "It was bad enough when they were tolling us at the bridge, but going that far?"

"What do you expect from those arrogant Hylian knights and their bloated monarchy?" Nemisa said angerly.

"Hey, I'm sure those knights we fought were just rogue ones trying to self-profit off us." Link clarified, "There's no way the king would place an order like that."

"You don't think?" Nemisa asked, "He did banish us all from Hyrule, with little hope of survival."

"Yeah, but..." Honestly even Link was unsure of what to think anymore after what happened yesterday.

"Okay, how about a change of subject?" Nabooru sighed, "On the plus side, you all did a fine job with the trade. Togau told me the lot of you did splendidly and the animals were completely unharmed."

"Togau was really fun to be around!" Aviel said, looking up from her bowl of oats, "And she and Link really hit it off!"

"Oh really now?" Nabooru looked to Link with a knowing smirk.

"Well..." Link blushed, "She's a good person, and we did play some great music together."

"Play music together... So is that what you call it?" Nabooru gave a suggestive wink.

"What? No!" Link exclaimed, "We didn't do anything like that!"

"And you should have seen the way Nemisa moved as they did it together!" Aviel said, only to get bonked upside the head by the warrior.

"That was the absolute worst way to phrase that ever!" shouted Nemisa.

Nabooru just laughed wholeheartedly, "Sounds like the lot of you got along well! So as for today, nothing's big is going on, so why not take the day to relax?"

"Alright, I was thinking about picking up a few things from the marketplace, did you want to come with me Link?" Aviel asked.

"Oh, sure." Link nodded, I wanted to see some more places that you told me about during our tour."

"Guess I'll go as well." agreed Nemisa.

The two girls got up and left to prepare, leaving Link and Nabooru alone.

"The three of you are getting along pretty well lately." Nabooru said, "Even Nemisa seems to be opening up to you more."

"I'm glad you think so." Link said, "But I'm still undecided on this whole king thing."

"Really? Aviel said you refereed yourself as the Gerudo King to the knights that you fought the other day." Nabooru said grinning.

"D-Did she say that?" Link laughed nervously. "I was just saying that to hopefully make them back off... I wasn't... well..."

"Either way, you did us a great service." Nabooru smiled warmly, "And I'm glad you're getting along with Togau as well. Do you think perhaps she'll be-"

"Hey Link, get your butt out here!" shouted Aviel, interrupting Nabooru.

"What was that Nabooru?" Link asked.

"...nothing. I'll tell you about later." Nabooru nodded.

"Guess I'll be heading out now." Link said, getting up to meet with Aviel and Nemisa.

Nabooru just leans back and grinned, taking a sip of he drink.

"Eh, I'll talk to him about it later."

* * *

That evening, Link, Aviel, Nemisa and Nabooru were having dinner. It was a pretty pleasant night, Link himself feeling more and more comfortable with his living situation. He took a glance to Aviel and noticed she was holding some kind of heart shaped locket on a chain.

"That's a nice locket you got there." Link said to Aviel, "Where did you get it?"

"Got it from one of the traders at the marketplace. She said it was found among the ruins that used to be here before we converted it into Gerudo Town." Aviel said, "It's really pretty... but I can't figure out how to open it..." she muttered in frustration as she fiddled around with the locket, "I was hoping I could keep something inside it... I hope it's not broken."

"Well let the buyer beware." shrugged Nemisa.

"Hmph." Aviel said with a pout.

The group dropped the subject and spent the night talking about the rest of their day, and some of the recent events that had been going on. Time passed, and it wasn't long before it was somewhat late night, and the group grew tired.

"I'm heading to my room now." Aviel said, taking her locket and leaving.

* * *

Aviel walked down the hallway towards her bedroom. While she primarily enjoyed spending time with Link, she had to admit she enjoyed a lot of the benefits of being the king's personal guard, one of which being able to live in a nice comfortable place like the palace. As a minor lookout guard before she didn't have much of a living place and she constantly had to budget her food expenses, but now she had a soft bed and regular square meals. All in all, life for the young guard was really good.

It was then she felt a strange sensation, like there was someone nearby. She turned herself around to see, but there was no one. She felt a bit unnerved as she walked faster to her bedroom. It was then she felt that strange sensation again, and looked behind her, but again nothing.

"Maybe I've been overdoing it... I should probably get some sleep..."

Aviel sighed, turning back towards her destination, only to find herself face-to-face with something that stopped her cold. Aviel's eyes were wide, and she broke out into a cold sweat, her body shook nervously, and let out a terrified high-pitched scream.

* * *

"Aviel?!" Link shouted, sticking his head out from his bedroom, along with Nabooru.

"Sire, did you hear that too?!" shouted Nemisa, running up to the two, "I believe that was Aviel's scream!"

"Yeah, we all better go find her." nodded Link.

"Well, before we do," Nabooru said, "We should probably get dressed first."

"Huh?"

Link paused on that note and then realized he and Nabooru were both in the nude, as Nabooru was in the mood for another night together, just before they heard the scream. Link took a nervous look at Nemisa, who was staring at him with wide empty eyes, and her face a bright red.

"Uh, this... um..." Link started, then sighed and rolled his eyes, "Okay, I have no excuse for this."

"Y-You... two..." Nemisa stammered, "You two are shameless!" she shouted in anger, whacking Link upside the head with a sweeping kick.

"Can we just prioritize Aviel's situation first?" Nabooru said flatly.

* * *

Having quickly gotten dressed, Link and Nabooru, along with Nemisa, ran off in the direction of Aviel's bedroom, with growing concern for their friend. As they rounded a corner, the three of them collided into another person and they all impacted onto the ground.

"Oow, who the heck-" Link was cut off by being immediately hugged by a pair of familiar bird wings.

"Link! Thank Aifet it's you!" Aviel shouted, with tears in her eyes.

"Aviel, what happened?!" Link asked, finding himself impulsively hugging her back.

"I was... I was just going to my bedroom and... I saw a ghost!" she exclaimed.

"Wait, a ghost, in the palace? You can't be serious!" said Nemisa.

"I am serious!" Aviel said waving her wings, "It was a real ghost!"

"Maybe it was a Poe?" pondered Link, thinking about the ghostly creatures that sometimes popped up around the land of Hyrule.

"Um, it didn't look like a Poe at all.." Aviel whimpered.

"Hmm, I... hate to bring up the possibility, but what if it's another assassin?" Nabooru suggested, her eyes narrowed.

"You mean like The Slicer?!" Nemisa exclaimed.

"Sure hope not..." muttered Link.

"Does that mean Link has to wear the woman's outfit I bought him again?" Aviel asked.

"Now I really hope not." groaned Link.

"The guards haven't said anything about intruders, but it's not out of question. I'll have them keep their eyes peeled, but for now, we should see into this 'ghost' of ours." Nabooru said.

* * *

The four of them wandered through the hallways of the palace, looking out for anything unusual or at least out of place. Normally the palace was peaceful place that the group had no problem going through, even during night, but the creeping sense of what Aviel had seen made everyone a bit unnerved about it.

Link took a glance over at Aviel, who was now wearing a saucepan on her head, some pottery covering her shoulders and chest, and she was holding a large wooden spoon with both hands.

"What's with all that?" Link asked her.

"To protect me from the spook..." Aviel looked left and right nervously, "You can't shoot ghosts with an arrow..."

"I don't think a spoon is going to do any better, dear." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"It'll be fine." Link said, "Even if it is a ghost, it's nothing to be afraid of. They can't hurt us at all."

"Have you seen ghosts before?" Aviel asked.

"Yeah, I've traveled to all sorts of places over the past years, and I've seen my share of wandering spirits, they're just harmless lost souls who have unfinished business in their past life. Once they find what they're looking for they become satisfied and pass on to the afterlife." Link said.

"O-Okay, thank you. Link." Aviel said nodding, she walked closer to Link and hugged his arm.

Nemisa took a look at the two and saw the sincerity in Link's eyes as he looked down to Aviel. She couldn't help but feel a bit more understanding of that kindness Nabooru spoke of about him.

"I think you're going to make a great father someday Link." brought up Nabooru, which startled the others.

"A father?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Hee hee, Link a daddy? I bet he'd be the best!" Aviel giggled.

"Ahaha," Link said nervously, "I don't know about tha-"

"Wait," said Nabooru, stopping the group, "Do you all see that?"

The group looked ahead to see something moving around in the darkness of the hallway, it was some type of wisp that illuminated with a gentle light to it, it was blue and see-through and seemed to be swaying around in the air.

"Is... that the ghost...?" Nabooru asked.

"Maybe.." Aviel muttered, hiding behind Link, "It is the same color... and has that wavy thing going on... But I guess it doesn't look creepy like I remember..."

Link nodded and looked down to Aviel, "See? It's nothing to be afraid of." he turned to the spirit and spoke out to it, "Excuse me, are you looking for somethi-"

It was then that the floating wisp grew empty hollow eye sockets and a long mouth, moaning out with a bone-chilling sound.

The group stood there for a second, before shouting out in horror and running the other way.

"I thought you said you weren't scared of ghosts!" shouted Nemisa to Link as the four ran.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I know what this one's capable of!" shouted Link.

"It's even worse then I remember!" exclaimed Aviel, hanging and flailing off of Link's arm as he ran.

"Less talking, more running!" shouted Nabooru, trying to think about what could be going on..

Eventually the four reached a door and ran in, slamming the door shut. They then immediately started covering the door with various furniture they could find to barricade the path in

"I don't know what good this is going to do if that thing can go through walls, " sighed Nabooru.

"Then why did you help us move the dresser?!" Nemisa asked annoyed.

"You expect someone panicking to be rational?!" Nabooru retorted.

It was then that they heard something new, another moaning sound. This one had a higher pitch to it, but it sounded dreadful to the four.

"T-That's..." Nemisa started, her face paled.

"The ghost already found us?!" exclaimed Aviel.

They soon saw a figure slowly walking into the room from the open door on the other side of the room, the figure's arms were out in front of them and they had a gloomy look on their face, and the moans it made chilled them as much as the ghost did..

"Could... that be a Redead?" Link asked, recalling the zombie-like creatures he fought on his past adventures.

"First ghosts and now the walking dead? You're kidding me!" exclaimed Nemisa.

The group stood in place, not sure of what to say or do. Link took a breath and grabbed a nearby broom for defense while Nemisa went into a battle pose. Aviel meanwhile hugged Nabooru in fear.

Soon the lumbering figure stopped in it's tracks, then yawned and stretched out.

"Ugh, what happened...?" muttered the figure, in an oddly familiar sounding voice.

"Wait, that's..." Link realized.

"Huh? Oh, howdy yall!" said the figure, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Whatcha doin' at my place?"

"Togau?!" exclaimed Link, "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, I asked that question first!" Togau said, "You weren't planning on takin' me in mah sleep, were ya, your highness? she inquired with a mischievous grin.

"What?! No way!" Link exclaimed.

"You're the one in the palace!" Nemisa pointed out to Togau.

"I... am?" asked Togau looking around, "Ah shootfire, it happened again."

"Again? What are you talking about?" Nabooru asked.

"Well, ya see, my ranch hands tell me I sometimes go sleepwalkin' around the ranch some nights." she said rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, "Guess I just get a little restless at times. Sorry bout that."

"Then what are you doing in the palace?" Link asked.

"I... dunno." Togau said scratching her chin, "Going this far out is a first fer me." she then turned to the others and saw the pile of furniture blocking the door, "So whatcha guys doin', moving?"

"We're running from a ghost," Aviel explained, "A really scary one!"

"Ghost?" asked Togau, "Ya gotta be kiddin' me. Those kinds of things aren't anythin' ta be scared of, why I remember this one time me and Mally were..."

As Togau spoke, they noticed something appearing behind her, it was a wisp like the blue thing, only this one was colored more yellow or orange-like, and it's body seemed to crackle and fume. They all paled as they saw the wisp develop a similar looking hollow, creepy expression on it's face.

"...but it turned out to just be Talon havin' a case of indigestion!" Togau laughed. She took a look at the four and asked, "Hey, what's with those faces?"

Togau then heard a loud moan behind her, she turned to see the yellow-orange wisp right in her face. She paused, took a small gulp, and ran right over to join the other four. The wisp came right at them, but they quickly removed all the furniture and burst through the door to escape.

* * *

"What in tarnation was that?!" exclaimed Togau, "This palace has a real ghost problem?!"

"We were trying to figure that out ourselves!" Link said.

"Strange," muttered Nabooru, "That ghost seemed a little too different..."

"How do you mean?" Nemisa asked.

"It was like a complete opposite of-" Nabooru cut off her thoughts as she realized it, "Wait, I know what's going on! I know what those-"

But before Nabooru could clarify things, her foot slipped on something on the ground, causing her to lose her balance and fall over, the back of her head banging onto the side of a nearby table, and she fell to the ground.

"Nabooru!" shouted Link as he came to a stop, running over and holding her.

"Oooh..." Nabooru had a large bump on the back of her head, a slaphappy expression on her lips, and her eyes are spiraling, "I'll have the lime coconut spritz with extra squirrel.." she muttered in a dizzy fit.

"Let's get her to a safe place..." Link sighed.

* * *

The group managed to haul Nabooru back to her and Link's bedroom, where they laid her on the pillows.

"Well shes out-cold. Now what?" Togau said.

"Guess we'll have to deal with these ghosts ourselves." Link said, the group nodded and headed out of the bedroom shutting the door behind them.

"What a pain," Nemisa sighed, "Lady Nabooru even sounded like she figured out what was happening too."

"So what do we do then?" Aviel asked desperately, "Can we even fight those things?"

"Not sure, It's hard to tell with ghosts." Link said. Despite his uncertainly though, he decided to get his sword and shield equipped just in case.

"I don't have my handaxe, and Imra and Oseg are back at barn, so I'm so I guess we're relaying on you two!" Togau said, gesturing to Link and Nemisa.

"Great, am I going to punch a ghost, then?" Nemisa asked rolling her eyes.

"Come on, less arguing, more searching." Link said. As he went on ahead, an odd thought occurred to him.

'Wait, could the ghost possibly be that dark man I saw in my dreams..." Link thought, 'Am I putting everyone in danger with this...?'

He then shook his head to try and clear those thoughts and they all continued on.

The group eventually made their way back to the hallway where Nabooru ha d slipped and fell. As they looked around, Togau realized her barefoot had stepped in some liquid.

"Weird," she said, kneeling down and looking at the puddle, "This is where Nabooru slipped, but it's just a small bit of water."

"What was a puddle of water doing here?" Nemisa said looking around. "There's no bowl or anything."

"This is really weird and creepy..." Aviel said.

The group continued on through the halls, it was then they heard a strange sound in one of the rooms. Aviel froze up and clung to Link.

"W-What was that?" she asked.

"Sounds like it came from that room." Togau said, pointing to a nearby door.

"Okay, I'll go check." Link said, gripping his sword as he approached the door.

"Ah wait!" Nemisa shouted, a little too frantically, "I-I don't think the ghost would be in there!"

"Why not?" asked Togau.

"W-Well, it's um..."

"Its okay Nemisa," Link nodded, "I'll be fine." he started to enter the room.

"Wait, you can't!" shouted Nemisa, suddenly running up pushing at him, knocking the two of them forward into the room, and the door slammed shut.

"Ack, the heck was that for Nemis-" Link paused as he realized where he was, a bedroom of sorts, but he wasn't sure who's it was.

One thing was for sure, while the room was done up like most living quarters in the palace, what made this one standout was it was filled with numerous plush dolls of various animals and creatures; pretty much all them cutely designed. Some were made after cuccos, Deku Scrubs, Gorons, some Chus, even a Poe or two. Link looked around left and right, seeing them piled up on the bed and on the shelves.

"Just what is all this-" Link before he felt the presence of a powerful force growing behind him. He turned to see Nemisa clenching her fist with an almost demonic look in her eyes. "N-Nemisa? ...w-wait, is this your room?"

"Your highness..." she said darkly, as she cracked her knuckles, "Please stand still for a few minutes while I beat your memory of this room out of your mind..."

"Wait, that's not how amnesia works!" exclaimed Link.

Meanwhile, outside of the room, Aviel and Togau stayed together, not sure of what was going on in there.

"Do you think they're alright?" Aviel asked.

"Course reckon." Togau said grinning, "They'll be fine, those two are tough as nails!"

"Do nails work on ghost though?" Aviel asked.

Suddenly, Link went bursting out of the door and crashing into a wall. Aviel and Togau stood in disbelief as they watched him slowly slide down the wall and fall head first into a large jug, his legs ticking out of the top of it.

Nemisa soon came out after that and shut the door.

"W-What just happened?" Togau asked.

"A crisis has been averted." Nemisa said simply, shutting the door.

"Sorry..." muttered Link from inside the pot.

* * *

The group went back to their investigation, walking down the halls. Nemisa was still a bit flustered by what happened earlier. She took a look to Link who was walking ahead, and then back to Aviel and Togau who were walking behind them. She made a small sigh as she paced herself faster to catch up to Link, nudging him to get his attention.

"Hm? Something the matter Nemisa?" Link asked.

"Your highness, I... apologize for my action earlier... What happened in there was... well..." she whispered, "J-Just... don't say anything about that to anyone, okay?"

"It's okay." Link shrugged, "I won't tell anyone. I don't even think there's anything wrong with having an interest like that." he scratched his cheek with a small grin, "If anything, it's kind of cute of you..."

Nemisa's head flushed lightly from those words, before she whacked Link lightly on the back.

"Y-You don't have to put it like that!" Nemisa whispered loudly.

"What are you two talkin' bout?" asked Togau.

"It's nothing!" said Nemisa.

"Ah, I see." nodded Togau, "A lover's quarrel."

"L-Lovers?!" exclaimed Nemisa, "It's nothing of the sort!"

As Link watched Nemisa and Togau arguing, he glanced up and couldn't help but notice something... odd about a lit torch above them. The way it flickered was unusual to say the least. It seemed to be growing and changing shape.

"Um... guys...?" Link said, pointing up at the odd torch. Everyone looked up to see the torch come to life and cackle evilly, it's form making a horrific hollow expression and coming down at the group.

"The ghost!" screamed Aviel, she turned to run away, only to see the blue wisp right in front of her. "The other ghost!" Link ran in front of her with his sword out, ready to fight the blue wisp, only for them to see something coming up from behind the blue one, even more yellow and blue wisps coming up, all with those eerie hollow faces.

"EVEN MORE GHOSTS!" shouted Aviel.

"Screw it, let's get outta here!" shouted Togau, and the four of them went running away from the gang of ghosts.

"What re we going to do?!" shouted Aviel, "There's too many of them!"

Their escape was halted by another cluster of ghosts coming down from the other end of the hallway, all laughing and cackling like the others.

"This whole place is haunted!" exclaimed Nemisa.

Link eyed a door right by them, and saw the ghost coming at them from both sides.

"Quick, get in here!" Link said, opening the door and letting everyone in, before he went in and slammed the door shut.

"Whew..." Link said. "I don't know how long this will throw them off, we'll have to figure out our next plan and-"

"Your highness." Nemisa said in a petrified voice, "Look."

Link turned around, in confusion of what they were talking about, only to see the three of them cowering at the sight of two creatures before them. They were vaguely human in appearance, though they seemed to be covered in some kind of energy, one as a yellow-orangish color while the other was a light-to-darkish blue. They were both smiling gleefully and flying around the normally vacant room laughing creepily.

"Kyyyaaa!" screamed Aviel at the top of her lungs, clinging to Link's arm.

"W-What the heck kinda spooks are those?!" exclaimed Togau, grabbing onto Link's other arm.

"Can... we even do anything about this?!" Nemisa said, finding herself backing up.

Link narrowed his eyes, broke out of the girl's grip and pulled out his sword, "Everyone get out of here, I'll hold them off!"

"How can you even fight them?!" exclaimed Aviel.

"I don't know, but I'll do whatever I can!" Link said with determination in his eyes.

Nemisa stared at Link, seeing the sharp look in his expression. She paused, before she nodded to herself and stood beside Link, bringing up her fists.

"Fine, I'll fight by your side, your highness!" she stated, pumping her fists.

Link nodded and turned back to confront the two spirits, who floated forward, looking at the four slightly. Their gleeful expressions turned to hollow ghastly ones and flew straight out at Link and Nemisa.

"Get ready!" Link shouted.

It was then that seemingly out of nowhere, a large splash of water came down on the two spirits, knocking them to the ground.

"Kyyaaa!" they heard two high-pitched voices scream.

"Huh?" Link exclaimed, he and the girls standing there blankly as they saw the two spirits bodies were... more solid then they thought.

"There!" shouted a new voice Everyone turned to see Nabooru holding a bucket with water dripping down from it, "Finally found you all!"

"Aww, Lady Nabooru ruined our fun." said one of the 'spirits'.

"I think we have bigger problems then that now, sister..." said the other.

Everyone finally got to see the two of them were actually normal Gerudo women, ones that Link recognized. They looked nearly identical to each other, the only difference was one wore orange clothes and had a bright expression in her eyes, while the other wore blue and had a deadpan look in hers.

"Ah heh heh..." chuckled the orange-clad lady, "Hello your highness, How do you do this dark and gloomy night?"

"Greetings our king, we hope you weren't too filled with dread and fright." rhymed the other, bowing her head.

"Y-You're the two that I met the morning after I got here!" Link exclaimed.

"I... think we need to discuss this matter." Nabooru said crossly.

* * *

"Link, I'd like to introduce you to these two..." sighed Nabooru, the group had finally recollected their senses after the encounter with the two 'spirits' and were now resting at the dining room.

"Allow us Lady Nabooru," said the orange girl, she conjured fireballs in her hands and juggled them like toy balls, "I am the mystic of fire, who burns with passion, I am Kesuta, lady of the flame!

The blue girl waved her hands around her, generating ice magic which blew in gentle waves, "And I am the mistress of ice, cold and rigid... Korume of frost is my name..."

"They're our town mystics." Nabooru explained, "They help us around here with any matters involving spirits, magic or occult matters." she paused and glared at them, "They're also known for pulling pranks."

"Wait, you mean to tell me this whole thing was some practical joke?!" exclaimed Nemisa in a fit of fury.

"Do you know these two?" Link asked the others.

"I've heard we have mystics, but I never actually met them, or knew what their powers were." Nemisa said.

"Yes, it appears those spirits we thought we saw were just these two using their fire and ice magic." Nabooru explained.

"Correct, we specialize in elemental magic of the two extreme temperatures." Kesuta said, putting her hands together gleefully.

"We rarely get to use our powers for battle, so it's fun to unwind and use them for pranks." chuckled Korume darkly.

"That explains the water puddle then." Link nodded, "That must have been ice left behind by one of the 'spirits'."

"You gotta be kiddin' me..." Togau sighed.

"You guys are meanies!" shouted Aviel.

"Please our dear king, you must forgive us!" pleaded Kesuta, coming up to Link quickly and wrapping her arms around his chest.

"Yes, if you do, then we promise to cause less of a fuss!" rhymed Korume, putting her arms around his neck.

"Hey, quit kissing up to him!" shouted Nemisa.

"Oh, does the king's bodyguard wish to take him herself?" asked Korume, leaning her head against Link.

"No way!" shouted Nemisa, restraining herself from clobbering them.

Link awkwardly cleared his throat, "Okay, okay. I'll tell you what, I'll forgive the two of you, as long as you atone for scaring everyone and causing Nabooru to get injured."

"Of course, our king!" the two of them both nodded.

"There is just one thing that bugs me though..." Aviel said.

"What is it?" Togau asked, "These two were the ghosts that caused all that trouble, what else is there?"

"It's just... they didn't look anything like the ghost I saw..." Aviel pondered.

"T-That you saw..?"

"Come to think of it, sister..." muttered Kesuta, "Did you not feel a strange presence earlier...?"

"I did..." said Korume, "It somewhat unnerved me, but I wasn't sure what it was..."

"Oh there you are!" said a new voice with a strange echo to it, "I was trying to find you, miss."

The two group turned in shock to see a woman standing before them, she seemed to be a Gerudo, but her body had a blue tint to it and was see-through, with some faint wisps floating around her body.

"I was going to ask you if I could see that locket you have there." she said with a gentle smile, "But you ran away before I could ask you."

Aviel stood frozen, and without a word, nervously nodded and handed the ghost the locket she had.

"Thank you." the ghost said, she moved her hand over the locket and opened it up. Gazing into the locket, she looked up to Aviel and smiled warmly. "I lost this in the ruins long ago, it contained a picture of my boyfriend. Now that I finally remember his face, I can go greet him in the next world. Thank you so much." she said bowing, before her body faded out of existence.

The group stood there blankly, without a word, before Aviel's eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell backwards into Link's arms.

* * *

The next morning, Kesuta and Korume were busy cleaning the halls of the palace of everything they had caused with her tricks. Link, Nabooru, and Nemisa all watched over them while Aviel and Togau were resting.

"Please reflect on your actions, you two." said Nabooru, now wearing a bandage on the back of her head to cover the injury she had, "I hope you've both learned a lesson."

"Yes we have Lady Nabooru, there's something we've both been taught..." sighed Kesuta, worn out from the physical labor she wasn't used to.

"Next time we'll try harder not to get caught.." rhymed Korume, who despite being just as tired didn't show it.

Two seconds later, the two girls were laying face fist on the ground with bumps all over their heads from Nemisa clobbering them.

Meanwhile, Link looked to Nabooru and whispered, "Hey, I was wondering... Are those two... you know, related to...?" he trailed off.

"Yes." nodded Nabooru, "These two are descendants of Kotuke and Koume, also known as Twinrova."

"I thought so..." muttered Link, "And you can trust them?"

"They may be childish pranksters, but they're indeed trustworthy and good at what they do." Nabooru said, "They monitor the town for dark forces, and help us keep tabs on Ganondorf's situation in prison."

"Well, I guess if you trust them, then I will too." Link nodded. Despite that though, another thought nagged at him.

'They sensed something dark inside of me that one night...' he thought to himself, 'Was it because of that dream...?'

Link had a feeling this new life of his was only going to get stranger from then on.

Hopefully without the ghosts of the past haunting him...

* * *

_**Well I ended up enjoying this chapter more then I thought I would. It was a lot more comedic, and I was able to properly introduce the mystic twins, which will help me later down the road. I'm still ironing out the details of the next chapter, so give it some time. Thanks everyone for reading, and give me a like, follow or review if you enjoyed it!**_


	10. Emergency Treatment

_**Now on to Chapter 10, hope you all enjoy!**_

* * *

"Well I gotta get goin' back ta the ranch guys, thanks for havin' me over!" Togau said to Link and Nabooru on her way out.

"You're welcome back anytime Togau." Link said with a wave.

It had been a week since the incident with Kesuta and Korume. Togau had been spending the day with Link and the girls at the palace by Link's invitation.

"Always nice to have Togau come by." Link said to Nabooru, "She's a hard worker, and it's nice to let her have the time to relax."

"You two are really getting close." grinned Nabooru, leaning forward on the dining table, "I think you really made an impact on her during the caravan trip."

"What can I say? She's a good person." Link shrugged, "And I admire her drive and passion."

Nabooru took a sip of her drink and smiled deeply.

"I'm glad to see you've already picked out your third wife."

"Mm-hmm." Link murmured, taking a drink of water, before suddenly spewing it out of his mouth into the air like a fountain, "Wait, wife?!" he paused for a second, then slammed his hand down on the table, "Wait, _THIRD_ wife?!"

"Yes, I've seen the way she looks at you, I'd say she's rather smitten with you, and she gets along great with Aviel and Nemisa, I'm sure they'll be fine with her as a fellow wife." Nabooru smirked.

"Aviel... and Nemisa?!" Link exclaimed, "Wait, you're suggesting I marry both of them?!"

"Of course, they've all gotten along with you quite well, even if Nemisa herself doesn't want to admit it." Nabooru said.

"That's... not the problem." Link coughed awkwardly, "I mean, marrying three women? Isn't that kind of... immoral?"

"Maybe to some people." Nabooru said, "But the Gerudo King traditionally has multiple wives during their life. In our people's past he would have around five or so, but in your case with the situation of our population problem, it might be wise to have more, like maybe eight or nine."

"Eight or... nine..." Link echoed, rubbing his head, "You're really not kidding are you?"

"I know it's a big change for your way of thinking." Nabooru said, slowly standing up and walking over to Link, "But imagine how nice it would be... to have so many women as your beloved ones..."

"But..." Link paused, not really sure of what to say to that, "W-Would they even be okay with something like that?"

"Pretty much all the Gerudo are well accustomed to the tradition of royalty, they were educated on it in their early years, even Aviel, so it's nothing unusual. In fact, most would consider it a great honor to be chosen as your wife. I'm sure there are some who would prefer to have their husband to themselves, but you're a different case." Nabooru said, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"I... still don't know.." Link said. Nabooru responded by kissing at his neck, making him shiver. She then whispered delicately into his ear.

"You didn't think my reward to you was to just saddle you with the responsibility of being a king? A true hero like yourself deserves a king's harem of wives, those that can love you, see to your happiness..." she paused for a second and added, "...bless you with their children..."

"Children...?" Link muttered, the idea of someone like him who's been a traveling loner for the past seven years; becoming a husband, as well as a father just seemed completely alien to him.

He paused on that note and looked up to her, "So... what about you""

"Hm?"

"Would you want to be a part of this... um, relationship?" Link asked.

Nabooru paused, Link couldn't help but think there was something off with her.

"I... still have a number of responsibilities to do as your adviser, so for now... why don't we just stick to being friends... you know, with the benefits?" she suggested with a wink.

"Well... I suppose." Link nodded, deciding not to push the issue any further with her at that time.

"Aviel, Nemisa, Togau... they're all important to you right?" Nabooru continued, "I'm sure a handsome king like yourself will have little trouble finding many others in this town that appeal to you the way they do." she got on her knees to be at eye \level with him, and ran her hand along his cheek, "I'm not asking you to pick them all immediately, just go out there and find the ladies you care for the most, ones you can share a kindred bond with."

"I... I'll just tell you for now that I'll think about it..." Link said simply.

"Like I said, before, that's all I ask of you." Nabooru smiled, she took him by his cheeks and pulled him into a soft kiss. He found himself drawn into it and kissed her back.

Unknown to the two of them, a certain person was listening in on the conversation. She stood there, tempted to come in and speak about the matter, but instead clenched her wrist, her body trembling a little, before she just took a deep breath and walked off.

* * *

"Thanks for escorting me to the doctor, Link." Nabooru sighed as the two of them, along with Aviel and Nemisa, walked down the streets through Gerudo Town, "Sarami was insistent that I come back for a follow up on my head injury from last week."

"It's fine, I wanted to thank her again anyway for helping me after that attack by The Slicer." Link nodded. He looked to the side and saw some of the local Gerudo waving at him, to which he politely waved back.

"The people are really growing a fondness and respect for you." Nabooru smiled, "And you're taking to be more like a king to them by the day."

"Ahaha, I don't know about that..." Link said sheepishly.

Soon the group arrived at the main medical clinic of Gerudo Town. After seeing the receptionist, she escorted them to a room where they saw Dr. Sarami seeing to a patient.

"So what's the trouble dear?" the doctor asked her patient.

"Oooww, Dr. Sarami!" whined the girl, "I cut my finger, and it huurts!"

"Oh my, that's no good." Sarami said, "Just let me take a look at it." as she examined the wound she asked the girl, "So how did you get this?"

"I was battling a pack of invading Moblins and one managed to cut me just before I kicked it to the ground and impaled my sword through it's head, like I did with the other four!" she said sniffling.

"She's... really tough." Link said sweatdropping.

"There, there, it'll be fine." Sarami gave the girl a warm smile, which gave the whole room a sense of blissful comfort. Link in particular was in awe of her, drawn into her pleasantness. Sarami then went to work on the cut, applying some alcohol to it. The girl flinched from the sting of the alcohol, before Sarami went to wiping down and cleaning the wound, and finally putting a bandage over it. "There you go, just don't be rough with it, okay?" Sarami even gave the girl's finger a light kiss.

"Y-Yes, thank you Dr. Sarami!" the girl said, her face flushed red, as she got up and left out the room, greeting Link and the others on her way out.

"Oh, hello everyone." Sarami said, turning to the four and bowing, "And a pleasure to see you again King Link, how is your injury?"

"I feel just fine, thank you again." Link nodded, "And you can just call me Link, I'm still not king yet."

"Of course." smiled Sarami, before turning to Nabooru, "Now for you Nabs, let me take a look at your bump."

"Yeah, yeah." Nabooru sighed.

"Nabs?" snickered Link.

"It's her... erm, name for me." Nabooru muttered, earning a snicker from Aviel and Nemsia as well.

Sarami looked over Nabooru's head injury for a few minutes, before nodding, "You've recovered quite well. Of course, you were always a head-headed one." she added with a giggle.

"Thanks to you Sarami." Nabooru smirked. As the two of them talked, Link couldn't help but get a sense of a close bond between the two of them.

Sarami then took a look over at Aviel and noticed something odd, "Say, may I see that on your knee there Ms. Aviel?"

"Oh this?" asked Aviel, rising up her knee, showing off a slightly bloody scrape, "I just tripped over a step this morning, it's nothing."

"I'll be the judge of that." Sarami said, kneeling down to look at It, "It's nothing too deep, but I think it should be treated regardless." she nodded, grabbing the alcohol bottle again.

Aviel gulped a bit, remembering the patient from earlier flinching from the touch of it. "Uh... I-it's okay! I'll just walk it off and-"

She was cut off by Sarami looking directly at her from behind her round glasses, which gave off a blank unreadable gleam

"Tell me Ms. Aviel..." she said in a low voice, "Are you familiar with MRSA?"

"Mersa?" Aviel tilted her head, "Never heard of her."

"M-R-S-A," Sarami corrected, "Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus. It's a form of infection that takes the form of an internal boil, which generates a malicious pus that spreads throughout the body..."

As Sarami continued to describe the symptoms, Aviel and the group's faces grew paler and paler.

"...and eventually eats away at the victim's bone, muscle tissue and organs until they die a slow painful death through extended-"

"Okay okay!" exclaimed Aviel frantically, her eyes filling with tears and her wings flapping, "Just give me the alcohol! Give me all the alcohol!"

"Fufufu, It'll be fine." Sarami giggled, sporting her sweet smile once again. She went ahead and put some alcohol on a cotton ball and dabbed it gently against Aviel's wound. The stinging caused Aviel to squirm a bit, but momentarily after that she felt Sarami place a bandage over the wound. "There you are."

"T-Thank you Dr. Sarami..." Aviel said, looking down at the bandage.

"You're welcome sweetie, this should help it feel better.." Sarami smiled, giving the bandage a kiss.

"Link..." Aviel turned to Link slowly with wide teary eyes, "She's such a good person... can you please marry her so I can get treated by her like this all the time...?"

Link practically fell over from Aviel asking that, Nemisa rolled her eyes while Nabooru burst out laughing

"Fufufu..." Sarami giggled with a light blush, putting a hand to her mouth, "I'm not looking to be in a relationship, and honestly... I think I might be too old for him."

"Doctor!" shouted a new voice, a nurse Gerudo came running in frantically, "It's time! We need you in room 7 immediately!"

Sarami stood up and adjusted her glasses, which gave off a gleam. "I'll be there right away."

As Sarami hurried off, Link and the others looked to each other and decided to see what was going on.

* * *

"Argh! Make it stop!" screamed out a Gerudo woman, laying back on a bed while the nurses were trying their hardest to help her. She threw her head back shouting and thrashing around. Sarami, Link, Nabooru and the others soon arrived, only to see what was going on, they took one look at the patient on the bed, and her swollen stomach and realized what is was.

"She's in labor?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Please everyone!" shouted Sarami, going over to examine the expectant woman over, "Bring me towels and water, hurry!"

Link and the group nodded and ran around like crazy trying to find whatever Sarami needed.

Soon everything was in order and Sarami knelt down to prepare the birth. "Okay,Maifeki," Sarami said to the soon-to-be-mother, "Just try to relax and we'll work on getting your new child out."

"So what happens next?" asked Aviel, "Is she going to cut open her stomach and get the baby out or something?"

"Do... you seriously not know how a baby is born?" Nemisa asked blankly.

"No, what does she-"

Aviel was cut off when Sarami lifted up Maifeki's patient gown, exposing what was down there to her.

"BY THE GODDESS OF THE DESERT!" exclaimed Aviel, her eyes practically bugging out of her head, as she stumbled backwards.

Maifeki meanwhile was still screaming, grabbing at the bed, "Somebody give me a large boulder to crush, or a monster to slay! Anything!"

"What the hell kind of stress relief techniques are those?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Please try to help Maifeki calm down!" Sarami said, "She still needs to do her part, and she won't be able to cooperate like this!"

"Okay," Link shook off the shock of the situation and nodded, he went over to Maifeki and gripped her hand. "Listen, it'll be okay, just listen to Dr. Sarami and-"

"AAAHHH!" screamed Maifeki in pain, squeezing Link's hand so tightly she almost came close to breaking it, before she swung her leg back and kicked him across the face.

"Gah, calm down already!" exclaimed Nemisa, only to be suddenly thrown across the room and into a wall by the screaming woman.

Link, upon recovering from the blow, took a deep breath, and squeezed Maifeki's hand back, as she breathed in and out heavily, she realized the strong feeling on her hand and took a look over to Link, who was looking down at her, doing his best to not react to the painful hand crushing.

"It's... It's okay." Link said, forcing a smile, "Dr. Sarami and all of us are here for you..."

Maifeki panted and nodded, she was calming down ever so slightly, despite the pain she was in. Sarami looked up to see what was going on and saw Link's gentle expression to Maifeki. Sarami could swear she felt her heart skip a beat seeing him comforting her patient.

"Please..." Maifeki sobbed to Link, tears running down her eyes, "Don't let go..."

"I won't." Link said, "Now listen to the doctor."

Maifeki nodded and turned to Sarami, "O-Okay..."

"Very good," Sarami regained her composure, "Now push!"

* * *

"Congratulations, Maifeki!" Sarami said proudly, lifting up the crying newborn baby, and handing it to the new mother, "It's a healthy baby girl, of course."

"Oh by the will of Aifet..." Maifeki trembled as she held her child, her tears were still running down her cheeks uncontrollably.

"You did great, Ms. Maifeki." Link smiled.

"Thank you..." Maifeki whispered, bringing her child close.

Aviel was in awe of the baby, getting as close a look as she could without invading the mother and child's personal space, while. Nemisa was pretending not to look at the child. Nabooru herself meanwhile approached Maifeki and smiled.

"You've done well Maifeki." Nabooru said, "Your child is a blessing in these times, care for her proudly as a fine mother."

"I'm humbled by your praise Lady Nabooru... and your encouragement too King Link." Maifeki said, who she looked up to and asked, "Would you like to hold her yourself, my king?"

"M-Me?!" exclaimed Link, "Uh, I'm... um... I don't want to drop her or anything..."

"You'll be fine," said Sarami smiling, she took the child from Maifeki and passed her to Link, adjusting his hands for him so he could hold the baby properly.

Link stood there nervously as he held the baby in his arms, he was fascinated by the sight of this new life that came into the world, a girl that would grow up not in a band of thieves like he remembered from the dark future, but a slowly prospering town of people rebuilding their society. She truly had a bright and hopeful future ahead of her.

He handed the child back to Maifeki, and asked, "So what do you plan to name her?"

Maifeki paused, then smiled, "She shall be known as Selil." Maifeki looked up at Link and blushed, "To have the king of our people be present and to hold my child at birth, we are truly blessed.."

Link flushed a bit, looking over at Nabooru, who simply gave him a grin and a thumbs up. He took a breath and said, "I hope for the best for both you Maifeki and Selil. May the goddess of the desert bring you both happiness for years to come."

"Thank you again." Maifeki bowed her head.

* * *

"Nice work in there Link." Nabooru said. After leaving Maifeki and the nurses to care for Selil, they had all gone to the clinic's break room to relax over drinks "You're growing faster then you thought."

"Heh heh, uh, thanks.." Link replied, he found it hard to not stop smiling, thinking about the new life they had all just helped bring into the world, and this didn't go unnoticed by the girls.

"You were so cute holding that baby!" Aviel said, "I wish I could of held her myself!"

"You probably would had been the one to drop her." Nemisa pointed out.

"Ah... maybe I would have..." sighed Aviel.

"It makes me glad to see you have so many good friends, Nabs." Sarami smiled, "You've come so far from when you were rebelling against Ganondorf'."

"You knew Lady Nabooru from back then?" Aviel asked.

"Yeah, we go back quite a long way." Nabooru nodded, "In fact it was because of-"

"Dr. Sarami, we have a situation!" shouted a nurse sticking her head into the break room.

"Don't tell me another kid?" Nemsia asked.

"What is it?" Sarami asked.

"We just brought in a new patient, and she's in critical condition!" exclaimed the nurse.

* * *

The group ran into another exam room, where a Gerudo girl laid on the bed, her body was shaking and her face was pale, and she had a rather nasty wound on her side.

"What happened here?" Sarami asked the nurse.

"Her name is Gevoam, she was working with our archaeologists on searching the Ruins of Hotaig out in the east desert, but she got separated from the team and when they found her, she was in this condition, they just brought her in!" the nurse explained.

Sarami immediately went to looking over Gevoam carefully, inspecting her injury and her reactions.

"This gash wound itself isn't lethal, but she's experiencing cold sweat, fever, paling skin, convulsions... she's been poisoned." Sarami deducted.

"You're kidding," Nemisa said, "Can anything be done for her?"

"I have many types of poison antidote but... I need some more information of exactly what kind of poison she has." Sarami answered.

"Can't you just give her antidotes until you get the right one?" Aviel asked.

"Certainly not," Sarami's glasses gleamed, "Giving her the wrong antidote could potentially be just as dangerous as the poison itself. Unfortunately, I can't tell from this wound what kind of poison she has."

"Then what can be done?" Link asked.

"We need to track down whatever did this to her and get a sample of it's poison." Sarami explained, "Then I can determine what kind of antidote to use." she then turned to the nurse, '"Is there anything else we should know?"

"Well, there is that thing they also brought in." the nurse said, she gestured to a table with a strange hard and thin black object on it. "The patient was holding it when she was found."

Link inspected the object carefully, "It looks like the end of a leg of some kind of monster."

"Yes," Sarami said, giving it a more thorough examination, "Unfortunately I can't find any traces of the poison in this body part. We'll have to go to the ruins themselves and see if this creature is still there."

"Wait, you're going too?!" Aviel asked.

"Yes, I need to inspect the creature for myself to know what to extract." Sarami said, adjusting her glasses, "And if this is just part of it's leg, it's likely too big for you all to just carry back here."

She went back to Gevoam and took a small bottle of blue jell from her belt. She poured it onto the wound and rubbed it carefully.

"What's that stuff?" Aviel asked.

"This is my patented healing jell, I created it from Blue Chuchu jelly." she explained, referring to the slime creatures that populated various lands around the realm of Hyrule.

"Wow, that stuff works as a drink and as a medicine?" Aviel asked, remembering the drink Link usually ordered back at the dance club.

"Yes, I'm a specialist in Chu jelly alchemy. This particular kind will stabilize her condition for a while, but we still need to hurry." Sarami said, "Nurses, please watch over her until I get back."

"Yes doctor!" the nurses said nodding.

"We'll help you get there." Nabooru told Sarami, "We won't lose one of our dear sisters so soon after one was just introduced to the world!"

Link, Aviel and Nemisa all agreed in unison.

"Thank you Nabs." nodded Sarami, "Then let's go."

* * *

It didn't take too long for the group to follow the archaeologists directions and arrive at the Ruins of Hotaig. There wasn't much to the place at first glance, but there was said to be many great treasures within the inside, so many Gerudo and travelers were known to explore it.

"Hey, we made it, that was quick!" Aviel said with relief.

"Y-Yes, the sooner we find the creature the better..." Sarami nodded, she then took a long drink of her canteen.

"You alright there Sarami?" Link asked.

"I'm fine... just fine..." Sarami said, "Let's hurry."

The group went ahead into the entrance to the ruins, and soon found themselves in a large room that looked as if it was some kind of destroyed arena.

"What is this place exactly?" Link asked.

"Hotaig was an ancient Gerudo goddess of war." Nabooru looked around, "I believe these ruins were once a battle coliseum dedicated to her."

"He...lp! Som...one... any..."

"Hm, what was that?" Sarami asked.

"Hey, there's someone under that rubble!" Link said, pointing over to somebody near the wall of the arena. The group immediately ran over to the person and started moving rocks off them. He turned out to be a Hylian man draped in ragged clothes.

"Oh thank the goddesses," sighed the man, as Link gave him a canteen to drink from, "I didn't think anyone would come back here!"

Link could swear he heard Nabooru snort a bit but ignored it.

"Ugh, did it have to be a Hylian male?" muttered Nemisa.

"How long have you been here, buddy?" Link asked.

"Not too long, I saw some women earlier but they all left before I could get their attention. The name is Dakas, good to meet you all." the man said.

Link went ahead and introduced himself and the girls, Nemiaa being the only one to not respond back.

"So what were you doing here?" Aviel asked.

"I'm an adventurer, traveling around searching for treasures." Dakas said, "But when I came here I got caught in a situation and... that thing attacked me." It was then Dakas cringed in pain, and the group noticed a very familiar injury on him.

"He's been poisoned as well, it could very well be he same creature that got Gavoam." Sarami said, "I'll see to helping you."

"T-Thanks but... I don't have much money..." Dakas's face flushed as she immediately went to work on his injury.

"Think nothing of it, just take it easy." Sarami said.

"So what was that thing were you talking about?" asked Nabooru raising an eyebrow.

"It was a-" Dakas' words were cut off by a strange sound, a kind of clicking noise that echoed through the arena.

"Oh great, now what...?" Aviel asked worriedly.

"Oh no..." Dakas gulped.

Aviel's question was then answered by a giant creature coming from from the ceiling and landing in front of the group. It was a giant black scorpion-like monster with a single giant eye and a large blood red stinger. It's claws even had markings on it that resembled eyes. It stood itself up and let out a loud screech.

"W-What the heck is that?!" Aviel exclaimed, hiding behind Link.

"I've heard of these," Nabooru said, pulling out her twin scimitars, "It's a venomous giant insect known as a Skarmah."

"That's the monster that attacked me!" exclaimed Dakas.

"Hm, the creature seem to be missing something..." Nemisa pointed out one of it' s legs looked broken off.

"It's the same kind as the leg Gevoam had been holding. She must have been able to fight back against it." Link observed., pulling out his sword and shield.

"Very well, if you all can defeat it, I'll extract it's poison so we can save her!" Sarami said, "I'll tend to Mr. Dakas here in the meantime."

"Alright, time to fight!" Aviel said, pulling out her crossbow.

Link, Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa all stood before the Skarmah, which make some clicking sounds, then screeched out, ready to battle as well.

The Skarmah began the fight by lunging out with it's claws, but Link and Nabooru blocked them off with their swords, while Aviel fired an arrow straight at the eye of the monster. The Skarmah managed to protect it's eye with it's armored eyelid, before opening it again and trying to stab at the group with it's tail.

The group darted in different directions, forcing Skarmah to look around frantically, while Nemisa rushed in and delivered a strong punch to it's face. This gave Link and Nabooru the chance to come at it from both sides to slash and hack at it.

The Skarmah then spun it's body around to drive back the two, before charging at Link, smashing the ground in front of it with both claws. Link ran at a wall, jumping off of it and flipped into the air above the Skarmah. It tried to retaliate by stabbing Link with it's tail, but Aviel managed to nail Skarmah at the tip of it's tail with a crossbow arrow, sending it off course and giving Link a chance to come down and slash at it's back.

Skarmah went into a thrashing fit, skittering around smashing at any of the warriors it was fighting. But in the midst of it's rampage, it eventually realized both of it's claws were somehow stuck to the ground.

Everyone looked in confusion at a pool of green goop that had mysteriously appeared on the ground, and that the Skarmah's claws were stuck to whatever it was.

"Fufufu, one of my own special recipes." chuckled Sarami, holding up a bottle with a green slime inside of it, and a squirting nozzle attached to the top of the bottle. "Green Chu Jelly can be made into an adhesive that bonds things together instantly."

"Not bad Sarami." grinned Nabooru.

Skarmah tired to instead use it's tail to impair the group, but Nabooru leaped onto it's back and used her scimitars to cut the tail clean off. The creature screeched out in pain, as it's eye opened right up, giving the group the chance they needed, Nemisa ran forward and pummeled the Skarmah around, giving Aviel the opening to shoot it directly into the eye, stunning it to the ground, while Link charged forward, leaped up, brought down his sword and impacted his blade right into the Skarmah's eye.

The Skarmah broke free of the goop at that moment, but it was too late for it, and it let out one final screech before dropping over dead.

"No way... they pulled it off?" exclaimed Dakas with his jaw dropped.

"Another great victory!" cheered Aviel.

"Haha, been a while since I could fight like that!" laughed Nabooru.

Sarami meanwhile immediately went over to the Skarmah's body and started examining it for it's poison.

"Hmm... yes, this will do nicely." she said, using gloves and a pair of tweezers to extract what she needed from the monster, "Let's hurry back to town."

"But what do we do about him?" Link asked, gesturing to Dakas.

"Ugh, can we just leave him?" Nemisa suggested.

"No." Sarami said, "We'll bring him with us to town and get him treated as well."

"What?!" exclaimed Nemisa, "But men aren't allowed in our town! It's the code of the Gerudo! The king is the sole exception!"

"... ….frankly, I don't care." Sarami said, her glasses gleaming, "He's injured, and I need to treat him immediately." she turned to Nabooru and Link, "Do you two approve?"

"..." Nabooru was unsure at first, and but nodded, "Very well, we'll make an exception this one time."

Link nodded as well. "We can't just let him die if he can be saved. He can leave town as soon as he recovers."

"Hmph, fine. Do as you will." Nemisa said.

"Thank you all..." Dakas said in admiration, "But my legs are too weak, I can't walk."

"One of us will have to carry him then..." Sarami said.

"I wouldn't mind if one of those two strong women carried me!" Dakas said gesturing towards Nabooru and Nemisa, almost too cheerfully.

"I'll pass." Nabooru said.

"Not on your life." Nemisa said scowling.

"Isn't that the case for him though?" Aviel asked Nemisa.

"I got him." Link said, supporting Dakas with his shoulder, "Let's hurry."

* * *

_**Well that ends that chapter. I will say my favorite part of this particular chapter was the birth scene, it was an interesting change from what I usually write, and it helped Link lean more towards the idea of becoming king and having a family. As for the concept of him having a harem of wives, that might be a little trickier for him to come to terms with, but I hope I'm doing a decent job easing him into the idea.** _

_**Well with that in mind, look forward to Chapter 11 soon, leave a like, follow or review if you like it!**_


	11. Mending One's Wounds

_**Chapter 11 is here, I have no idea whatsoever to say, so let's just get to it!**_

* * *

"There." Sarami said after feeding Gevoam the potion she had prepared, "It should only take a little more treatment before the antidote completely rids her body of the poison."

"Thank the desert goddess.. I'm so glad she'll be okay." Aviel sighed with relief.

"How is Mr. Dakas doing?" Sarami asked a nearby nurse.

"We did just as you instructed, and he's doing fine for now." the nurse confirmed, "In fact, he's already up and chatty with the other nurses."

"What." said a deadpan Nemisa.

The group looked into Dakas' room to see him around multiple nurses, laughing like crazy, telling them jokes and antidotes, while the girls were all giggling in response.

"Hey, your highness!" he waved to Link, "Thanks again for saving me, and for bringing me to this desert paradise! You're a lucky man to rule this place!"

"Uh huuuuh..." Link said sweatdropping.

"I blame you and Dr. Sarami for this." Nemisa said annoyed.

"Least he's not suffering." Aviel pointed out.

"He gets anymore touchy with those nurses and he will be." Nemisa retorted.

"Well if you all excuse me, I have more tasks to do." Sarami said, "Thank you all again for your help."

"It wasn't a problem Sarami." Nabooru nodded, "Helping our sister and friend is never a chore for us."

Sarami nodded and went off to a backroom.

"I'll have the guards escort Dakas out of town after he fully recovers." Nabooru said, "Maybe we should return to the palace and rest."

"Sounds good." Aviel said, "I'll race ya Nemisa!"

"Hey, don't run in a hospital!" exclaimed Nemisa following after her.

As they and Nabooru started on their way out, Link was going to follow them when heard a faint thumping sound. Curiosity took over him, and he headed in the direction of where he heard it, a back room he could have sworn he saw Sarami go into.

"Dr. Sarami? Did something hap-" He then looked down in shock to see Sarami had collapsed to the ground.

"Doctor?!" exclaimed Link, he quickly ran over to her, "Are you okay?!" he quickly called out "Hey, somebody! Dr. Sarami is-"

"No! D-Don't worry..." said Sarami, doing what she could to force herself up, "I'm okay now, I just got a little dizzy."

"Here, let me at least help you up." Link said frantically, helping to get Sarami up onto her feet and sit her down onto a chair, then handing her a cup of water.

"Thank you.." sighed Sarami, "Please promise you won't tell the nurses about this, I don't need them worrying about me."

"What happened?" asked Link, "Are you sick?"

"No, I just get a little fatigued at times." she sighed, "I guess I overdid it going out to the ruins like that..."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Link asked with concern.

"It wouldn't have mattered if I did, Gevoam needed my help, and I was happy to aide Mr. Dakas as well." she smiled weakly.

"Still, we would have tried to find another way..." Link sighed, "Have you been like this for long?"

"Almost my whole adult life to be honest." she said, looking somewhat distant.

"Really?" Link exclaimed, "What happened?"

Sarami paused, he could tell she was hesitant to talk to him, so he patted her on the shoulder.

"Go ahead, I'm willing to listen." Link assured her.

"O-Okay." Sarami nodded, "I... used to be a warrior and thief-in-training as a teen. But when I became an adult, I was chosen to become one of the former king Ganondorf's child bearers."

"A child bearer?" Link asked.

"Yes, it was my job to conceive and raise the children of the king, to ensure his bloodline stays intact." Sarami said. "My parents were very encouraging of my new job, telling me it was something I needed to devote my life to. At the time I believed it was truly an honor, so I gave up on my warrior training and focusing entirely on child birthing and care, adapting to a diet to make my body both healthy and curvy, and learning all the techniques to seduce even one like the king."

Sarami continued, "The day soon came, I laid with Ganondorf, and I became pregnant with his child. It was a joyous moment in my life, I felt a true sense of purpose at that time, carrying the future of my people..."

She then gulped a bit.

"Then, the day came when my child would be born, I did everything as I was taught... b-but..."

"But...?" Link felt some unease from where she was going. She seemed hesitant, but Link placed a hand on her own, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, you can tell me."

Sarami blushed lightly, placed her other hand on her stomach and rubbed it softly, as tears were forming in her eyes.

"My daughter... didn't make it."

Link's eyes widened, "T-That's... I'm sorry to hear that..."

"No, it's fine." Sarami said with a sad smile, before continuing, "After learning about what happened, Ganondorf was furious, he said that someone like me who can't even so much as deliver a child is no use to him or anyone, and banished me from Gerudo Valley. Not even my parents or Nabs could do anything to help me."

"That's terrible..." Link said he had always feared Ganondorf as a child, and outright hated him as an adult in the dark future, but this just made Link feel more contempt for him, "So... you knew Nabooru for quite a long time I take it?"

"Mm-hmm. Her parents were friend of mine, and I saw her like a little sister, I think she took it the hardest when I left." she sighed and continued her story, "I eventually found myself in Hyrule, trying to find a new place in life, but I didn't have much luck. After abandoning my warrior training I didn't have the skills to survive off the land, and thanks to the bad reputation of my people being thieves and killers, work was hard to find... and I was too afraid of being in a relationship."

"Afraid? Why?" Link asked.

"Because if I did, there was a good d chance I could become pregnant again and... after what happened, I became afraid of it... the idea of conceiving another life, only to lose it again so soon, I couldn't deal with that kind of loss again..." Sarami trembled, "Eventually I found myself in Kakariko Village, with no where else to go. I was at my breaking point, and I..."

She paused.

"...I attempted to take my life that day..."

Link gulped, he wanted to say something, but just continued to hold Sarami's hand, and he could feel her start to squeeze it back.

"I plunged a dagger into my chest, and I passed out from the pain... However, when I came to, I found myself on a bed in some kind of shop. It was there I met an elderly woman who called herself Granny, she ran the potion shop there."

"Granny? I've met her before, shes the one with the cat, right?" Link said.

"Yes." Sarami nodded, "She had fixed my wounds expertly. At first I was furious that she took away my attempt to release myself from this world. I asked her why she would save someone like me; someone who was part of a cruel tribe of thieving killers, someone who was so useless they couldn't even bare a child, so useless I was banished by my own king... and you know what she said?"

"What?"

"That she's a doctor, and a true doctor doesn't pick and choose who they save." Sarami smiled lightly, "She also told me that everyone has a chance to become more then what they are, to grow beyond what they know."

"I see..." Link said, reflecting on those words.

"Granny took me in as an assistant to her work, I spent most my time helping her with physical tasks she was too old for, that and taking care of her cat." Sarami added with an amused grin, "During that time, I came to learn much about medicine and health care for people. And she eventually took me on as her apprentice instead. I even found her old books on alchemy that I took a great interest in, it was what lead me to discovering the potential of using Chuchu jelly to help people..."

Her glasses gave of f a gleam and chuckled darkly, "Well, that and using it to trap my prey..."

"O-Oh..." Link thought back to when she used the green goop to immobilize the Skarmah.

"I stayed there with Granny until after the war, when I heard the Gerudo lost. I knew at that time they were all suffering from their losses, and I needed to help them rebuild their lives. When I came back to Gerudo Fortress, I met Nabooru, and was overjoyed to see she had taken over as the leader of the tribe. When she saw what I was capable of, she announced me the head doctor of the town after it was built." Sarami said, she took a drink of water and continued.

"I've devoted myself to being a doctor because it's the only thing I'm capable of doing... even if it drives me to the point of exhaustion. I want to use my skills to my furthest extent to help the Gerudo stay happy and healthy and deliver healthy children, since I'm too cowardly and weak to do it for myself..." Sarami explained with a heavy heart.

There was a long pause between the two, Sarami was about to release her grip from Link's hand, but he just tightened it, surprising her.

"Dr. Sarami..." Link said, "That's ridiculous."

"What?!" Sarami asked.

"Would someone who's cowardly and weak work so hard for the Gerudo people? Would a coward or weakling go to the desert ruins and help us defeat a monster just to save one girl? Would one defy the laws of this town to save that man we found back there? Someone who went back to help her people because they needed her, and after all she suffered in her life?"

"I..." Sarami's face flushed, seeing Link staring into her eyes.

"Sarami... you're stronger then you think you are." he said. "Even if you're not strong physically, you have such a strong will, and I think with that will you can someday be able to have the daughter you wanted so much." Link continued.

"That... I doubt that will ever happen." Sarami smiled sadly, "I'm thirty five now, well past my expiration date... I don't think any man would take an old lady like me."

It was then that Link let go of her hand and embraced her into a hug.

"L-Link?!"

"Don't say that, you're a beautiful woman, you're talented in medicine, and you're one of the kindest people I've ever met. Any true man would be lucky to have you for a wife."

Sarami found herself tearing up at Link's words, and her arms found themselves hugging him back.

"E-Even you...?" she asked.

Link paused as he held her, he thoughts went back to Nabooru's words that morning, his face flushed a little and smiled.

"Even me, Sarami." he answered.

Sarami trembled, squeezing Link as tight as she could, with tears running down her eyes uncontrollably as she started babbling words.

"B-But I'm so much older then you! I have age marks, and I haven't lost all my pregnancy weight, my breasts are so large they're starting to sag, ... I... why... are you... so..."

Link just held her close.

"You're perfect just as you are. You just need to rely on others more, and not shoulder everything yourself." he said.

The two just held each other for what seemed like the longest time, Sarami couldn't help but feel such a state of bliss in that moment...

"Link... I..."

"AAAHHH!" screamed a voice from outside the room. Link and Sarami immediately got up and ran out to see what was going on. They arrived at the entrance lobby of the clinic, where all the nurses, along with Aviel, Nemisa and Nabooru were. They were all looking at Dakas, who was holding a Gerudo child in his arms, with a dagger held to her throat.

"W-What's going on here?!" exclaimed Link.

"That man, as soon as we told him he could get up, he grabbed one of our child patients, Ilite, and ran here with her, and she's too weak from her condition to fight back!" explained a nurse.

"Help!" shouted Ilite, coughing loudly

"Stay still kid, if you know what's good for ya!" shouted Dakas, he looked up to the women and Link and said, "Alright, let's make this quick and easy, I need supplies and money to leave with, so hand over whatever you got and I'll let the girl go."

"You bastard!" shouted a furious Nemisa, "How can you do this after we saved your life?!"

"Listen, I'm grateful for what you all did," Dakas admitted, "But a guy's got to survive as well, and since my attempt to collect treasure from those ruins was botched, a thief like me has gotta get what they can to survive!"

"Hylian mongrel..." snarled Nemisa.

"We don't have much options to deal with him." Nabooru said, her arms folded and her eyes narrowed, "If one of us steps out of line Ilite could be hurt badly, or worse..."

"If I didn't run out of arrows fighting that monster at the ruins I could shoot him right between the eyes..." Aviel said in anger.

"Mr. Dakas, please release Ilite and get back to your bed, you still need to-" Sarami started, but was cut off by Dakas.

"And what skin is it off your backs?" Dakas asked the girls, "Aren't the lot of you a bunch of thieves and cutthroats yourselves? From what I've been told, you all have caused a lot of pain for the Hylians for years. If anything, this is a taste of retribution for what you've done!"

Link let the words he was shouting sink in, he clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes coldly at the thief Dakas. He looked over to Sarami who was hanging her head low, trembling. It was clear she was remembering a lot of what she went through again.

"Grr... fine." Nabooru finally said, "See to it that he gets what he wants."

It took a little while, but soon a few bags of food and rupees were given to Dakas.

"There," Nabooru said, "You've gotten what you asked for, now release Ilite and leave now."

"Heh, not bad." Dakas said grinning, "Unfortunately, I don't think I'm gonna let her go just yet."

"What?!" exclaimed Nemisa, looking like she was about to strangle the guy.

"Frankly I don't trust what you say just yet. For all I know you could sic your guards on me the moment I release her, or maybe this food could be poisoned. I'm just going to hang onto her for a while, and let go of her whenever I'm sure I'm safe." Dakas explained, holding up the girl with the supplies strapped to his back.

"No!" shouted Sarami. Everyone turned to her as she stormed up and glared at Dakas, "Ilite suffers from an extreme form of asthma! She needs to stay here in the clinic, and trying to take her outside of the town could affect her too severely!"

"Is that so? Guess I was a little too quick to pick my hostage." Dakas said, "Well it's too late to change my mind, so I'm just gonna take off, and you know what will happen if someone stops me!"

"You can't do this!" Sarami shouted, with tears in her eyes, her body was shaking, her exhaustion from before was getting to her.

"So do you regret what you did for me?" snickered Dakas, "You took me into your town and saved me, and I'm grateful for what you did Doc, but how do you feel now knowing by doing that you put this kid's life in danger? I guess even a old hag like you can make some mistakes."

Sarami's features darkened, her glasses gleamed, making her eyes unreadable.

"Well I gotta take off, and don't go trying to follow me!" Dakas said, he turned to leave, only to stop when he saw someone standing before him.

"Wha- what are you...?" Dakas stammered.

"Link...?" Sarami said, looking back up to see it was Link standing at the clinic's door. He was glaring at Dakas with an angry scowl in his eyes.

"They gave you what you asked for... and yet you continue to threaten this little girl's life..?" Link asked, staring at Dakas.

"H-Hey, back off.." Dakas said. He wanted to continue to hold the dagger against Ilite's throat, but something about the way Link looked at him unnerved him too much, and he started moving the dagger away a bit.

"Sarami saved you... she stood up for you when others would have left you to die... without asking for anything in return..." Link continued.

"I..." muttered Dakas, his arm shaking.

Link continued, "The question is... when I'm through with you, WILL SHE BE ABLE TO SAVE YOU AGAIN?!"

Dakas' body froze, for just a second, he could had sworn he saw Link's eyes turn a blank white with anger.

"T-That's it, you asked for it bastard!" shouted Dakas, bringing the dagger upwards and then down towards Ilite's chest.

"Kyyyaaa!" screamed Ilite.

It was then that Dakas realized he couldn't move the dagger anymore, something was stopping it in mid-swing.

He looked to see Link had grabbed the dagger, by it's blade.

Dakas broke into a cold sweat as he saw blood coming out from Link's hand and turned to see Link himself not even flinching from it. Dakas was in so much shock he was unaware that his grip loosened on Ilite and she fell to her knees.

Link then brought back his other hand into a fist and punched Dakas directly in the face, breaking his nose and sending him flying backwards to the ground.

Sarami, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and the nurses were all in shock themselves as they saw Dakas sprawled out on the floor unconscious. They looked up to see Link taking a deep breath, then knelt down to Ilite.

"Are... you okay?" he asked.

Ilite looked up to see Link, who was now back to his regular self, smiling a big goofy grin. She looked down to see Link's hand, which had let go of the dagger and was still bleeding.

"Y-Yes Mr. King Link," she stammered with tears in her eyes, "I'm fine... but... y-you're injured!"

"Don't worry about that." Link said smiling, "I'm just glad you're okay."

Tears started to run down Ilite's cheeks and she threw her arms around Link's neck, hugging him tightly and crying her eyes out, while Link hugged her back with one arm.

Sarami stood there, seeing Link holding Ilite closely, and the gentle smile he had. She felt her heart flutter a bit, and her face flushed. This didn't go unnoticed by Nabooru, who smirked lightly.

"N-Nurses, please take Ilite and Mr. Dakas back o their rooms for treatment." Sarami then said, snapping out of her stare.

"Wait, you still instead on helping this bastard after what he did?" exclaimed Nemisa.

"A doctor doesn't pick and choose who they save." Sarami said simply, leaving Nemisa in stunned silence, "But first..." she walked over to the unconscious Dakas and took his rupee purse off his belt."...I'll be taking payment for my services after all." she chuckled darkly.

"She can be pretty scary in her own ways." Nemisa said with an amused smirk, as the nurses went off to do as they were ordered.

Aviel meanwhile ran right up to Link and the bird girl threw her arms around and hugged him

"Link, are you okay?!" Aviel exclaimed.

"I can't believe you did something like that moron..." Nemisa sighed walking up to the two, glaring down at Link.

"Ah, I'll be fine..." Link said, he then took a glance down at his hand and saw the blood coming out, "Um, actually, on second thought I guess I'm feeling kind of light-headed..."

Link stood up slowly, his eyes then turned to spirals and he fainted against Nemisa, who caught him.

"Doctor," sighed Nemisa, her face a little red, "One more patient needs your help..."

* * *

"There you are," said Sarami, having put the finishing touches on Link's hand bandage.

"So what's the condition of Dakas?" Nabooru asked.

"His nose is fractured, but otherwise I think he'll be fine." Sarami explained.

"So what do you plan to do with him?" Nemisa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll probably put him in prison until-" Nabooru started, but was cut off by a nurse running in.

"Doctor, Mt. Dakas has left!" exclaimed the nurse, "Our guards said they saw him escape into the desert!"

"You've got to be kidding me." sighed Nabooru.

"Oh dear, that's not good..." said Sarami putting a hand to her cheek, "While he was okay to walk around a bit, he still needed more treatment for the poison. If he exerts himself too much it could be..."

* * *

"Grr, namn bitches." said Dakas with his broken nose, stomping through the desert to find a place to stay, "Whed I recovah, dhey're all dead, and that king of theirs!"

As he trudged through the desert, he felt a strange dizziness, and staggered a bit.

"Ugh, wad's goin on?" he muttered, he felt a strong fever come over him, despite how hot it was, "Wad's happenin to me...?

His dizziness overcame him, his legs grew weak, and he fell to the sand.

"Argh!... no... someone... please help me... doctor..."

Dakas the Thief's pleas went unanswered in the middle of the vast desert wasteland.

* * *

"Ugh, what a way to go..." Aviel said.

"Hmph, good riddance I say." Nemisa said.

"I feel pity for him, but I suppose there isn't much we can do about it now..." sighed Sarami. The doctor then looked to Link and smiled lightly, "Anyway, you're all set to go." She told Link, "Just take it easy for a little while, and make sure you come visit for a follow up, okay?"

"Thanks Sarami," Link said. Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa were all waiting for him to be done so they could head back to the palace. "And don't forget to take a break once in a while yourself, you can't do it all on your own. We'll be here anytime if you need us, alright?"

"Oh yes," smiled Sarami, "I'll keep that mind."

"Hey, you forgot to give Link a kiss to make it feel better!" Aviel called out.

"Oh yes, of course." Sarami said with a small smile.

"Alright then." Link shrugged and held up his bandaged hand for her to kiss.

Instead however, Sarami leaned forward and gave Link a gentle kiss on the cheek, whispering a "Thank you" in his ear as she did.

Link's face was as red as a tomato, while Aviel was smiling brightly, Nemisa's jaw fallen in shock, and Nabooru with her hand over her mouth in surprise and delight, while Sarami just giggled.

"Maybe he's going to find them all sooner then I thought." Nabooru said to herself.

* * *

_**And that's the end of this arc. Hope you guys enjoyed this one. I admit as someone who's generally a comedy writer it was strange to find myself tackling subjects like miscarriage and suicide, hopefully it didn't come off too harsh. **_

_**As for the next chapter, I think at this point I'm just going to assume anytime I try to do a simple breather chapter that it's gt a good chance of randomly transforming into a major arc, cause that's how it's ending up. **_

_**Again, leave a like, follow or review if you enjoyed it!** _


	12. Beat the Heat

_**Chapter 12 is here, thanks for your support everyone!**_

* * *

"So... you're certain of this information?"

"Yes Lady Nabooru, all reports from our spies have confirmed it."

"And is there any chance they would change their plans?"

"None your ladyship."

"Excellent, we've waited for this day for so long, and this is finally our opportunity. Those Hylians will never be the wiser..." Nabooru chuckled darkly.

* * *

"It's sooo hooot!" Aviel groaned as she, Link and Nemisa were all lounging around in the main living area of the palace. She turned her arms into bird wings in an attempt to fan herself off, before changing her arms back to normal a few seconds later, "Forget it, even my feathers are too warm, and all I'm doing is just blowing hot air at myself..."

"I thought you guys were used to the desert heat..." Link groaned, laying on the table.

"Normally we do, but this is the hottest day of the year." Nemisa wiped her forehead, "Not even we Gerudo can do our usual tasks this day..."

"Any suggestions on what we can do to cool off...?" Aviel asked.

"Dunno, it'd be great if we could find a place where it's not so-" Link's words were immodestly cut off as he realized something, "Wait, I know where we can go!"

* * *

"So you guys wanna hang out in my livestock barn?." Togau asked, holding a bag of animal feed on one shoulder while wiping her head down with a damp cloth.

"Yes," Link nodded, "You mentioned before your barn is weather controlled to protect the animals right? Could we just stay here for a while?"

"We'd be willing to do chores to earn our right to stay here." Nemisa said bowing.

"Well shucks, I don't mind that much, but-" Togau muttered, but was interrupted by Aviel.

"Yay!" squealed Aviel, running towards the barn, "Finally relief from this heat!"

"The thing is actually..." Togau started before Aviel ran into the barn.

Almost immediately, Aviel was launched out and skidded to the ground by Link and Nemisa's feet.

"W-What was that?!" Link exclaimed.

"That... smell..." groaned Aviel.

"Sorry guys, I was experimentin' with a new kind of animal feed, and I guess it didn't really...uh, agree with them if you get what I'm saying..." Togau set down her bag and walked up to the group, rubbing the back of her head.

"Ugggh..." Aviel groaned, covering her nose, "It's so bad it actually blasted me out of there..."

"I imagine this intense heat isn't making the stench any better." pointed out Nemisa, even she was plugged her nose.

"There's got to be something el- Wait!" Link suddenly exclaimed, "I got it! I have another idea!"

* * *

"Ah, our beloved king has come to greet us on this accursed day?" Kesuta said with a grin.

"You... bless us with your arrival... I could at least say..." Korume gasped out in exhaustion.

Link and the group had decided to meet with the town mystic twins at their tent, where they saw the fire elemental Kesuta was no worse for wear, but the ice elemental Korume on the other hand wasn't doing so well.

"Forgive me for... my presence... my lord..." Korume said, "But I don't take this heat very well..."

"Extreme heat affects her magic," explained Kesuta, "Since our power is still young, we're a bit vulnerable to more extreme temperatures."

"Well there goes that plan." Link sighed.

"If not even an ice elemental like Korume can handle this weather, how can any of us?" Aviel shouted.

"And how come you're not sweatin' in this heat?!" asked Togau to Kesuta.

"I can handle extreme heat just fine as a fire elemental, though extreme cold can be too much for even me." Kesuta shrugged.

"Alright then, teach us fire magic!" Togau said.

"Yeah, we'll work hard!" Aviel nodded desperately.

"Wouldn't training with fire make things worse for you?" Link asked.

"Eehh, I'm not much a scholar." Kesuta said sweatdropping, "And our powers in particular come from our bloodline."

"Awww!" shouted Aviel and Togau in unison.

"Can we just all go somewhere else less crowded?" Korume muttered with her face on the floor.

* * *

With their ideas foiled, Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Kesuta and Korume found themselves all lounging in the palace, trying to fight off the temperature.

"Anyone else feeling worse...?" muttered Aviel.

"It's only getting hotter as it approaches midday." groaned Nemisa.

"Ugh... grrr... That's it!" shouted Togau, as she started to pull off her vest, exposing her chest.

"T-Togau, what are you doing?!" Link exclaimed, covering his eyes, "Cover yourself up!"

"Ta hell with modestly, it's too hot fer it!" Togau said throwing her vest aside, exposing her chest to everyone, "Aah, much better!"

"Hey, good idea Togau!" Aviel said, pulling off her top and pants.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Korume muttered, undoing her garments.

"Hey, wait a minute, all of you!" shouted Nemisa in protest of the stripping girls, "You're in the presence of your highness!"

"I don't think he minds much." grinned Kesuta, who was now stripped down as well.

"Wait, why did you strip?!" exclaimed Nemisa, "I thought you said you were resistant to heat?"

"Whoever said I was too warm?" Kesuta grinned mischievously, scooting over to Link, who was trying his hardest to not gawk at everyone.

"You know the heat's already bad." protested Link, "That's the last thing we should be thinking about!"

"Okay then?" Aviel said, looking to Link and Nemisa, "You two strip as well!"

"Why us?!" exclaimed Nemisa in frustration.

"Yeah, just looking at the two of you in those clothes is making us hotter!" Togau said, reaching out at Nemisa.

"We'll undress our lordship!" Kesuta said with glee, as she and Aviel went to pulling off Link's clothes.

"Everyone please shut up..." groaned Korume, with her face pressed against the table, having removed her outfit didn't do much for her situation.

"Unhand me or I'll clobber you!" Nemisa shouted to Togau.

"This heat is making everyone lose their senses!" exclaimed Link, who was trying to fight off Kesuta pulling off his pants while Aviel just managed o pull off Link's shirt.

"Everyone!" shouted a new voice; it was Nabooru, pushing up the doors to the living quarters, "I've found the answer to our proble-"

She paused and looked around, seeing Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Kesuta and Korume. Most of them were stripped nude, and whoever wasn't nude was in the process of being stripped down themselves.

"... … ...never mind, I'll come back later." Nabooru said closing the door.

"Save us!" Link and Nemisa both shouted to Nabooru.

* * *

"So I've figured out a solution to this heat problem." Nabooru said, having sat everyone down (and got them back into their clothes), "My spies have given me vital information that will save ourselves from this heat."

"Sounds good," sighed Link, "What do we do?"

"It's simple! Everyone pack your things, for the rest of the day, we and the people of the town are all going to Lake Hylia!" Nabooru stated.

"Wait, seriously?!" Link exclaimed.

"Yahoo! We're going to the lake!" Aviel cheered.

"But what about the law?" Link asked, "Isn't Lake Hylia considered Hylian soil?"

"Yes, but that's why my spies have been investigating." Nabooru explained, "They've told me that the guards that usually watch the Lake Hylia area are going to not be at their posts, as they have a last minute assignment at the castle to do, and there will be no replacements!"

"So we won't get caught? Sounds great!" Togau said.

"I... suppose we could do this." Nemisa muttered.

"Well, I guess as long as we don't get in trouble then I got no problem with it." Link nodded.

"Yay! We got our king's approval!" Aviel squealed, hugging Link, "Let's go!"

* * *

"Calm blue skies..."

"White sandy shores..."

"Tranquil waters..."

"We made it to the lake!" shouted Nabooru as she, Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Kesuta, Korume, Dr. Sarami and a good majority of the residents of Gerudo Town found themselves standing out at the shore of Lake Hylia. Various sights they could see include the Lakeside Laboratory a giant tree on an island in the middle of the lake, and a fishing attraction on the side, the last of which was closed.

"The lake air feels so nice..." sighed Aviel, spreading her arms out, "Okay, let's go swimming!" she said, stripping off her outfit to show off a two piece swimsuit she had on under it, then turning her arms to wings to fly off to the lake before shooting right down into the water, before coming up for air and turning to the group.

"Everyone, the water's great!" she shouted, waving an arm.

While most of the girls in their group cheered out and ran off to the water, a few of the older ones worked to set up the umbrellas, towels and food they had prepared for the trip, before running off for the water themselves.

Link and Nabooru meanwhile stood and watched as the Gerudo all played in the lake.

"This was a great idea Nabooru." Link grinned. "The girls definitely deserve something like this, even if it means breaking the law a bit."

"Indeed, they all work so hard rebuilding our society, so I try to find ways to reward them for their work." she smirked slightly and added, "Speaking of which, you're probably happy to see so many women in swimsuits."

"Geez, you really think I'm like that?" Link asked annoyed.

"Hello Nabs, hello Link!" said a familiar voice, "You're keeping your ultraviolet radiation exposure in check, correct?"

Link turned to see it was Dr. Sarami, who was clad in her typical long white vest, but noticed she wore a rather revealing black two-piece swimsuit under it that showed off her voluptuous figure.

"Y-You going in too, Sarami?" Link asked, trying to keep his eyes off her swimsuit.

"Oh, I'm not the swimming type myself." smiled Sarami, amused to seeing Link's reaction to her, "I'm going to go pay a quick visit to the Lakeside Laboratory and meet a friend there."

"Well come back when you're done." Link said, "You deserve to relax as much as anyone here."

"Thank you..." she said with a light blush, before walking off to the lab.

"I think at times you really are like that." Nabooru gave a delayed answer along with a smirk.

"Ah heh heh..." Link grinned sheepishly

* * *

"Aren't you going swimming too, Nemisa?" Link asked his bodyguard, sticking an umbrella into the sand after laying out towels.

"...I'm fine, the cooler temperature is enough for me..." Nemisa said, looking to the side.

Link paused, looking at her for a bit. He noticed despite her words, she'd take small glances out towards the lake, with a longing look in her eyes

He then sported a mischievous grin and lunged out, grabbed Nemisa around her waist, and ran with her towards the lake.

"What?! Let go of me you idiot!" shouted Nemisa, too surprised by his attack to react to it.

"You asked for it!" Link shouted, as he spun her around to build up velocity, before he hurled Nemisa into the air and she splashed down into the water. Some of the girls around the vicinity laughed out loud as Nemisa emerged up from the water scowling.

"Why'd you do that?!" shouted Nemisa clenching her fist.

"Aw come on Nemisa," snickered Link, "This is a day for us to unwind and have some fun!"

"So you coming in too Link?" Aviel asked excitedly.

"Yeah, come on your highness!" shouted one of the other girls.

"Just get yer cute butt in here Link!" Togau exclaimed.

"Alright, alright, hold on." Link said, removing his shoes and shirt, causing many of the Gerudo to squeal out at Link's athletic physique. Even Aviel herself, used to seeing him like that often when she'd wake him up in the morning, found herself looking more intently at him.

Nemisa's face meanwhile turned so bright red at the sight of Link shirtless again that she dunked her head into the water, not sure if it was just to cool off her head or hide her embarrassment more.

"Too hot for you?" snickered Togau to Nemisa.

Nemisa rose her head out from the water, back to being her calm and collected self, though still going out of her way trying not to look directly at Link.

"I'm just fine, thank you." she said.

Aviel, Togau and the other girls looked to each other, grinning, before they brought up their hands and splashed Nemisa with water.

"Gack! You little-!" Nemisa shouted before she got hit by a particularly big splash made from Aviel's wings, "Now that's just cheating!"

Soon even the battle-hardened Nemisa found herself splashing at the girls. While she tried her hardest to retain a straight face, she couldn't help but grin ever so slightly as she did.

"Heh," Link snickered to himself, "Glad to see she's enjoying herself after all."

It was then that a big splash of water hit Link directly, created by the girls all combining their attacks. Link stood there with an annoyed grin, dripping wet, as the urge to fight back rose inside him,

"That's it!" he shouted, as he himself ran into the water and started splashing at the squealing girls.

* * *

Time passed, and everyone felt truly relaxed.

While the girls were enjoying their time in the water, Sarami herself had taken to sitting back on a towel, protected by her umbrella, while reading a book. She took a glance up at Link and the girls, and smiled warmly, before licking her finger and flipping the page of her story.

Even Togau's right-hand animals Imra and Oseg were enjoying their time. Oseg the pig was laying half submerged in shallow water, while Imra the cucco was floating around on the surface of the water not unlike a duck.

"Fuhuhuhu!" cackled Korume as she waved arms left and right, conjuring ice around the water, creating blocks and even sculptures with her magic, "I feel so refreshed in this cool water... it's exhilarating!"

"Speak for yourself sister!" Kesuta shouted from the beach, she was sitting on a towel hugging her legs with a grumpy look on her face.

"Don't you wish to join us dear sister...?" Korume chuckled.

"Oh shut it, you know I can't handle water!" Kesuta scowled.

"Perhaps I'll go see our dear king..." Korume chuckled darkly, creating a walkway of ice to cross the water towards where Link and the others were.

"Just melt already!" Kesuta shouted to her sister in annoyance.

Link meanwhile was floating on his back in the water, staring up into the sky, as his mind focused on their situation, listening fondly to the screaming and laughing girls in the distance. He heard a splashing sound as he looked to see Nabooru coming up to him.

"Hey there," she grinned, Link couldn't help but look intently at the two-piece swimsuit she wore, "Having a good time, Link?"

"Y-Yeah.." Link said, looking to the side.

"Oh come off it with the shyness, you've seen all of me for months." she giggled, bringing her arms around him in a hug.

"I guess, it's just um... a different type of sensation I suppose.." Link trailed off, not sure how to describe it. Nabooru grinned and let of him before laying back on the water herself.

"Aah, the water is truly perfect." Nabooru said, "I've been waiting for a day like this."

"This is really nice. Honestly, it'd be ideal if the girls could come out here more often.." Link said, then frowned, "But the law keeps them from it, I hate that they have to risk breaking rules like this just do something so many Hylians would take for granted."

"I definitely agree, but there isn't really much we can do." Nabooru said, "I've tried to have an audience with the king to negotiate some leniency with the law, but I keep getting denied replies."

"Do you think there's anything I could do about it?" Link asked.

"Hm, maybe." Nabooru nodded, "But I don't think it would be a good idea at the moment if they knew we have a king again. After everything with the war, some within the Hylian Parliament are probably already chomping at the bit to find an excuse to go after us, and finding out we have a new king, or even just one in-training, might set them off too much for our own good."

"I guess..." sighed Link, "Maybe if we had more allies on our side that have better relations to the Hylians things would work better for us. It's times like this I wish I could talk to Princess Zelda."

"Yes, ironic that you're probably one of the people closest to the princess, yet you're the last person we want the Parliament finding out about." Nabooru commented, "And then there's the engagement..."

"E-Engagement?!" exclaimed Link, splashing in the water from what he heard. Nabooru say.

"Yes, Princess Zelda from what my spies have told me is being engaged to a prince from the land of Fargent to the north." she said, "Though I have my doubts it's anything to do with love, and more then likely a means of establishing land and trade between the both nations."

"I... see.." Link said, he knew it wasn't his place to speak on the princess' situation, but there was a part of it that still nagged at him. His thoughts drifted to that time in the dark future, when he met her as an adult for the first time, and the sadness in her eyes over what had happened...

"Link, are you okay...?" Nabooru asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm... fine." Link nodded, he forced a smile and said, "Come on, we're not here to dwell on our problems, let's go meet up with the girls."

"...okay." Nabooru nodded, and the two went on their way.

Unknown to the two however, a dark figure was under the water, watching them intently...

* * *

"Hey Nemisa, heads up!" Togau shouted, hurling a large air-filled ball right at the martial arts Gerudo, who simply turned and caught it without hesitation.

"What on earth is this?" she asked, squeezing it slightly.

"It's called a beach ball, I got it from the caravan back when we did that big trade!" Togau said, "It's a rubber ball filled with air to make it bouncy and floaty!"

"Hey Nemisa, hit it this way!" Aviel said, flapping her wings.

"Hit it, huh...?" Nemisa muttered, she threw the ball up a bit, then punched it with such force that it flew straight at Aviel and bashed her upside the head, sending the young Gerudo backwards into the water. "Oops."

"Not that hard!" exclaimed Aviel in anger, as the ball itself fell into the water quite a distance away.

"It's okay, I got it guys." Link waved, and swam off.

He soon approached the beach ball, which was bobbing on the surface of the deeper water. Just as he was about to grab it however, the ball was suddenly pulled into the water. Link looked around in confusion to see what could had happened. He peered into the water, but couldn't make out anything.

"What the heck...?" Link muttered, until the ball suddenly hit him in the back of the head. He quickly turned around to see nothing there. He scratched the back his head in confusion, before reaching to grab the ball, when a sudden burst of water came up in front of him, splashing him heavily. When the water went away, he saw something all too familiar to him.

"Hey Link, what's the hold u- HUH?" Aviel asked, swimming up to Link, only to see what it was in front him as well.

It was a female creature with many humanoid characteristics, but many fish and amphibian like traits as well. Her skin was mostly a light blue, with some whiter and darker blue parts. Her head was somewhat bulbous in size, but sported a graceful thin-lined face, with bright eyes, a small nose and a smile, and her arms and legs had fins that waved naturally in the water.

"A zora?" Aviel asked, recognizing the species of the creature in front of them.

"Wait, is that you, Ruto?!" Link exclaimed.

"Link my husband, I'm so glad to see you!" Ruto smiled brightly, then lunged forward and hugged him.

"Wait, you know this lady?" Aviel asked.

"Hmm?" Ruto took a look at Aviel, "And who are you, little one?"

"Who you calling little?!" exclaimed Aviel.

"I... think we need to talk.." Link said.

* * *

"Oh my!" gasped Ruto, "I heard rumors that the Gerudo might have chosen a new king, but I didn't think it would be you, Link!"

Link and Ruto, along with Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau and Sarami were all gathered on the beach to eat lunch and discuss the situation with Ruto.

"Well to be honest I'm not really king yet." Link said, "I'm kinda just in-training, and I haven't decided yet."

"Ah, I see." Ruto said with a bit of relief in her tone.

"Um, it's not likely that the Hylians know of these rumors, is there Princess Ruto?" Nabooru asked, somewhat concerned.

"Not to my knowledge." Ruto said in thought, "It's mostly between us zora."

"So how long have ya known Link for, Ms. Princess?" Togau asked.

"Oh, since he was ten actually." she smiled, "He was such a cute boy back then, almost as adorable as I was!."

"I wish I could have seen him myself!" Aviel said.

"Yes, I would had loved to hug him at that age." giggled Sarami, "I'm so jealous of you Nabs, knowing him for so long."

"Wait, how close are you to Link, Lady Nabooru?" Ruto said annoyed.

"I work as his adviser." Nabooru explained, then gave a gentle smile, "And we're... just friends."

Link wasn't sure what to say himself, it was a bit awkward.

"...okay... I'll just leave it as that for now..." Ruto said, still clearly bothered.

The group spent their time talking about what Link and his friends had been through during his time at Gerudo Town, while Ruto spoke about how she and Link came to meet.

"Link saved you from a monster inside a fish's stomach?! That's so cool!" Aviel said.

"Ya sound like ya were pretty tough as a munchkin too." Togau grinned to Link, jabbing him in the arm.

"Yes, it's because of what happened that day that I knew Link would become my husband. That's why I gave him the Zora's Sapphire." Ruto smiled, referring to the stone that Link needed in his quest to defeat Ganondorf.

"Oh yeah, you mentioned that before.." Aviel said, she turned to Link with bright eyes, "Does that mean you're going to marry Ruto and have lots of little fishie kids?!"

"Uh... that's um..." Link turned red, he looked to Nabooru who just smirked lightly.

"Oh that'd be splendid!" squealed Sarami, taking Ruto's hands, "I'd babysit them all as much as you want!"

"Um... t-thank you..." Ruto said, rather surprised at the girl's welcoming manners.

"Hey Ruto, did you want to spend the day with us?" Aviel asked with a big smile

"Well, I..." Ruto's choice was silenced as Aviel and Togau took her by the hand and helped her up, dragging her off to the water. She looked frantically behind her shoulder to Link, before resigning to the girl's invitation. "Ahh, wait!"

"Those two have taken a quick liking to her." grinned Nabooru.

"Ugh, I don't know if this is a good idea." Nemisa said, "What if she reports what we're doing to the Hylian Parliament?"

"I don't think Ruto would do that." Link said, "She may come off snooty, but she's a good person."

"So good you'd consider marrying her, right?" grinned Nabooru.

"I... don't know about that." Link said, "We're friends and all, but I don't think it would work out..."

"Hmm, really?" Nabooru asked, "I think it would be a pretty good idea."

"Wait, seriously?" exclaimed Link, "Why do you say that?"

"As of right now, we Gerudo are almost all alone in this land." Nabooru said, "Aside from some caravans and travelers, we have very few allies. Most people fear us and others look down on us, especially after the war and the law that was put in place. Having allies like the zoras would be a huge help to us in the long term, especially if you were to marry their princess and bear children together."

"But... she's... not exactly my species and-" Link trailed off.

"What's wrong with that?" Nabooru asked, "We Gerudo are technically not the same as Hylians either."

"Yeah, for Gerudo I understand... but... would that even work in a zora's case?" Link asked.

"Zora are a rather interesting species," Sarami brought up, "While it's biologically impossible for a male zora to properly mate with a female human, the exact opposite isn't true. It's entirely possible for a female zora to have children with a male human."

"Is that so?" Link asked.

"Yes, in fact some zora women prefer human men as mates because they find the mating process itself much easier, produces better results in birth rate... and from what I've been told, a lot more sensual..." she said with a wink.

"I... kind of feel pity for the male zoras." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"But that's not my biggest problem with this." Link said, "I'm more concerned with Ruto's feelings."

"Her feelings?" Nemisa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've known Ruto for a long time now, and I highly doubt she'd be fine with the idea of me marrying not just her, but with others. You guys may be accustomed to the idea of the king having a harem, but others like Ruto probably wouldn't be on board with it..."

"Perhaps then, you should just ask her." Nabooru said, "You might be surprised."

"Yeah... I should." Link said nervously.

* * *

"Alright you all, I'm going off to go see Link." Ruto said, a bit exhausted from Aviel, Togau and the other girls playdate with her.

"Okay!" shouted Aviel, then turned to Togau, "Hey Togau, send the ball at me!"

Ruto watched as Aviel got beaned in the face by the ball, and falling backwards into the water.

"They're certainly strange ones..." Ruto sighed, as she swam towards the shore. "And they seem pretty smitten with Link... I wonder if he would..."

She gulped a bit.

"He... he wouldn't do something like that, would he?" she muttered.

She eventually found Link, sitting at a small cliffside, watching out at the lake. She took a deep breath and causally strolled up to him to greet him.

"Hello there husband." she smiled, sitting down beside Link, he looked like he had been distracted with something, but looked to her and smiled gently.

"Hey Ruto, are you enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"I suppose, those girls are nice, but can be a bit of a workout."

"Ha ha, don't I know that!" Link agreed.

"They're all quite fond of you." she said, resting her head on her wrist, "Just who are they to you?"

"I... I'm not completely sure yet." Link said, "When I first went to the town all I knew of the Gerudo was they were thieves and warriors, but when I actually got there..." he paused, "Well when I got there Nemisa beat me to a pulp, but they all turned out to be really good people, they're all just working together to build their society, a real one."

"Yes, you mentioned Lady Nabooru was responsible for that?"

"Mm-hmm, she really worked hard to not so much restore their lives, but rebuild it into something new, and I really admire what she's done."

"I was surprised myself." Ruto said, "They are indeed different from what my instructors told me about Ganondorf's people."

"So, um... that reminds me... Can I just ask you a little favor?" Link asked, "Can you not tell anyone about what we're doing here? They really needed this day to relax from the heat, even if they're on Hylian land."

"I..." Ruto started, then went into deep thought. "Of... of course not." Ruto nodded, making a small smile, "My lips are sealed."

"Thanks for that." Link said, turning and giving her a hug.

Ruto was on Cloud Nine at that moment, relishing in the embrace. He had never actually hugged her before, despite them being engaged, and it felt so good for her to be pressed against his bare athletic body. Her arms slowly draped around him in reaction and hugged him back.

Link meanwhile felt a strange sensation through his own self, Ruto's body was sleek and cool, dripping with water, and it felt... nice, and soothing. Her gentle arms were wrapped around his body, and her fins delicately tickled his back.

For the longest time he was always uncertain about Ruto's marriage proposal, when he was younger, the idea of him marrying a fish woman just seemed outright bizarre, but now after all these years, he found it feeling not so strange...

But then he remembered the major problem with all this.

"Ruto..." Link started, breaking the hug, but keeping his hands on her sides. "Do.. you still mean it when you said you wanted to marry me?"

"Of course!" Ruto said proudly, "I wouldn't pick anyone else but you!"

"Well, the thing is... are you aware of the tradition of the Gerudo King taking wives?" Link started, feeling a bit awkward about bringing this up.

"Yes, but what do you mean by tha-" that was when Ruto recalled what she had been taught in that regard, "Oh... OH!" she gasped out, covering her mouth.

"Yeah, I didn't even know about this until just recently myself, but Nabooru told me it was tradition for the king of the Gerudo to have multiple wives. She said it was especially important now with the Gerudo's population decline."

"Ah yes, I almost forgot about that.." Ruto realized, she couldn't help but pity the Gerudo at that moment for what they had been going through.

"You recall what I told you about me being the one who got Ganondorf arrested? Well, I feel responsible for what happened to the Gerudo after what happened, and when I saw them all and how much they had suffered, I knew I had to at least do something to help them." he said.

"Yes, you've always been like that, haven't you?" Ruto smiled lightly.

"If I do decide to become the Gerudo King, I'll be probably taking many wives, and having children with them... " Ruto couldn't help but notice Link was a little nervous as he spoke, "In fact, Nabooru has taken me in that way quite a number of times over the past months, teaching me about being with women..."

"O-Oh my..." Ruto gasped with a blush.

"The point I'm getting to, is that if you're not comfortable with the idea of me having more girls then just you as a wife, I would understand if you wish to call off the marriage. I can then just give you back the Zora's Sapphire, and that way you can give it to a man you truly can love for just yourself..." Link said.

He felt guilty about having to ask this of her, especially after she was kind enough to keep the this vacation with the Gerudo secret, but he knew he couldn't keep avoiding the issue with Ruto.

"Link..." Ruto started softly, "Do you remember the words I said when I gave you the Zora's Sapphire all those years ago?"

"Yeah," Link nodded, "You said your mother gave it you..."

"...and that I should give it to the man I choose to marry." nodded Ruto, "Link, when I gave you that sapphire, it wasn't a spontaneous choice on my part. I saw not just the valor and strength you had, but your heart as well. You saved both me and Lord Jabu Jabu., and I couldn't help but fall in love with you."

She leaned back and looked into the sky, "My father has attempted for years to introduce me to both zora and even human princes, but I turned down all of them, because there was only one man who I picked as my husband, and nothing will change that."

Link wasn't sure what to say in response.

"But for now, I... need to think..." Ruto said standing up, "I respect your honesty Link, and... um," she paused, "I-I'm going to get back to see the girls now." With that, she stood at the edge of the small cliff and leaped off with a graceful dive into the water to go swim off and meet up with the girls.

Link himself just sat there and hung his head down.

* * *

Ruto meanwhile was back with the Gerudo girls. She was helping one of the younger ones with a minor swimming lesson.

"That's it, keep kicking your feet." Ruto said, holding the girl by her hands as she moved through the water.

"Thanks so much for this Princess Ruto." the girl said, "We don't get many opportunists to be in the water like this, so I never learned to swim."

"Think nothing of it." smirked Ruto, "Consider it an honor to be taught by an illustrious zora such as myself!"

Afterwards, Ruto let the girl go off to practice herself, she contemplated what Link had told her about the way of the Gerudo, and how he was considering becoming their king, and the idea of him having a harem of wives.

It bothered her to say the least, the idea of sharing Link with so many other women, just the idea that he had been sleeping with Lady Nabooru had shocked and bothered her.

Her mind then wandered to the promise he asked of her, to not tell anyone about what the Gerudo were doing here. Technically, they were indeed breaking the law of the Hylian Parliament by being here at the lake, and if she decided to report what was going on, they would likely show no mercy to the Gerudo for doing something like this...

"Maybe if I did that... Link would be left to..." she muttered.

"Hi Ruto!" shouted a voice, "Having fun?"

She shook herself out of her disturbing thoughts and looked to see Aviel standing there before her, smiling brightly.

"I suppose so." Ruto nodded, but then paused, "Wait, why do you address me so casually, do you not know you stand before the zora princess?" she asked, sticking her nose up snobbishly.

"Hee hee, cause you're going to marry Link, right?" Aviel asked, "That means you're a member of our family, so you're like a sister to me!"

"A sister...?!" Ruto asked in surprise.

"She's right ya know." grinned Togau, swimming up to them, "We Gerudo are a close-knit bunch, and if you do marry Link, that makes you our family too. I was pretty surprised when I learned Link was engaged with a zora, but I can see yer a nice lady, if a bit stuck-up, and I think you'll fit in with us fine!"

"I... uh, thank you?" Ruto said, at a loss for most words.

"Now comeon fishlips," Togau snickered, spinning her beach ball on her finger, "Let's hit the ball around again!"

"Fishlips?!" exclaimed Ruto in a huff, "How dare you!" as she slapped the water, splashing Togau.

"Okay, it's on now!" Togau said splashing Ruto back, but the fish woman didn't even flinch

"Ha, water does nothing to me!" smirked Ruto.

"Then we need another weapon, Aviel deploy the wings!" Togau stated.

It was then that Aviel lunged at Ruto from behind and started tickling her with her feathery wings.

"Ahahahaha!" Ruto found herself laughed uncontrollably, "You little. How dare yo- haahah!"

The three of them were playing for what seemed like forever. As Ruto dunked Aviel underwater for a second, she reflected on what the two of them told her, and what Link said before.

'A... family huh...?'

She then felt a tinge of guilt, as her thoughts went back to the idea of reporting the Gerudo's trespassing situation. Now the more she thought about it, the harder it was for her to even consider.

"Goddesses, what am I thinking...? If these girls are really like family to Link.. and if I reported them, I'd be taking them away from him, and he'd probably hate me for it...' She paused, 'But would I really be comfortable with him if he...?'

"Hey Ruto, you okay?" asked Aviel with a worried look in her eyes.

"Huh? Oh, I-I'm fine." Ruto said nervously, her thoughts started to drift back to before.

'I wonder... if maybe I could possibly...'

It was at that moment however, Ruto felt a strange motion in the water. It seemed to be pushing against her, but not like typical waves or ripples, this had much more force to it, and it was then she realized what this could possibly be.

"Oh no..."

* * *

_**Cliffhanger! Hope you enjoyed this one like always. I'm not sure how people feel about the Link/Ruto pairing, I recall back when OoT first came out people were pretty grossed out by an inter-species romance like this, but I feel times have changed since then, and with the monstergirl fad going around as of late I think people are a bit more open to it now. The question is how will Ruto take to the Gerudo, and what is this new threat that looms under the waters? The next part will be coming soon!**_


	13. Flooded Emotions

_**And now part 2 of the Ruto and the Lake Hylia arc, enjoy!**_

* * *

Link found himself walking along the shoreline, the waves slowing out and over his feet as he walked. He was in deep thought of everything going on, especially with Ruto herself.

"Ugh, she was so sincere about what she said, but me having to say what I did just made me feel like an insensitive jerk to her." Link sighed. "What should I do...?"

"Hey there Link, how did it go?" asked the voice of someone coming up to him.

Link turned to see Nabooru strolling up to him, he had to admit it was hard for him to tear his eyes off her, and she gave a knowing smirk.

"Not so good, I think." sighed Link, "I offered to give back the sapphire, but she refused. I thought she'd yell at me, slap me, or even denounce our friendship... but she didn't say anything... I can't tell if that's worse or not."

"A woman's heart is a very complicated thing." nodded Nabooru, "But the fact she didn't say a 'Yes' or 'No' isn't a bad thing, I think she's just conflicted about this right now. The only advice I can give you for this is to just be assertive with her."

"Assertive... about breaking the engagement with her? I tried doing that once and I don't think she paid much mind to it, and I didn't want to come off as too harsh..." he sighed.

"I don't necessarily mean assertive in that way." she said, somewhat cryptically, confusing him for a second, "But the real question you should be thinking about is... what is Princess Ruto to you?"

"What Ruto is to me...?" repeated Link.

"All I'll tell you is just do whatever your heart tells you to." Nabooru said, "Whatever choice you make, I'll support you." With that, Nabooru gave Link a gentle kiss on the cheek and walked off.

Link stood, contemplating what Nabooru said.

"What Ruto is to me..." he muttered, as his thoughts drifted to his past with Ruto. Link closed his eyes as flashbacks ran through his mind as fast as a stream of water.

* * *

"_Huh? Who are you? How did you get inside Lord Jabu Jabu's belly?"_

"_Hmph, I won't go walking around aimlessly, you'll have to carry me!"_

"_There it is! My mother's sapphire!"  
_

"_Hey you, help! This thing is scary!"_

"_You... were pretty cool back there, cooler then I thought."_

"_Come on, I'll show you how to dive and fish like a zora!"_

"_Waah! I hurt myself on that rock, please carry me home, Link!"_

"_Hee hee, daddy was pretty confused at first when you wore that zora mask! I'm sure he's not as angry as he sounded!"_

"_Hey, wanna go play in Lord Jabu Jabu's belly again? Hey, where are you going?!"_

"_Link I... want you to have this... I promised my mother that I would give this sapphire to the man who would become my husband, and that's you."_

"_So you're leaving for a while? Okay, come back big and strong so I can marry you, okay?"_

"_Link, what are you doing here of all places, and why are you so...?!"_

"_That power you hold, it's amazing! Are you sure you can handle it?"_

"_Just please be careful, you mean too much to me to lose..."_

"_I'm sure I'll see you again someday, when you return."_

"_There you are! I've been waiting for you for a while now, so are we to marry now?"_

"_Ohohoho! You sound like you've had many fine adventures! You have to tell me more!"_

"_If you ever change your mind, I'll be waiting for you!"_

* * *

It was then that one final thought went through his mind, one of him in the dark future, standing in a strange blue fountain-like room, and standing before him was Ruto, sporting a solemn expression, her eyes filled with sadness and regret.

"_I think... we may have to postpone our engagement... indefinitely..."_

* * *

Link just paused as he reflected on those words, and in that moment, he felt his body tremble.

"Would I have the nerve to make her feel that same sense of sadness...?" Link muttered to himself.

He then felt water going down his cheeks, at first he thought it might have been lake water from his hair, but realized it was his own tears. He was crying, uncontrollably.

"What's happening...?" Link said to himself, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes, "I've never felt this sad about it before... that's not even going to happen anymore, I saw to that... so why am I crying over it now...?"

He then he realized what was different then before, from when he was a naive kid in an adult's body, he covered his eyes with his hand and smiled sadly.

"That's it... the difference now is I understand what love really is..."

He sighed, "I'm such an idiot.."

It was then he suddenly heard a loud scream, jolting him out of his mood, he turned towards the water, and looked in surprise of a giant whirlpool in the center of the lake.

"What the heck?!" Link exclaimed, he was even more surprised to see many of the Gerudo who were in the lake being caught up in the whirlpool, they tried to swim away, but the current was too strong.

"Link!" shouted Aviel, flying down to him, "The lake's acting weird, and our sisters are stuck in it, even Togau!"

It was then the water started to ripple out, and a bunch of tall but thin watery tendrils shot out from the lake, each holding a different Gerudo woman, who were either screaming or outcold. In the center was a large blob of water that was making loud burbling sounds, and a strange pulsating nucleus in the center of it.

"What the heck is that?!" shouted Nemisa, running to come join Link and Aviel.

"It can't be..." Link said with side eyes, having flashbacks from the dark future again.

"This is bad..." said Sarami, running up as well, "Morpha has returned!"

"What's a Morpha?" Aviel asked.

"It's a giant aquatic amoeba, capable of manipulating water around it to give itsefl a body. It has used the Water Temple at the bottom of the lake as it's domain." Sarami explained, adjusting her glasses, "My friend at the Lakeside Labritory has been doing research on it to find out it's origins."

"Whatever it is, it's attacking our people!" Nemisa said.

"But what is it trying to do?" Aviel asked.

"I... believe this excessive heat is causing Morpha to panic, and it's trying to sistain it's form."

"Huh?"

"The human body is approximately 60% water, our theory is that Morpha can potentially drain that water from people." Sarami said.

"So it intends to absorb our sisters?!" snarled Nemisa, "What can we do?!"

"I'm not sure myself," Nabooru said, having arrived as well, "Our archery equipment is all back at the town, so we can't use ranged combat, and there's no boats around here to get close enough."

"Whatever it is, we have to do something!" Link said.

"Hey, look!" Aviel said, pulling down her goggles to get a good look at the water, "Ruto is fighting it!"

The group looked out to see a faint figure shooting through the water. It was Ruto, fighting against the whirlpool and using her zora abilities to slash and spin through the tendrils as they attacked her.

"You unhand these girls you menace!" shouted Ruto, "I won't allow you to hurt them!"

Morpha swung it's tendrils down towards Ruto, but she swam left and right avoid them, before spinning into one tendril to destroy it and free a Gerudo girl. Ruto was quick to swim up and catch her, before retreating back to the shoreline where Link and the others were.

"Ruto, that was an amazing save!" Link said, "Nice work!"

"Thanks, but I'm outnumbered right now with those... ugh... tentrils." she groaned, "Why did it have to be tendrils?"

Sarami immediately went up to the girl to examine her, "I think she's fine." she said as the Gerudo girl hugged Sarami tightly, "But I don't know how much longer the others can wait!"'

"I could go retrieve my people to help, but I doubt we'd make it back in time." Ruto said.

"I'll do whatever I can to save some of them!" Aviel said, taking to the sky with her bird wings.

"Grrr.. I hate being here useless!" Nemisa said, "But I can't fight water, especially in the open lake!"

"Your highness!" shouted a voice, everyone looked up to see Korume and Kesuta, riding on their broomsticks, "We tried to fight off the water tendrils ourselves, but our magic isn't working."

"My fire won't even come close to hurting that stupid thing!" shouted Kesuta in annoyance.

"I even tried freezing the water with my ice, but it wouldn't work." Korume scowled coldly.

"Not even ice would work on it...?" Link muttered, he naarrowed his eyes and pondered to himself until an idea occurred to him.

"Korume, try freezing as much water as you can around the tendrils to form a circular platform we can stand on!" Link shouted, "Kesuta, you help Aviel to save the girls!"

"Of course my liege!" the mystics both said, flying off.

Link then turned to Nabooru, Nemisa and Sarami, "You guys stay on guard to tend to any girls we bring back here."

"Right!" agreed Nabooru, Sarami nodded as well.

"And Ruto," Link said, looking to the zora, "I need your help to carry me to where Morpha is!"

Ruto was rather caught off guard at how quick and authoritative Link was being in that moment. She saw his eyes were full of determination, and she nodded to him.

"Very well, get on and hang on tight!"

With that, Link climbed onto Ruto's back and the two shot out across the water towards the creature and it's captives.

Nemisa herself meanwhile, was watching her king going off to confront the monster, with a strange sense of worry going through her mind.

* * *

"Leggo my sisters you jerk!" Aviel shouted, swooping down at Morpha's tendrils. She came down to one of the girls and lacking many other options, stuck out her leg, "Grab on!"

The Gerudo did and held onto Aviel's leg, as the bird girl herself flapped her wings as hard as possible to pull her out of the tendril.

"Damnit..." Aviel groaned, "I'm not strong enough... I wish I could use my crossbow and fly at the same time, then I could shoot that stupid thing..."

It was then she looked down to see Link riding on the back of Ruto, as they shot through the water, weaving and dodging through the attack of tendrils, while Link pulled out his sword and slashed and hacked at the ones that came too close.

"Link, Ruto, over here!" called out Aviel.

Link nodded and sliced his blade through the one tendril that Aviel was fighting against, freeing the captive and allowing Aviel to carry her.

"Thank you so much sister Aviel!" the Gerudo girl sobbed.

"Oof! You can thank me by cutting down on the sweet rolls!" shouted Aviel, flapping her wings as fast as possible to carry the girl back to land safely.

Kesuta flew down at one of the girls and tried to grab her, but the tendril holding her suddenly shot out ice shards in the shape of spears at the mystic.

"Ha, ice is nothing for my flames!" she shouted, shooting fire down on the spears, but the spear shot right through her flames,and came dangerously close to hitting her.

"Not even that worked?!" exclaimed Kesuta, "Not fair!"

Korume meanwhile was dodging the tendrils as they came at her, while she was freezing the lake water in an attempt to make some solid ground, she gasped out at the amount of power she was exerting, but took a look up at the girls being held by Morpha and narrowed her eyes.

"We promised we'd do anything it took to save everyone..." Korume muttered, "Anything..."

* * *

"Let go of me ya dang drip!" shouted Togau, waving her arms and legs around as Moepha's tendril was holding her. The giant monster, even as something made almost completely of water, sweatdropped at how difficult it was to restrain her. It didn't help that Imra was flying around smacking and pecking at it's tendril,, distracting it from absorbing the Gerudo.

"Togau!" Link shouted, "Ruto, we have to help her!"

"Of course!" Ruto said, speeding off in the direction of the tendril with Togau. Morpha saw where they were going and fired off a barrage of ice spears at the two, but Ruto did a quick hop out of the water and back in to avoid them. Link couldn't help but think about the look of the ice spear itself before Ruto had dodged them.

"Those didn't look like regular ice..." Link pondered.

"Here it comes!" Ruto announced, knocking Link out his thoughts, as they approached the tendril Togau was held by. Link brought out his sword, charged it with energy, and unleashed a spin attack, slashing through the tendril and freeing Togau.

"Woah nelly!" shouted Togau, she was falling down before Link jumped off of Ruto's back and caught Togau in midair, soon landing down on the ice platform Korume had just finished.

"Ah, my hero!" grinned Togau.

Ruto did a graceful hop out of the water and onto the ice platform and landing on her feet, taking a moment to spread her arms out as if she had just performed a show. She spun around to see Link set Togau down.

"Ruto, thanks so much fer helpin' me too!" Togau said, giving her a hug.

"Yeah..." smiled Ruto warmly, "As if I'd allow you all to get hurt..."

"My king, is this platform suitable?" asked Korume, flying down to their position, she seemed thoroughly exhausted from using so much ice magic.

"It's good and durable Korume, nice work." Link said, stomping his foot against it, "Go ahead and get Togau back to shore and take a rest!"

"Very well." she nodded, getting Togau on her broom and flying back to the beach.

"So what do we do now?" Ruto asked.

"I'll handle as much as I can on this platform, you try to do what you can from the water." Link said.

"Okay, but be careful Link." Ruto slowly walked up to Link and gave him a hug.

"You too." Link said, returning the hug, "I... need to tell you something when this is over."

Ruto's face flushed for a second, and she nodded.

With that, Link ran forward on the ice while Ruto dove back into the water and went back to attacking the tendrils.

As Link charged down the ice platform, using his sword to strike at the tendrils, smaller tendrils emerged out of the water to attack him, he lost his balance on the ice for a bit, giving the tendrils a chance to smack him a few times.

Link soon got an idea and swatted the tendrils away, then taking his shield of his back, doing a jump, and started sliding around on the platform using his shield. With the added speed, he as able to attack the tendrils faster and with more force.

Morpha was getting as aggravated as a giant water blob could get, and started firing off more ice spears at everyone attacking it. Kesuta tried her fire attacks again, bit the spears just shot though it.

"Grrr..." snarled Kesuta, "Why won't this ice melt?!"

"Good question." Link muttered to himself, "Where have I seen ice that won't mel-"

It was then a thought occurred to him, a memory from the dark future.

"Kesuta!" Link shouted from below her, hopping off his shield, "Morpha has the power to create red ice! That's why it's resistant to Korume's magic! The only thing that could melt it is blue fire!"

"Blue fire?" exclaimed Kesuta, "Why didn't you say so?!" With that, Kesuta conjured two fireballs and put them together, they spun at a rapid pace until they combined and turned blue.

Some more spears came at Link, but Kesuta shot the blue fire down and quickly melted away the red ice weapons.

"Wait, you can just make it?!" Link exclaimed.

"It's a little trick I learned a while back." grinned Kesuta.

"Well great trick! Now let's get back to saving the rest of the girls!" Link nodded.

"Okay!" Kesuta said, flying back into action.

* * *

Thanks to the efforts of Link, Ruto, Aviel and Kesuta, it wasn't long until they had rescued the last of the girls and hauled them off back to the beach. Link came to a stop in front of the giant monster itself, who wasn't particularity happy that this kid and his friends took it's whole meal. It's tendrils came back out and it let out a bubbly war cry.

Before it could attack though, Ruto spun right through the main body of the beast with a spin attack, displacing it's form a bit.

"Take that!" Ruto shouted.

Morpha burbled in annoyance, then shot off a wave of red ice mist at Ruto as powerful as wind, and while she was able to get far enough away that it didn't blast her completely, it did manage to launch her out of the water and onto the ice platform, and even worse, managed to freeze both her legs in red ice.

"Damnit!" she struggled and squirmed, "I can't move my legs!"

"Hold on Princess!" Kesuta shouted from overhead, "Just give me a second to make more blue fire!"

Morpha meanwhile wasn't going to wait, and slammed it's tendrils down on Link who jumped and evaded its attacks. The creature's rapid attacks were getting hard to dodge on the ice though, and Link soon slipped, giving the monster the chance to smash him with a direct attack.

"Uugh..." Link groaned, but before he could get up, Morpha grabbed Link and puled him into it's clutches, before sinking down into the water.

"No, Link!" shouted Ruto, while Kesuta started to work on carefully melting the red ice without injuring the fish princess.

Meanwhile underwater, with Link in it's clutches, Morpha used the water around it to squeeze around Link's body, causing the young man to shout out, the air leaving his body.

Link was weakening, but his eyes focused through the depths, and he realized by doing this, Morpha left itself open for an attack. He gritted his teeth, brought up his sword, and even with the water normally slowing his movements down, jammed his sword down into Morpha's main weak point, it's nucleus, just as he did when he fought the creature in the dark future.

Morpha trembled and squealed out in pain as it's nucleus shot out of the water and onto the ice, it bounced around harmlessly, cringing and throbbing in pain, until it dried up and disintegrated on the spot.

Link's eyes grew tired, his body was no longer bound by Morpha's power, but his lungs were filling with water, and he started sinking downwards towards the bottom of the lake.

Finally, Kesuta managed to thaw the ice enough that Ruto could smash it apart with her fist, before immediately jumping into the water after Link.

'I did it... I just need... to get... up and...' Link thought to himself, trying to swim back up, but his eyes shut starting to lose consciousness. He was unaware someone was swimming down towards him,

'I have to get to Link before he...' Ruto thought to herself as she sped downwards towards where she saw him fall, 'Please Link, you promised you would make it, and you would tell me what you wanted to say!'

She then realized someone was by Link, and what she saw them doing shocked her.

The mysterious figure had their lips over Link's mouth.

'Wha...?' Link thought to himself, feeling air going into his lungs, as his eyes slowly opened and he saw someone in front of him, with their lips over his, breathing air into his mouth. He looked up and saw familiar long red hair, flowing freely through the water. He felt like he could almost recognize the person...

'Nemisa...?' Link realized.

Nemisa slowly opened her eyes, and in that moment he saw her usual stern and angry look was now full of compassion, but her eyes soon closed as she fell against Link, he caught her just long enough for Ruto to grab the two of them and bring them to the surface.

* * *

"Are they going to be okay?" Aviel asked.

"Yes, they both just took in a little too much water, but they'll recover soon." Sarami said, with Link and Nemisa both laying on towels on the beach. All the girls had crowded around with concern for both of them. Ruto in particular was kneeling by Link's side, not moving an inch.

"Link..." Ruto muttered.

"Ugh... Ruto...?" Link groaned, opening his eyes and looking up at the fish princess looking over him.

"You're awake!" squealed Ruto, grabbed Link and hugging him so tightly that he spewed out what little water was left in his lungs. The water splashed onto Nemisa's face, causing her to squirm and suddenly spew water out of her own mouth like a fountain, before coughing and getting up.

"Gack, why did I even think to do tha-" Nemisa was cut off by a hyperactive Gerudo embracing her.

"Yay! Nemisa's okay too!" squealed Aviel, hugging her co-bodyguard tightly with her wings, while the girls all cheered out, and many hugs and thanks were handed out by everyone for the heroes that day.

* * *

Later that night with everyone recovered, the group had taken to setting up a large bonfire on the shore. Some of the girls were using it to roast pieces of meat for dinner, while most were using it to stay warm after the chaos that happened earlier that day.

"Aaah, this shaved ice is perfect!' Aviel squealed, enjoying a bowl of it, "I never knew ice made by magic could actually be yummy!"

"Where do you think we get most of our ice around town?" grinned Kesuta, "Korume has a bit of a side business selling ice to the girls."

"A pity I couldn't do much about it earlier, but the weather should start cooling down soon." Korume said.

Link in particular was wrapped in a towel, sniffling and sneezing loudly, while Ruto was by his side trying to comfort him. "Ugh, I think I'm coming down with something... probably from running around on that ice..." he looked over at Ruto and asked, "I hope you don't get sick sitting by me like this."

"Don't worry about me." Ruto said grinning, hugging him softly, "Fish don't catch colds."

"Lucky you." sniffled Link.

"Honestly, only can idiot like you can somehow get a cold on the hottest day on the year." Nemisa rolled her eyes.

Link took a look over to Nemisa, staring at her.

"W-What..?" she asked.

"Nemisa, thanks for saving me." Link he said with a light blush.

"Ah... um... j-just keep in mind that was strictly to save you. That didn't count as a... well... you know!" she said, turning her head away.

"Right, right." chuckled Link. He then looked to Ruto and saw her looking to Nemisa with curiosity.

"Um, so Ruto... I... thank you... you know, for everything you did for us today." Link told her.

"Of course, anything for my man." she smiled.

"Yeah.. about that." he paused, not sue what exactly to say. He took a look over at Nabooru, who was watching them intently, and she just gave Link a small nod.

Link nodded back and took a deep breath, removing his towel and turning to Ruto, staring into her eyes.

"Ruto, let me start off my saying I'm sorry for trying to give you back the Zora's Sapphire, I know how much it means to you, and the meaning behind you giving it to me... and I was a fool to try and make you second guess yourself."

"Hmph, glad you finally acknowledge that." Ruto nodded, she was getting a little too into Link's gaze, but stuck her nose up in an attempt to hide it.

"And with that, I've... done a bit of thinking...about my... situation with the Gerudo, and you know, you and me... " he said, finding himself trying to find the right words. He paused, took a deep breath, and decided to assert himself.

"Ruto, when I first met you, I thought you were just a childish bratty princess, but overtime, I came to see you as a great friend. When you gave me the Zora's Sapphire, I was just a stupid little kid who didn't understand the significance of what you meant by giving it to me, all I had cared about was completing my quest."

He continued, "But over the past years, and recently over the past months, I've grown as a person, and I've come to understand many things, including love itself, and that maybe I was too hasty to say we should just be friends..."

Ruto's eyes widened.

"What I'm trying say is, Princess Ruto..." Link said, his face flushed.

"I'd like to take responsibility for you, and accept the Zora's Sapphire in the way you mother wanted."

Ruto's body trembled, as tears were forming in her eyes.

"Link... you're serious...?"

"Yes." nodded Link, "There is one other thing though. As the future king of the Gerudo, I have a duty to my people, and one of them is helping to save them from dying out. If I follow through with becoming king, I'll be taking other wives besides you and having children with them. What I'm asking is, if you'd be willing to not just become my wife... but become a part of our family as well."

Ruto just sat there, at a loss of what to say in that exact moment. She looked over to the Gerudo, to Lady Nabooru, Dr. Sarami, Togau, Aviel, and she took a long look to Nemisa. They all stared back at her, Aviel in particular smiling brightly in anticipation.

Ruto closed her eyes, smiled lightly, and then looked up to Link, "Of course Link, I'd be honored to."

With that, the future Gerudo king and the zora princess embraced each other, and the whole Gerudo clan cheered out. Many congratulations were handed out to the two of them.

"I'm so happy for you two!" Aviel said excitedly, taking Ruto's hand, "Welcome to the family sister Ruto!"

"Oh, t-thank you Aviel." Ruto said, smiling gently.

"Way to make such a great catch Link!" joked Togau, slapping her knee in enthusiasm, "You two make a great pair!"

"Oohoho, but of course, you doubt the charm of a zora?" laughed Ruto, going back to her usual self..

"Not bad Link." Nabooru grinned, giving the future a thumbs up.

"Aaaw jees," sighed Kesuta, "I can't believe we got beaten to the punch by a zora."

"The early bird gets the worm, in this case the early fish." chuckled Korume, "I'm just glad to see the king so happy."

"They're childhood friends falling in love, I think it's so cute!" squealed out Sarami, putting her hand to her cheek to hold back herself from smiling too much.

"I wonder how this is going to affect the pool." pondered one random Gerudo girl.

"Huh? What do you mean by pool?" asked Nemisa.

"Well," started a third one, "Some of the girls had put together a gambling pool over which of Link's closest friends he was going to take as his first bride!"

"What." Nemisa said deadpanned.

"Yeah, Aviel the Birdbrain and Lady Nabooru were two of the top contenders, but a lot of them voted for you as wel-" the girl was quickly muffled by the others, who looked at Nemisa nervously.

"Uh, ya see what she meant was... uh..." Togau started.

"WHAT." shouted Nemisa, "How dare you, you brats!"

"Kyyaaa! Nemisa's angry again!" shouted the girls, running off.

Ruto herself couldn't help herself but to laugh as she saw the girls running around, and Link just took a look to his fiance, the first of probably many as far as Nabooru was concerned. But that didn't matter right at that moment...

* * *

"Well guess it's time to pack up and head back home." Nabooru said later that night, "If we take too long, we might get spotted by Hylian guards."

"Awww, it was so much fun being out here, you know, besides the whole giant water monster thing," Aviel sighed, gathering up various thing they had brought to the lake, "I wish we could go out here more often."

"Less bellyaching, more packing." Nemisa said.

"Hm, if you all really wish to come out here more often..." Ruto pondered, putting a finger to her mouth in thought, "I might be able to speak to my daddy about having the zora take watch over the lake more often and report when the Hylian guard won't be around."

"You'd do that for us?!" exclaimed Aviel.

"Of course," Ruto smirked, "After all, we're family now, right?"

"Yes yes, thank you!" Aviel said cheerfully, hugging Ruto with her bird wings

"We would really respect that a lot, Princess Ruto. While we're at it, we'll have to discuss matters of trading surplus with the zora. We may be rebuilding, but we have plenty of ways to help your own people as well." Nabooru said.

"Yes, I think this could be the beginning a fine friendship between the Zora and the Gerudo." Ruto nodded.

"We should probably keep it secret for a while though." Link pointed out, "If the Hylians find out the Gerudo and Zora are going to be allies now, it could affect the Zora's own reputation with them."

"Good point." nodded Ruto, "I'll speak to daddy about all this, but we'll be careful not to allow the Hylian Parliament to find out about our alliance."

"You think the King Zora will be okay with it?" asked Nabooru.

"It'll take some convincing, but I'm sure I can make daddy see it my way. I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that Morpha has been destroyed, which could earn you his favor. If anything though, I'm sure he'll just be happy I finally found my husband!" Ruto said with a haughty laugh.

"Speaking of which, when's the wedding?" Togau asked, "I need ta know when to shine mah boots."

"For a wedding?" Nemisa asked sweatdropping.

"Well due to the climate of the land at the moment, and that annoying law, we'll have to wait a while before we actually start planning it. I need to get back to my people and address this situation." Ruto said, she then grinned lightly and said, "Now you girls take care of my husband, make sure he's in one piece when I'm finally ready to marry him!"

"I'm sure I'll be fine." chuckled Link.

Ruto then strolled up to her fiance and looked him in the eyes, saying "See that you do, my dear husband." before playfully splashing him with a bit of water from the lake, and then giving him a full kiss on the lips, their first one, and not soon to be their last.

Meanwhile, unknown to all of them, a mysterious figure was standing near the entrance to Lake Hylia, having watched and heard everything that night. The figure didn't say a word or make their presence known, but just turned and left...

* * *

Some time later that night, the figure slowly walked into a room at a distant place far away from Lake Hylia, and knelt down before another person

"So what do you have to report?" asked the standing person.

"It seems the rumor I heard form that one zora is true. The Gerudo have selected a king, and it appears to be _him_."

"O-Oh my, I never would had thought he'd do something such as that. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, they succeeded in destroying the monster Morpha of Lake Hylia... And it seems he's become engaged to the Zora Princess Ruto."

"That's... something I _really_ never would had expected..."

There was a pause between the two of them, before the kneeling person decided to bring something up.

"So I take it we should not report the Gerudo trespassing at the lake to the king?" they asked.

"That won't be necessary, of course. Just keep me posted on whatever you happen to learn, Impa."

"As you wish, Princess Zelda."

* * *

_**And there you go. So Ruto's become part of Link's bizarre family of sorts. She ended up being a lot of fun to write for, so I was glad I went through with including her.  
**_

_**Anyway, thanks for reading, like, follow review if you liked it, look forward to the next chapter, all that good stuff.**_


	14. True Strength

_**So how about that Breath of The Wild sequel news, huh?  
**_

_**Okay, so I have no intro for this chapter, sue me.**_

* * *

Link's eyes opened as the sun shined over his face. He saw it was morning in Gerudo Town. He felt the urge to go back to sleep as he used to, but he was trying to force himself not to sleep in as frequently as he used to.

It had been several weeks since their vacation at Lake Hylia, and his acceptance of Ruto being his fiance. As of now, he found himself laying back on his bed of pillows with one of his arms wrapped around Nabooru, who herself had both her arms wrapped around his body, resting against him.

The two had shared another night together like usual, Link himself was getting used to these kinds of 'sessions', and thanks to Nabooru's training, he was getting better at making her feel as good as she made him as well. It was a strange experience for him, but it was a lot more enjoyable then he thought, and it helped that Nabooru was such a great teacher.

His thoughts then wandered to Ruto; how the two of them have fallen in love,and now engaged, and with that, the idea of the two of them copulating together, and using these techniques with her in bed eventually. While some Hylian might be weirded out at the thought of making love to a Zora, Link was finding being with Ruto like that more appealing the more he thought about it.

Shortly after their time at the lake, Sarami was quick to educate Link on what she knew of Zora anatomy, including how effective mating is between male humans and female Zoras, though perhaps she had gone into a little TOO much detail for his liking.

He laid back and thought about the idea of not just making love to Ruto, but having children with her. It was an odd feeling, it felt both scary, but exciting at the same time.

His thoughts drifted to an adventure he had gone on where he saved some baby zora eggs from thieves so they could properly hatch. Then his thoughts went back to the medical clinic when they helped Maifeki give birth, and when he held her baby in his arms. He got to experience those new lives coming into the world firsthand, and it was a great feeling...

'Wonder if I'll be a good father...?' Link thought to himself. Those thoughts were interrupted by a soft moaning from Nabooru, who slowly woke and opened her eyes, then gave Link a gentle peck on the cheek.

"Morning Link." Nabooru grinned. She studied his facial features and ran a hand along his cheek."You have that look again, what're you thinking about?"

"Mostly just everything with Ruto." Link said, "I'm glad I was able to accept her proposal, though I'm a little nervous about it."

"How so?" Nabooru asked, now delicately tickling his chest with her fingers.

"A lot of things really; marrying her, having kids with her... it's a huge responsibility. Heck, even just the thought of the wedding alone has got me concerned." Link said, "Do you think Ruto's father and her people will accept me as her husband? And what will the Hyrule King say about it?"

"You worry too much, I think you'll do just fine." Nabooru said, giving him a light kiss, before getting up and starting to change into some clothes, "It's not going to be for a while anyway, I'm still working on plans to delegate with the Hylian Parliament about our situation. Ideally it'd be better if we had more allies besides the Zora to support us for when we do speak to them, though." she said.

"Hmm.." Link pondered to himself as he got up himself to put on his usual red vest and green pants that he had come accustomed to wearing in Gerudo Town, "What about the Gorons? Do they have any say in the Parliament?"

"Why, do you know them?" Nabooru asked.

"Yeah, I'm... actually the sworn brother of their leader Darunia." he said.

Nabooru practically faulted over upon hearing that.

"Seriously?!" she exclaimed, "A sworn brother is the highest honor a Goron can give someone, how did you win his favor?!"

"I helped his people out of a jam that Ganondorf put them in, it involved blowing up a bunch of stuff and bombing some Dodongos." Link explained.

"Well, to be honest the Gorons don't really get much respect from the parliament due to their simple ways and nature, but it would be good if we could at least arrange a meeting with Chief Darunia and negotiate some deals with them." Nabooru said, putting her hair into her typical topdown ponytail, "I have to say I'm impressed at how many connections you have in Hyrule."

"Yeah, I didn't really think about it too much until now." Link said, "Darunia and Ruto have always been good friends of mine, but I never really thought of them by their positions as leaders or things like that."

"Honestly, I think that's what would make you a grand king for us." Nabooru said, "You treat others as people, rather then a title or rank."

"Never really thought of it that way..." Link pondered.

"Morning guys!" shouted a loud voice, as Aviel came running in and jumping on top of Link, making him lose balance and knocking him over onto the pillows.

"Morning Aviel." Link said, not even surprised or embarrassed anymore from Aviel's forward greetings.

"So what's the plan for today?" Aviel asked as she sat on his stomach, doing a light bounce on it to show her enthusiasm..

"Well I'm going to need to get out to the training grounds today, just as soon as a little bird gets off of me." Link said, trying to give Aviel the hint.

"Aw, but it's so nice to be with you like this." she leaned forward, her breasts pressing against his chest, "Lady Nabooru always gets to spend every night with you, it makes me jealous!"

Nabooru paused, then said with a suggestive grin, "So, does that mean you interested in letting him take you? I wouldn't mind stepping out so the two of you could have a little fun..."

"W-What?!" exclaimed Aviel, her whole face flushing bright red, "M-Me and Link.. doing that kind of thing?! I... I couldn't do something like... uh..."

"Come on, I'm sure he would love to." Nabooru said.

"Hey, I'm right here you guys." Link said annoyed.

"Um... it just... you know... seems kinda soon for... that." Aviel looked left and right nervously.

"Well if that's the case, how about just a kiss then?" Nabooru suggested.

"A... a kiss...?" she contemplated that and looked down at Link. He was at a loss for words, as the two stared at each other for a few seconds. Aviel gulped a little, before turning her arms into bird wings and started flying out, "Uh, I just remembered I gotta go eat dinner... erm, I mean breakfast! Gotta go!"

Link and Nabooru watched as she banged into the door frame before flying out.

"She's got it bad for you, Link, you're a real charmer." snickered Nabooru.

"And you're pure evil, Nabooru." Link sweatdropped.

* * *

A clash of wooden swords went off at Gerudo Town's training grounds, where Link and a Gerudo guard were battling it out. The guard ran forward and did a flip over Link, who quickly spun around and blocked her sword with his shield, before thrusting his shield forward and knocking her sword away, giving him a chance to point his wooden sword at the woman's neck.

The fight being over at that point, the two of them sheathed their swords and shook hands.

The other girls, including Aviel who had been watching, all clapped and cheered over the duel. Nemisa meanwhile just sat and watched without any fanfare from her.

"You're a true fighter, your highness." the guard said to Link.

"You're pretty skilled yourself, it's no wonder you keep this place so well protected." Link nodded. It seemed like he was taking every day lately to go out to the training grounds and spar with anyone there willing to fight. Many of the Gerudo had their own distinct battle style, so it gave him a nice variety of opponents to practice against.

"Can I spar with you next, my king?!" asked another woman.

"Sure thing, put em up!" Link grinned as the two went into battle.

"He's really going at it." grinned Aviel, "Maybe you outta try sparring with him, Nemisa."

"I'd rather not" muttered Nemisa, glancing away.

"What, afraid you'll lose?" teased a nearby guard.

Nemisa turned to the guard and practically glared daggers at her, making her shut up.

"Lose? Not likely, I could handle him just fine." Nemisa said, she watched as Link knocked his opponent he was fighting on her rear end, ending their spar match, "...in fact, I will."

"Wow, she sure changed her mind quickly." snickered Aviel under her breath.

As Link and his last opponent shook and complimented each other over their abilities, Nemisa walked up to Link and poked his back, making him turn to her.

"Your highness, I'd like to spar with you." she said.

"Seriously?" he asked, "You sure?"

"I... need to test your abilities, just so I know how to properly guard you. That's all." she said. It was blatantly obvious to everyone there that she was just making an excuse, but no one dared to say anything out of fear of getting a death glare or clobbered.

"Alright then." Link said, gripping his sword, "I've been waiting for a rematch with you."

"Yes, and no need for you to be holding back this time." said Nemisa, going into a karate pose.

With that, the two of them went at each other. Link swung his sword, but Nemisa did a back flip to avoid it, then went at him with a forward punch, but Link dodged to the side. He stepped back and swung his sword vertically, to which Nemisa blocked it with the steel band on her leg. She then dropped down and attempted a sweeping kick, but Link quickly jumped and swung his own leg, kicking her backwards.

She shook it off quickly and lunged out with a rolling kick, hitting him across the face, but he retaliated by knocking her leg down by smacking the steel band with his sword, before rushing and knocking her to the ground with his shield.

By this point, almost everyone at the training yard was rooting and hollering for the two of them.

"Go Link! Take him down Nemisa! Show her who's boss Link!" Aviel shouted, too indecisive to pick a side.

Link then did a few forward thrusts with his sword, but Nemisa jumped to her feet and shifted herself left and right in an almost dance-like motion to avoid each strike, before suddenly kicking Link in the chin. He shook it off and the two went at each other with slashes and shield slams on one end, and punches and kicks with the other. Link managed to get a few slashes against her, while she got in a few impacts.

Eventually the two slowed down a bit, both gasping and panting from the battle. It was pretty intense for what was just a simple sparring match.

"You've... improved a bit..." Nemisa said..

"And you've just as strong... as ever." Link nodded, it was something he had noticed about her since the time they first met how strong and determined she was as a fighter. He thought about the times he would watch her dance at the club as Madame Scarlet and he swore he could recognize many of the movements she did in battle that she used while on stage, he really had to admire her passion.

That's when Link realized Nemisa was throwing a fist straight at him and leaned quickly to avoid it. Nemisa was dangerously close up to him, and in a surprising moment, gave him a small smirk.

"You better pay attention or you'll get hurt." Nemisa said

"I'm ready." Link grinned, and the two went right back into battle.

* * *

"You two were so cool back there!" Aviel exclaimed, waking alongside Link and Nemisa down the street. The battle ended without a deciding winner, but it was clear the two had been pretty evenly matched.

"I will admit you're stepped up your game lately, your highness." Nemisa said.

"Yeah, I felt like I needed to. I was out of practice for a while after traveling for so long to get back to Hyrule, so I need to get focused again, especially with all the crazy things that have been going on lately." Link self-reflected.

"Ugh, seriously. Between assassins, thieves, monsters, we couldn't even take a dip at the lake without a crisis." Aviel groaned, but she then perked up, "But it's been pretty fun as well!"

"Fun is a weird way of putting it." sighed Nemisa.

"No, I'm serious." Aviel said, "It's because of some of those bad situations we've been through that it brought us together like this."

"She's right." Link grinned, "I mean if me and Aviel weren't running from that assassin for instance we wouldn't have found out about your talent Nemisa."

"Never speak that out loud." Nemisa scowled, "I'm not about to let anyone else find out about that."

"Aaand she's back to her grump self." Aviel rolled her eyes, folding her arms behind her head.

The silly banter between the three was broken however, by the sound of a woman shouting.

"Please... you must help me!" she shouted, getting the attention of the three. They turned to see a crying woman, covered in injuries, pleading to two guards, who was trying her hardest to comfort her.

"H-Hey, settle down! We're going to do everything we can for you!" the guard said.

"Yes, we can't help you if you don't tell us what happened." the other nodded.

"She... I left... she's going to..." the woman was in panic, unable to get her words out at all.

"Is something the matter here?" Link asked, along with Aviel and Nemisa, walking up the woman and the two guards.

"Our king!" exclaimed the guards, who bowed to him and stepped away to give him space.

"Uh, enough of the king thing for now." Link assured the guards, before looking to the crying woman, "Is something the matter?"

"My... sis...ter..." she sobbed and stammered, "She was... was... she was going... I couldn't..."

Link knelt down and took the crying woman's hand in an attempt to comfort her. "Why don't you just tell us your name, and what's the matter?" he asked.

The woman stared down at Link holding her hand, it was a firm hold, but gentle. She looked up to see into Link's compassionate eyes, and she nodded.

"O-Okay... my... my name is Favisa...me and my sister Sireim, we were out investigating some of our friends who hadn't been back from their trip when they should have... We heard a cry for help... and met a man who claimed his wife was injured... but when we went to check, we were ambushed... by many men... We fought with all our strength, but Sireim was c-captured... and I was forced to r-run..."

"That's terrible!" Aviel exclaimed. Nemisa herself was shocked at hearing the story as well, and grimaced a bit.

Favisa broke down crying again, grabbed Link and hugging him tightly, "I abandoned her! I left my dear sister behind like a coward!"

"Hey hey, don't say that Favisa." Link assured her, hugging her back, "You did the right thing coming back here for help. Just calm down..."

"But what about Sireim?! I need to go back for her!" she shouted, trying to get up, before cringing and falling back to her knees.

"Not in this condition you're not." Link said sternly but compassionately, "Don't worry, me, Aviel and Nemisa will go find your sister."

"Y-You will, my king..?" she asked with tears running down her face.

"I promise." nodded Link, "Now where did all this happen?"

Favisa gave him directions on the path they traveled, then she broke down again and sobbed, "Please, you have to help her!"

"We will." Link nodded, he turned to the two guards and said, "Please, get Favisa to Dr. Sarami's clinic to get her fixed up."

"As you wish our king!" said the guards with a salute, before escorting Favisa off.

"Come on Aviel, Nemisa." Link said to his two bodyguards, ":Let's get moving."

"Right!" the two of them said, and with that the three ran off.

* * *

"Hmm... there was definitely a battle here recently..." Nemisa said, examining the ground around the point where Favisa had told them, noticing some small bits of red. "This blood is still fresh."

"I'll try flying over the area to see where they are." Aviel said, turning her arms into wings and taking to the sky.

Link and Nemisa meanwhile spent some time looking over the scene of the attack.

"So who do you think could have done this?" Link asked, pulling a discarded arrow from the ground to examine it's design.

"I can't say for certain..." muttered Nemisa, "But I have a bad feeling about it..."

"Huh?" Link asked.

"Guys! Guys! I found her!" shouted Aviel swooping down to the ground, stumbling over herself and falling on her face. "Owie..."

"Nice work Aviel, can you lead us there?" Link asked.

"Y-Yeah, come on then!" she said, getting up in a dizzy spell. She wandered off in the direction of the town, and stopped for a few seconds. "Oh wait, it was this way." she said, before spinning around again and flying off, as Link and Nemisa sighed and followed after her.

* * *

The group soon arrived at an enclosed area of the canyon, where Aviel landed down behind a small rock formation, and gestured to Link and Nemisa to hide behind it with her. The two of them cautiously peeked out from behind the rocks to see what Aviel had lead them to.

It was a small clearing where a group of men had set up a camp. They seemed to be hastily gathering their possessions and packing them up.

"Come on men!" shouted one of them, "We don't have much time before that Gerudo comes back with help!"

"I can't believe you numbskulls let her get away! We only managed to capture a few of them!" exclaimed one man.

"Eh, it's better then nothing. They'll still fetch us a good rupee." said another, gesturing to three Gerudo women, all bound and gagged. They were hanging their heads low, at least one of them seemed to be trembling.

"They were tough ones too, managed take down a few of us." pointing out one of them, who was wrapping a bad slash mark he had with a ragged cloth.

"I overheard them say one of those girls is Sireim!" Aviel told Link and Nemisa, "The other two must be the ones she and Favisa were looking for!"

"Glad we found them..." muttered Link, "But who the heck are these guys, and what was that about the girls getting them a good rupee...?"

Nemisa meanwhile, squeezed her wrist band, and clenched her fists.

"I would had tried to shoot them with my arrows, but they got a few archers themselves." Aviel explained.

"No problem," Link said. "I got a plan, we hide behind here and wait for them to leave, then we ambush-"

But Link was cut off by Nemisa shouting out and running past him, right at the kidnappers.

"W-What?! Nemisa, wait!" Link shouted.

One of the men saw Nemisa running right him and shouted, "Hey, what are yo-" and was interrupted when she punched him square in the face, sending him flying backwards into the camp supplies.

"A Gerudo?! Stop her!" shouted one of the men, and most of them went running right at Nemisa.

"Okay, time for Plan B." Link said, moving out from behind the rock and charging into battle as well.

"What's Plan B?" asked Aviel running alongside him

"Just beat the crup out of them!" Link shouted, swinging out his sword and slashing one of the kidnappers away.

"Sounds like as good a plan as any." Aviel grinned.

The bird girl spied one of the archers about to shoot an arrow at Nemisa, but she fired her own arrow at his bow, causing it to misfire and hit the cliffside, allowing Nemisa to rush in and kick the archer's bow in half before punching him to the ground.

Link blocked an attack by one man, then bashed him in the face with his shield, he was about to swing his sword, but Nemisa jumped down in front of Link and bashed the man backwards with a sharp kick before running off to fight another opponent. Link paused and watched her go at it in battle, before going back to fight more of the men.

A group of the men surrounded Aviel, so she took to the air with her wings, this allowed another archer to try to shoot her down from the sky, but she swooped out of the way. Link leaped down to the center of the circle of men and pulled off his spin attack, slashing them all away, then ran at the archer to take him down. But before he could even attack him, Nemisa charged in and headbutted the archer to the ground.

"Don't get in my way!" Nemisa shouted to Link, before going after another of the kidnappers.

'Weird,' Link thought, 'Nemisa's always been pretty short-tempered, but I haven't seen her like this before...'

"It's okay everyone!" Aviel said, concentrating on trying to undo the knots on Sireim and the captured Gerudo girl's arms. "We're going to get you guys free!"

The girls all nodded, unable to talk because of their gags. Before she could continue though, another man swung at her with a blade, which she barely dodged, and she immediately retreated to Link's side.

The Hylian swordsman, the bird archer girl and the karate master woman all stood together as the remainder of the men surrounded them.

"It's alright." Link grinned, "We can take them."

"Grrrr... what's all the commotion out here?!" shouted a new voice, Link, Aviel, Nemisa the girls and the remaining men all paused and looked to a particularly big tent that was still up, and emerging out from it was a particularity large man. He was bald, wore an open vest that didn't even try to hide his big gut, he had a small goatee on his chin, and had a rather large sword strapped to his belt, he was holding a large barrel of liquor with one arm, which he lifted up effortlessly and chugged down the contents, before wiping off his mouth and tossing the empty barrel aside.

"Are you the one who-" Link was cut off by Nemisa.

"Are you the leader?!" Nemisa shouted.

"Leader of this group? Yeah, what of it?" asked the man.

"Just what is it you want with those women?" Link asked, gesturing to the bound women and narrowing his eyes.

"Gawhawhaw! Nothing for us personally, we save em for the highest bidder!" he said.

"What?!" exclaimed Link.

"The name's Bungul, officer of the Wyvern Keepers, we deal in slave trading around these parts." he sported a toothy grin.

"A slaver organization?!" exclaimed Link, "Here in Hyrule?!"

"I've only heard about them..." Aviel said, "They were pretty nasty and dangerous guys for a while, until they were taken out by the Hylian army. We thought we had heard the last of them, but then they made a comeback out of nowhere about a year ago."

Nemisa just snarled, glaring at Bungul.

"Why exactly do you want Gerudo in particular?" Link asked Bungul.

"Well ya see, thanks to that law keeping them here in Gerudo Valley they're isolated, they're also physically fit to handle a lot of grueling labor, and they're mostly virgins. We got lots of high buyers who like that kind of merchandise if ya catch my drift!" snickered the slaver leader.

"You can't be serious..." Link scowled.

"You're monsters!" shouted Aviel.

Nemisa lowered her gaze, her body shook with anger.

"Gawhawhawhaw!" laughed Bungul, "As if we care about yer insults! Okay boys, cut that guy into pieces and we'll take these two extra girls for-"

That then Bungul was suddenly met with Nemisa sprinting forward, bashing her way through the men, and kicking Bungul across the head. He was in shock for a second, before turning to Nemisa, rubbing his chin.

"Okay lady, you're going to pay for that!" he said.

The other men yelled out war cries and charged at Nemisa, but Link and Aviel both went on the offensive with their sword and crossbow. Link cut down some of the slavers, while Aviel aimed and fired her arrows at the others.

Meanwhile, Nemisa was charging in recklessly, swinging her punches and kicks at Bungul, who was backing up, using his sword to protect himself. Nemisa lunged out and punched him in the gut, but it didn't do much, giving him the chance to smack her with his blade, but she jumped back to her feet and continued sending her attacks at him. He just took some attacks without even flinching, and got some easy hits on Nemisa in return.

Link turned and saw the way she was battling him. It bothered him greatly, she seemed to lack the graceful and concentrated style she used back when they practiced at the training yard, she was just rushing into him head-on without any technique, which was problematic since her opponent had her beat in raw physical strength.

Soon Nemisa tried to throw another punch at Bungul's face, but he grabbed at her fist with his large hand, immobilizing her attack. She froze up in that instant, staring up at the slaver leader, who sported a big toothy grin before kicking her to the ground. She tried to get up, but Bungul stepped down on her back and forced her back down onto the ground, rapidly stomping on her.

"Gaaahh!" screamed out Nemisa.

"Nemisa!" Link shouted, he wanted to turn to help her, but he was caught by three men all attacking him with their weapons, forcing him to work on driving them off.

"A weak woman like you should know her place! Gawhawhaw!' Bungul said, kicking Nemisa aside. She wanted to get up, she tried to get up, but she couldn't. Her whole body was frozen, and she had a thousand-yard stare in her eyes, and a harsh memory went through her mind.

_'Nemisa... someday you'll know what it feels to truly be happy...'_

Nemisa's eyes teared up and screamed out, "No, no! I won't lose to another!"

"Gawhawhaw! You've already lost you weak woman!" laughed Bungul, he brought up his sword, "And a weakling like you is lower then a slave, and deserves nothing but death!"

Nemisa was powerless to do anything, in too much pain to fight or even retreat, and closed her eyes tightly, preparing for her end...

That was when Bungul's sword was blocked off by a loud clash of steel. Bungul realized there now something between his sword and Nemisa.

"L-Link...?" Nemisa asked, looking up at Link, who was blocking the sword with his own. He and Aviel had just struck down the remaining men and he had rushed to Nemisa's defense. Nemisa was at a loss for words in that moment, only able to unwittingly say her future king's name once again.

"I'll show you who's the real weak one." Link said to Bungul, narrowing his eyes at the slaver leader.

"Gawhawhaw, want to fight, huh boy?!" asked Bungul, he took a step back and slapped his gut, "I'll look forward to it!"

The two of them went at each other with their swords. While Bungul had the advantage in sheer strength, Link's technique and agility helped balance the odds. Bungul swung his word downwards, but Link jumped and swung his sword, slashing at the big man. Bungul then swung his sword downwards at Link, who blocked it with his shield, but then Bungul kicked him back and slashed Link. Link shook it off and went at the slaver with everything he had, dodging nimbly and getting in a slash whenever he knew he had a good opening.

Nemisa herself laid there, her eyes wide as she watched how strongly Link fought, it was actually much like how he did when they sparred at the training yard. It was clear he was taking the training against her back then just as serious as when he was in battle against a real threat.

Aviel meanwhile had taken a knife from the body of one of the slavers and was using it to cut away at the ropes of Sireim and the other kidnapped Gerudo.

Bungul was starting to tire out more and more during the fight, he was used to being able to overpower his opponents, but couldn't deal with Link's style at all. He clutched his side with his free hand, from the sharp pain he was feeling through his body.

"This... can't be it..." gasped Bungul, "Losing to... this bastard?!"

Bungul tried one last horizontal slash, but Link leaped up, spun around and performed a diagonal slash attack, cutting Bungul across his chest. The slaver leader shouted out in pain, blood flying out from his body.

"I... can't... die... here..." muttered Bungul, his features darkening, and at that moment he fell backwards and slammed onto the ground lifelessly.

With that, Link let out a sigh, spun his sword in his hand and sheathed it back into it's place.

"He... did it..." Nemisa said. She laid there, closing her eyes tightly and shaking with sadness and anger.

"Nemisa! Are you okay?!" she then heard Link ask, her eyes opened and see looked up to see him staring down at her with a look of compassion. "Here, let me help you up." he took her hand got her up onto her knees. Nemisa herself couldn't stand the way he was helping her in that moment and just broke down.

"No... Don't give me your sympathy!" she shouted, tears running down her face uncontrollably, "Why did you of all people have to come to my aide?! I didn't need to be rescued! I'm a strong and proud Gerudo, not some dainty weak princess! I'm supposed to be the one protecting you!" she continued to shout, "I'm not weak!"

"Weak? Of course you aren't weak." Link said, snapping her out of her self pity, "You ran in there and took out a bunch of those guys before me and Aviel could even do anything. You've saved my butt plenty of times before, against a lethal assassin, and even from drowning to Morpha, and the way you fight normally is amazing, you're a worthy opponent at the training grounds as well, I'm honored to have you as a friend and bodyguard!" he concluded with his big goofy grin.

Nemisa just stared up at Link, not even sure what to say to him in that moment.

"Yeah Nemisa, you're the toughest girl I know, besides Lady Nabooru!" Aviel brought up, standing alongside Sireim and the other two Gerudo they freed, "I'm proud to have you as my partner!"

Nemisa wasn't sure what to say anymore, she gripped her wrist band, and closed her eyes tightly.

"I.." Nemisa muttered, not sure what to say.

"Here, let me help you up." Link said, he lifted Nemisa up onto his back, "We'll get you to Dr. Sarami as soon as possible."

"...o-okay..." Nemisa muttered, her hands gripping onto his shoulders, as the five of them all left the campsite, leaving the bodies of the slavers to the vultures.

Nemisa raised her head slightly, looking to see Link focusing on carrying her to safety and recovery. She looked closely at his blue eyes, those eyes she always saw before as childish, lecherous and stupid, looked so much older, kinder and wiser at that moment. She closed her own eyes and leaned her head against his back, and let out a soft sigh.

* * *

"There you go, it shouldn't take long for the red potion to help your body recover." Sarami said with a smile, as she did the finishing touches to Nemisa's wounds at the medical clinic.

"T-Thank you, doctor..." Nemisa said, her head hung down.

"Would you like me to kiss it to make it feel better?" Sarami offered.

"That won't be necessary..." she replied sweatdropping.

"Nemisa, how you feeling?" Link asked, coming in to see the two of them.

"Fine." Nemisa simply said, turning her gaze so as to not look at Link directly.

"She's a strong girl, so she;ll be fine as long as she concentrates on getting rest." Sarami nodded, "Speaking of which, how's that injury on your hand?" she asked as she took Link's hand and examined it carefully.

"What, that old thing from when I grabbed that thief's knife?" Link asked, sticking out his hand to show it was fine. "That was a while ago, it was just a little cut."

"Hmph, that was no mere cut, that was a gash wound, and it was deep enough to make you lose enough blood to develop a minor case of sudden anemia!" Sarami said.

"It was that bad...?" Link asked, rubbing the back of his head, "I barely remember anything about that..."

"You're strong, but you're not invincible. even a warrior like you has limits." Sarami scolded, but then had to let out a small giggle, "I think both you and Nemisa have a lot in common in that regard."

Link just laughed nervously while Nemisa rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, um, your highness...?" Nemisa muttered.

"What's up?" Link asked.

"I... just wanted to say..." she took a deep breath, "I'm... sorry for my actions back at the camp. I assure you that won't happen again."

"No problem." Link nodded, "Just remember you're more then my bodyguard, Nemisa, you're my friend, and you just have to have a little more trust in me. You can't do everything alone."

"O-Okay..." she nodded, her face slightly red, "I will, as long as you understand your own limits."

"Of course." Link nodded, "So you ready to get back to palace?" he asked.

"Yes, I'll just..." she started to stand and walk, but a small bit of pain caused her to flinch and stumble over. Link fortunately was able to catch Nemisa in his arms, she looked up at Link with wide eyes and her face a beet red.

"Here, let me support you." Link said, hoisting Nemisa up on his back again like before, bidding Sarami a thank you and goodbye before leaving back to the palace.

Nemisa just laid against his back, before wrapping her arms around his chest and resting against him.

While no one else saw it, Nemisa gave the faintest of smiles.

* * *

_**And that bring this chapter to a close. I admit part of my inspiration for this chapter was a response ot the criticism I've had over from previous chapters in regards to Link's strength. I admit I may have portrayed him as a little too weak initially, but I was mostly trying to avoid making him TOO perfect, but it's difficult to come up with a proper balance. I feel more now that I may have gone too far in the other direction, if you feel that's the case, I apologize for that, and I'll try to think more about my choices in the future. Thank you though, for inspiring me to make this chapter the way I did!**_

_**Next chapter, Link meets a new ally, as well as some new enemies...**_


	15. Sandstorm of the Wastes

_**Alright, time for chapter 15. Boy this story has been a big project for me. I'm probably not even at the halfway point yet and it's way longer then anything I've written. Can't say I haven't been enjoying making it.**_

* * *

"So what have you got for us to do today Nabooru?" Link asked as he, Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa were having breakfast one morning.

"Today I'd like you to help me get something called the Sand Rod, it's an ancient treasure of the Gerudo people, said to have been created by disciples of Aifet, the goddess of the desert herself." Nabooru explained, "It has the power to control and manipulative sand at the user's will."

"Wow, sounds pretty powerful." Link nodded.

"It is indeed, I found it shortly after you and I left the Spirit Temple. We've actually been using it over the past six years to craft this town's buildings out of sandstone." Nabooru said.

"Is that so?" Link asked, "I kinda wondered how you built so many nice and sturdy buildings in such little time."

"I was surprised myself." Aviel said, "I thought they just used a lot of sand and glue."

"You worry me sometimes Aviel." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"So if you've been using it to fix up the town, where is it now that you need us to get it?" Link asked.

"It's located in the far west of the desert, at the Shrine of Aifet in the Gerudo Wastes. As powerful as the Sand Rod is, it drains in magic power quickly, and when it's completely drained, we have to return it to the shrine we found it at, so it can recharge it's power, and from what I've seen it can take about six months at a time to do so." Nabooru said.

"G-Gerudo Wastes... isn't that where the Hotaig's Mausoleum is...?" Aviel asked nervously.

"Hotaig... the Gerudo goddess of war?" Link asked.

"Yes," Nabooru nodded, " Hotaig's Mausoleum is a final resting place to honor the Gerudo who were slain in war. It was built for Hotaig to help their souls find peace and go on to the world of spirits."

"I remember having to go there once, it was really creepy..." Aviel said, covering her head with her bird wings, "I've also been hearing about monsters and bandits in that region recently... Link is pretty strong, but I really don't like the idea of sending him out there..."

"I have to agree, this seems like a dangerous job." Nemisa nodded, "Is the Sand Rod really worth the trip?"

"Very much so, it would be a great asset to our development here, I wanted to add some more buildings, spruce up and upgrade some of the older ones..." Nabooru paused and smirked lightly, "...and perhaps build a pool in the palace."

"Build a what?" Aviel asked, looking up from her breakfast, "A pool? You mean a gambling pool like what the girls were doing to bet on Link's fiances?"

"Don't remind me of that." groaned Nemisa.

"You're just jealous cause more girls voted for me." grinned Aviel.

"No, no, I mean a swimming pool." Nabooru corrected.

"Swimming?!" Aviel exclaimed, her eyes wide and her spiky feathery hair was standing on end.

"Mm-hmm." nodded Nabooru, "An indoor one that'll remain nice and cool, it'll also provide Princess Ruto a place where she can stay when she comes to visit."

"Sister Ruto could come visit us?!" Aviel exclaimed, standing up.

"I was even considering the idea of plotting out an underground water route that'll allow her to travel between Zora's Domain to the pool so she can come and go at her leisure." Nabooru nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea." Link nodded. "The dry climate is a little too rough for a fish person like her to be here for a very long time otherwise."

"Yes, and she could come to greet you in bed whenever she wanted." Nabooru added with a grin.

"Don't tell me that was one of your main priorities." Link said sweatdropping.

"Is a passage like that even possible to make?" Nemisa asked.

"Sure, there are secret passages throughout Hyrule that lead to other locations if you have the right equipment." Link explained, "I just don't know any that go to Gerudo Valley."

"It could even potentially help us get a good trade route between here and Zora's Domain so we won't have to deal with the Hylian guards." Nabooru said.

"I suppose." sighed Nemisa, who turned to Link, "Just tell me you won't do anything reckless, your highness."

"Can't make any promises, but I'll try." Link grinned.

Aviel thrust her fist into the air, "Well what're we waiting for?! Let's go get the Sand Rod!"

* * *

Link, Aviel and Nemisa found themselves trekking through the vast desert sands of Gerudo Wastes, it seemed to stretch out endlessly, the sky was gloomy with sand dust blowing through in the air, the sand was a tannish gray compared to the more golden sand of other areas, and the desert was littered with destroyed carts and the bones of monsters. They were following posts with flags tied to them to incinerate the path they had to go to find the Shrine of Aifet.

"Ugh, can we go back? I'm getting the creeps..." Aviel said, taking a moment to stare at the skeleton of a some unfortunate creature.

"Whatever happened to the pool?" Nemisa asked with a smirk.

"Right... gotta do this for sister Ruto!" Aviel said, pumping her fists.

"Atta girl," Link nodded, "Shouldn't be long before we find the shrine."

"You're handling this trip pretty well, your highness." Nemisa said, "Have you done this before?"

"Sort of, I had to go through the desert to get to the Spirit Temple and meet with Nabooru." Link said.

"Ah yes, Nabooru mentioned you helped her defeat Twinrova in there..." Nemisa said.

"What were doing all the way out there to begin with?" Aviel asked.

"Well..." Link trailed off, not sure about describing his quest to them at that moment, "I had a mission to go on... and it's kind of a long story. I'll... tell you some other time."

"If you say so." shrugged Aviel, "I'm just glad you're doing alright here, I was worried since you're not entirely used to living in the desert yet."

"Thanks for that Aviel, but I think I'm doing better then ever now." Link smiled.

It then that Nemisa noticed something in the distance; it was five human people, but they seemed to be standing on some oddly shaped things, and were somehow leaving a large cloud of sand particles behind them. One thing was for sure, they were coming up fast.

"Both of you, watch yourselves!' Nemisa shouted to the two of them.

Link and Aviel turned to see the sight themselves, as the five people soon arrived and immediately were moving in circles around the three of them.

"Yeehaa!" shouted one of the people, pointing to the three, "There they are!"

The group saw them to be Gerudo women, all of which were wearing tattered traveler's clothing as well as bandannas. They were each wielding weapons as well, one with a chain she was spinning around, another with a club, one held a machete blade, the fourth had am asp snake on her shoulders, and a fifth one was wearing brass knuckles.

"What on earth are those things they're riding?" Nemisa asked, looking closely at the devices the desert riders were speeding around on, but they were hard to see because of the dust they were sending everywhere.

"Dunno, never seen anything like those before..." Link muttered.

Aviel pulled down her goggles to try and get a better look at them, "They look like... toy tops?"

"Hey girls, looks like we got ourselves some trespassers on our turf!" laughed one of the girls, as they were circling around Link, Aviel and Nemisa.

"They even got a cute guy with them too!" said one of the others, "When we scare off these two bitches we can have him for ourselves!"

"Yeah, I've always wanted a boy toy!" laughed another.

"And who are you guys, now?" Nemisa asked, putting a hand to her hip.

"The name is Sovan, and we're the Sandstorm Vipers; the strongest warriors in the Gerudo Wastes!" said the one with the chain, "You gonna surrender the man, or are ya up for a fight?"

"Guess it's time to fight..." Nemisa said.

"Jees, can we ever catch a break?" Link sighed.

The male Hylian and his two Gerudo guards all stood close to each other. Link unsheathed his sword, Aviel deployed her crossbow, and Nemisa put up her fists, all three ready to battle.

"Looks like they got some fight in them!" grinned Sovan, "Take em down, girls!" as the five of them all rode at Link and his friends on their top-like devices.

Sovan came in swinging with her chain, but Link ducked under it and swung at her. Sovan however was too quick on top of her device and his missed. Sovan then turned around before coming at him again. Link brought back his sword while the Viper with the club came up from behind to ambush him. But Link charged up for a spin attack and unleashed it just in time, sending the two girls flying backwards. Sovan grinned and came at Link with her chain, but Link blocked it with his shield and charged forward, swinging his sword again and slicing through the chain, breaking it into pieces, before ramming into Sovan with his arm to send her impacting on the sand. The club-wielding Viper tried to hit him over the head from behind, but Link swung his shield behind him and smacked her down as well.

Aviel attempted to fly into the sky, but a rough wind forced her back down to the sand, just as one Viper kicked her in the back as she rode by. Aviel jumped to her feet, put on her goggles and aimed her crossbow. Aviel saw the one who kicked her coming right at her and fired her crossbow, but the Viper weaved left and right to dodge her shots, before bashing Aviel with her elbow. Aviel forced herself up again as the girl came at her. Aviel narrowed her eyes and aimed her crossbow carefully, before firing a shot to the side, the Viper instinctively dodged to avoid it, but Aviel then quickly fired another shot at the device itself, jamming an arrow into a small hole in it, causing the device to come to a complete stop and the Viper went flying off of it, Aviel took that chance to smack the Viper across the face with her crossbow, knocking her to the ground.

Nemisa meanwhile was taking on the Vipers with the snake and the machete. The one with the rusty blade came at Nemisa and swung her blade, but Nemisa blocked it with her steel wrist band and then immediately punched the Viper off her top. The other Viper sent out the asp snake on her shoulder to lunge out and bite Nemisa, but she quickly brought her hand up and grabbed the snake around it's neck, she squeezed and gagged the asp, causing it to accidentally squeeze it's owner around her shoulders. Nemisa then swung the two of them flying and colliding into the machete-user, leaving the three of them in a daze.

"Shit... there guys are tough..." gasped one of the Vipers.

'We're tough too, we can take em girls!" shouted Sovan.

"Speak for yourself Sovan..." groaned another Viper.

"Ready to quit this?" Link asked, brandishing his sword.

"I... um..." Sovan muttered, looking to her comrades, then looking into Link's determined eyes, not sure what to say at that point.

"Hey, what the hell's going on here?!" boomed a loud and gruff, but also womanly voice.

The two sides stopped the staredown and turned to see who just shouted out.

It was a Gerudo woman, but unlike any Link had ever met before. She stood tall, six foot five to be exact. Her body was rippling with muscle, most noticeable on her bulky arms and her stomach lined with six pack abs. She wore an unusual choice of clothing, consisted of a black vest that rather then wearing her arms through it, she hung it off her shoulders. Her was chest bound in wrappings, and wore a pair of gray pants, and the most curious of them all, a solider helmet on top of her head that made her eyes difficult to read. Sticking out from the back of the helmet was traditional Gerudo red hair, but done in a short perm. She was wielding a large and heavy warhammer that she was miraculously holding with a single hand and rested it on her shoulders. She was slouched over, glaring left and right at everyone.

"Everyone deaf here?! I said what the hell's going on?!" she shouted.

"Oh, boss!" exclaimed one of the riders, "We just caught these girls and this male in our desert!"

"Grr... I told you guys, quit calling me boss!" shouted the large woman, "Lemme see em for myself." she then muttered, walking up to them. She glared down at Link, Aviel and Nemisa, the three of them were a bit unnerved by the gargantuan Gerudo in front of them, Aviel in particular hid behind Link, "And who the hell are you guys?"

Link cleared his throat and stepped up, "I'm Link, and these are my friends, Aviel and Nemisa."

"Link...? So yer that new Gerudo king I've been hearing about?" the large woman glared down at them.

"No way, he's the new king?!" exclaimed Sovan.

"He's the one that's replaced Ganondorf? He's so puny!" said one of the Vipers.

"But he's really tough, and a lot cuter!" giggled a third one.

"Hey, shad up!" the large woman shouted to the Sandstorm Vipers, who all instantly complied.

"Wow, she's even scarier then you, Nemisa!" Aviel said to her increasingly irritated partner.

"What'd you say squirt?" the large woman asked, glaring darkly down at Aviel, causing her to squeak out and hide behind Link again.

"We... don't mean any harm around here." Link said, "We're just here to retrieve the Sand Rod for Lady Nabooru."

"Sand Rod, huh...?" Reirousa raised an eyebrow glaring down at Link, her helmet obscuring and darkening her facial features. Aviel clung to Link's arm tightly, while Link himself just looked up at Reirousa without even flinching.

"... …alright, guess I can show you." Reirousa said shrugging, she turned and started walking off, "Come on."

"Wait, really?" Aviel asked, stepping out from behind Link, "You're just going to lead us there?"

"No, I mean I'm gonna beat your face in until it looks like a Chuchu, whadaya think?!" Reirousa shouted, making Aviel cower behind Link again.

"You heard the boss, follow her." Sovan said, she and the girls picking up those odd devices and following after her.

Link, Aviel and Nemisa took a look to each other, before following after them all.

* * *

Rather then the Shrine of Aifet, Reirousa had led Link, Aviel and Nemisa to a small building. It didn't seem like much, it didn't have anything inside except for an old ragged carpet.

"This is a shrine?" asked Aviel.

"Nah, this is just our hideout." Sovan said.

"Your hideout...?" Nemisa asked, "But there's nothing here."

Her question was answered when Reirousa threw the carpet off the floor, revealing a wooden door beneath it. She opened it and led everyone down a staircase into a dark room. Reirousa then lit a torch near the entrance, revealing the underground of the building was a large stone basement, bigger in size then the small building itself, and was loaded with supplies and furniture.

"This is our hideout." Sovan clarified, while the other Vipers ran off to recuperate from their battle with Link and the girls.

"Just need to do a few things here before we head out." Reirousa said, laying her warhammer against a wall and grabbing a drink of water from a barrel.

Link, Aviel and Nemisa all stood still, unsure of what to do.

"Hey, whatreya standing around for?" Reirousa asked, glaring at them, "Make yourselves at home before I kick yer sorry asses out!"

Link, Aviel and Nemisa didn't say a word in response but quickly took to sitting down on some chairs.

"Just mellow out and I'll lead you to the shrine where the Sand Rod is in a bit." Reirousa explained, wiping her mouth of the water.

"Okay, thank you for this." nodded Link, "You're a lot nicer then you come off as."

"You tryin' to start something buddy?" Reirousa muttered, glaring at Link.

"Ah ha ha... not at all." Link smiled, seemingly not even unnerved by Reirousa anymore.

Reirousa just stared at Link's good natured grin and tilted her head in confusion, before growling to herself and turning away.

"Listen up, we're just gonna help you get the Sand Rod, so you all can get out of our hair, got it?!" she shouted.

"Yes, yes!" Aviel nodded nervously.

"Reirousaaa!" whined one of the Vipers, holding up one of those strange top-like devices, "My Spinner isn't working!"

"Ugh, alright, hold on and quit whining, I'll take a look." Reirousa said, yanking away the device, setting it on the ground, then sat down with her legs folded. She tilted up her helmet, and started examining the device. After very little time, Reirousa spoke up, "It's nothing, an arrow just got caught in the gears. Lemme see what I can do..."

As Reirousa quickly and expertly started dismantling parts of the device, Link couldn't help but get up and go over to her side to watch her intently. Reirousa felt a little awkward as she glanced up at Link.

"The hell are you looking at?" she asked.

"You're pretty skilled at this kind of thing." Link said.

"Erm... thanks..." Reirousa muttered, looking to the side, "They're the girls' only way of traveling around here, so I had to learn how they work to maintain them."

"What are these things anyway? I've never seen anything like them." Link said.

"It's called a Spinner, it's an ancient treasure of the Gerudo. We found them in a temple far away from here. The girls took to riding them pretty well, so I had to figure out how to keep them maintained."

"Do you ride on them?" Link asked, squatting down to get a good look at the Spinner's design.

"Hell no, I tried it once and lost my lunch." Reirousa said, pulling out the debris from inside the Spinner, "I get motion sick easily..."

Upon finishing her work, Reirousa lifted up the device and handed it to the Viper, "There you go, should work now."

"Thank you Boss!" the Viper squealed, giving the taller woman a big hug.

"Yeah yeah..." muttered Reirousa as the Viper took the Spinner and ran off.

"You're really good to them." Link said with a smile, "And they really look up to you."

"W-Well someone has to..." muttered Reirousa, "After all the crap they went through..."

"Huh?" Link asked.

It was then that they heard a strange sound, like a rumbling.

"W-What was that?" Aviel asked, looking around.

Reirousa didn't respond, but narrowed her eyes and got up, grabbing her warhammer, and storming outside. Link, his guards and the five Vipers all looked to each other before following Reirousa out.

* * *

"What's with all the rumbling?!" exclaimed Nemisa as they stood outside the hideout.

"I got a bad feeling about this..." Link muttered.

It seemed as though at that point, aside from the wind, there was nothing but silence in the desert. It was then they heard a nearly inaudible sound, along with someone's faint voice. As the group stood motionless, they heard the sound and voice getting louder and louder.

"_...and then I jump and pump... … ...slap that beeatch down..."_

"Is that... music?" Aviel asked.

"And... is that supposed to be singing of some kind...?" Nemisa added.

"Ah crap..." groaned Reirousa.

"I thought we gave those guys the hint a while ago." sighed Sovan.

"What are you guys talking about?" Link asked.

"You'll see soon enough." Sovan said, putting a hand to her head in annoyance.

The sound they heard got louder, and Link heard it not so much as music, but some women making odd sounds, one was making what they could only describe as spitting sounds, while another was making sounds like small shrieks. It was baffling for all of them, but what was even weirder was one that was someone singing in a loud voice.

"_Yo I'm travelin' 'cross the sands, taking down the clans,_

_Bringing down the beat with my voice n' slick hands!_

_You wanna start a fight, I'll knock you outta sight,_

_This girl's got the will, the raw power and the bite!"_

Or at least they thought it was singing.

"What... the hell is that?" Nemisa asked.

The group of people soon came up to them, and they were just as odd as the sounds they were making; most of them wore traditional Gerudo clothes with veils, but unlike those in Gerudo Town, these ones wore black colored outfits. Their choice of weapons were swords and spears.

The Gerudo in the front of the group was the strangest though. She wore a traveler's cap but backwards for some odd reason, a pair of glasses like Sarami's except slimmer and colored black, making her pupils impossible to see, and earrings in places that earrings weren't normally worn, like her left nostril, lower lip and bellybutton. She was also holding what appeared to be an oddly designed ocarina with a funnel shaped part on the music pipe.

"Yo Reirousa, how's it hangin'?!" exclaimed the glasses wearing woman, "Me and my homegirls were just swingin' by and we thought we'd hook up with you, ya dig?"

"I don't dig." Reirousa said pointblank.

"Yo yo yo,you dissin' me? That ain't cool! I'm trying to do you a favor by getting' you out of this hellhole!" the woman said, putting a hand on her hip. She then took a glance at Link, Aviel and Nemisa and pulled her glasses down a bit to get a goof look at them. "And what're you cuzzes doin' here with Reirousa?"

"...who are you exactly?" Link asked.

"Don't know me? I'll set you straight, boy!"

With that, the woman took her ocarina and pulled on the pipe, stretching it out, and speaking into it, causing her voice to sound deeper and have more an echo, as her team of Gerudo comrades started making those odd spitting and shrieking sounds again.

"_I'm the queen of the beat, you can't endure this heat_

_They call me Big G Jousak, the strongest rebel elite,_

_Freestyle's my groove, when I'm chillin' or I move,_

_Gonna bring about change, it's somethin I can prove,_

_It's time to us to go and do this thing, I'm going to rock this place and shout and sing,_

_That I'll be the one to take down this faux of a king!"_

With that she stuck out her hands in a with her index and middle fingers pointing downwards.

"I... have absolutely no idea what you're saying." Link said sweatdropping

"They're rebels." Sovan clarified, "They call themselves the 'Ebony Sisterhood', and they've told us they're plotting to take over Gerudo Town..."

"You got to be kidding me..." Link muttered.

"That's right." grinned Big G Jousak, "Shortly after the war, a lot of us survivors were lost and confused on where to go. That's when we met our leader, calls herself..." she seemed to pause deliberately for a second, "Mother Eclipseis!"

"Mother Eclipseis?" Link muttered, then turned to the girls, "You heard of her?"

"Doesn't ring a bell." Aviel said.

"Nabooru's never mentioned anyone like that before." Nemisa said.

"She said the desert goddess has chosen us as disciples of the Gerudo's true path, and that we rebel against Lady Nabooru and her tryin' to turn the Gerudo all into a bunch of wussy girly-girls!"

"How dare you! Lady Nabooru is saving our people!" Aviel shouted back.

"She pulled them out from the savage lifestyle they used to live, all the old ways were doing was hurting us!" Nemisa nodded.

"All she's doing is making yall weak!" said Jousak, "The Gerudo are strong warriors that take what they want, and they sure as hell ain't gonna be submissive to some stupid law the pansies in Hyrule Castle make!"

Jousak folded her arms and sneered.

"Then out of nowhere, we get intel that Lady Nabooru chose a lame-ass Hylian wimp as king! It's an insult to King Ganondorf, and one of missions is to rub out that guy!" she then pointed right at Link with her ocarina, "I'm talkin' about you, boy!"

"So you do know me..." Link said.

"They're the ones I heard about you from." Reirousa said.

A thought then occurred to Link and decided to check, "So, were you familiar with... The Slicer?"

"Yep, she was one of our best assassins, and you went and killed her!" shouted Jousak, "Mother Eclipseis took it hard, and you'll pay for doing that big time!"

"Technically that vile woman took her own life." Nemisa clarified.

"Either way, it's time for ya to answer to her in the world of spirits!" Jousak said, "Now comeon Reirousa," she turned to the Viper 'leader', "Join up with our posse, help us crush this faker, and you'll be livin' it good!"

"I said ain't joining you bastards!" Reirousa snarled, "I don't give a crap about your rebel gang or what they're trying to do!"

"You don't get it, we're trying to free King Ganondorf from prison, yo!" the rebel said, "The man got a bum rap, and Mother Eclipseis thinks you got the groove to rock those Hylian bastards and free him!"

"F-Free Ganondorf?!" Link exclaimed, "Are they serious?!"

"How do they possibly plan to do something like that?!" Nemisa asked.

"Grr.. I don't care about that Ganondorf bastard, as far as I'm concerned he can just rot! I said I ain't gonna join you, let alone fight in yer stupid war!" Reirousa shouted to Big G Jousak, "Now get out of my face before I clobber _your_ face!"

"Hm, guess I gotta convince you." Big G Jousak said, she brought up her ocarina and cleared her throat, and started breaking into the odd song again, her team of black-outfitted Gerudo started accompanying her with those strange spitting and shriek sounds again.

"_It's time for the rush, yall gonna get the crush,_

_Mess with me and you're gonna be mush!_

_You're a pain in the side, for dissin' my pride,_

_But now there's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide!_

_Get over here you monstrous tower, and show em all your bitchin' power,_

_Show yourself now and smash em like a flower, make em regret this in their final hour!"_

The group just stood there blankly at Big G Jousak's song, wondering what the point of that was. It was then however, they felt a strange rumbling coming from the sand. The group watched as forming up from the ground was the sand shifting and bulging, and coming right at them. Link's instincts kicked in and he branded his sword and shield.

"Everyone, scatter!" Link shouted.

The others didn't need an explanation, and did so, everyone running out in different directions, just as the strange force came right to where they had been standing, then burst out from the sand, revealing it to be a giant monstrous worm creature, who screeched out.

"It's... a Molderm?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Did.. she summon it here...?" Link asked.

"That's right cuz!" Big G Jousak said grinning, "They say music soothes the savage beast, ya dig? Well my freestyle can charm this big lug to follow my bidding!"

The Molderm meanwhile, seemed to be looking around frantically, and screeched out, trashing it's body left and right.

"I don't think the music is soothing it..." Nemisa muttered.

"Looks more like it's causing the thing pain..." Aviel pointed out with a blank look on her face.

"Maybe the music is instilling fear and complacency in the Molderm rather then charming it..." Link observed sweatdropping.

"Now crush the lot of em, Mac Daddy Molderm!" Jousak shouted, ignoring their comments.

The Molderm screeched out and lunged out at Link. He quickly dodged to the side and countered with his sword, but the creature's tough hide resisted it. Aviel tried firing arrows on the monster, but they seemed to just bounce harmlessly off it. Nemisa rode with one of the Vipers on a Spinner and threw out some punches across it's side, but nothing seemed to take.

"This thing's body is too tough!" shouted Nemisa as she and the Viper rode by Link.

"We need another plan..." Link muttered to himself.

"Alright, alright, I got this." Reirousa said, slowly walking past Link and up to the Molderm. The monster leered down at Reirousa, and roared out. It lunged at Reirousa, who then took a bomb out from a bag on her waist, attached it to the back of her warhammer, brought the weapon back, then sent it swinging out at the Molderm, hitting it on the side it's head. The impact caused a massive but concentrated explosion on the monster, sending it flailing to the side.

"She's tough!" Link said in awe of Reirousa.

"Woah, I've never seen a hammer like that!" Aviel exclaimed with wide eyes.

"It's the boss' signature weapon, the Bombos Hammer." Sovan explained grinning, "Using bombs she can amplify the impact of that weapon to blow up whatever it hits!"

"Gah-haaha! That's what I like ta see!" laughed Jousak, "That's the kind of power we need in the Ebony Sisterhood! This Molderm is pretty tough, but it's useless in areas without sand. That's why we need you!"

"Well forget it!" shouted Reirousa, "I'm telling you I ain't working for you guys!"

"And I'm tellin' you now sister, ya ain't gonna be given a choice." smirked Jousak, "Alright Mac Daddy Molderm, show em!"

The Molderm then dived into the sand and started moving underground at a swift pace. Everyone scattered to try and evade it, and get in hits whenever it showed itself, but their attacks weren't doing much.

To make the situation worse, as the group fought off the giant worm, the wind started to get more rough, and soon a large sandstorm started to form around everyone.

"Oh great!" shouted one of the Vipers sarcastically, she sped by and grabbed Aviel, hoisting her onto her Spinner. "Hang on archer-girl, she need to retreat!" she said as they sped off.

"Ayayayayayaya!" screamed Aviel from the sheer speed they were going.

"I need to go back for my king!" shouted Nemisa, trying to get off the Spinner she was riding on, but the Viper controlling it was trying to hold her back, even the snake on her shoulder was grabbing Nemisa by her top to try and keep on board as well.

"Not in this kind of weather! Quick squirming, we need to get back to the hideout before we get sandblasted!" the Viper shouted.

"You get on with me, King Link, it's too dangerous here to continue this fight!" Sovan said, stopping her Spinner beside Link and holding out her hand. Link paused and looked over at Reirousa, observing the Molderm while gripping her warhammer.

"But.. what about Reirousa?" Link asked.

"Don't worry about me!" shouted Reirousa, "You girls just get outta here! I'll hold it off!"

It was then that the Molderm lunged out at Reirousa, who retaliated by slamming her warhammer down at it, but the Molderm faked her out by diving back into the sand, which sent Reirousa stumbling over and wound up on top of the giant worm's back when it emerged from the sand. She then found herself clinging to the worm's back with one hand as it shifted and thrashed around.

"Hey Molderm!" shouted Jousak, "Keep her in one piece! She's too valuable to lose!"

The Molderm screeched out, bouncing and shifting to try and get Reirousa off as she clung to the worm's back trying to smash her hammer down on top of it. Reirousa however was starting to struggle.

"Ugh... damnit... getting nauseous from all this..."

"Oh great, it's her motion sickness!" exclaimed Sovan.

"Sovan, get out of here, and please keep Aviel and Nemisa safe." Link said, before sprinting off after Reirousa and the Molderm.

"Ah, King Link, wait!" shouted Sovan, but Link was already running off after them.

Link ran at the Molderm and leaped into the air, landing onto it's back with Reirousa, who was burying her face on the Molderm's back, too nauseous to do anything. Link grabbed onto the Molderm and pulled himself up the scales of it's back towards it's head, until he was right by one of it's eyes. He then brought his sword up and slammed it directly into the eye of the Molderm, causing it to screech out in pain and thrash around.

"Are those guys crazy?!" exclaimed Big G Jousak.

"Reirousa, are you okay?!" Link shouted to the large Gerudo, who was still clinging to the Molderm's back with a pale green look on her face.

"Been better..." she gulped.

The Molderm continued it's rampage at full speed until it was out of sight of the Vipers and Big G Jousak.

"BOSS!" shouted Sovan, but they were already long gone, and the storm was getting worse.

"Dangit, we better beat feet ourselves!" shouted Jousak to her team, and with that they escaped.

As everyone went their separate ways, the sandstorm continued to rage across the Gerudo Wastes...

* * *

"Ugh... my head..." Reirousa muttered, laying back on the desert sand. She could hear the wind still blowing and sand was still flying around. Her vision came into focus and she saw Link over her. "T-The hell?" she exclaimed, raising up her head and accidentally bonking into Link's forehead.

"Ooow!" they shouted in unison.

"W-What were you about to do to me just now?" Reirousa muttered, narrowing her eyes, "Were you gonna knock me up or something?"

"What? No!" exclaimed Link rubbing his forehead. "I was trying to make sure you weren't hurt!"

"I'm just a little queasy, I'll be fine..." Reirousa groaned, she noticed the two of them were hiding under a small rock formation that somewhat protected them from the sandstorm.

"I guess that Molderm took us pretty far before it escaped, and it looks like we got separated from everyone..." groaned Link looking around, "You sure you're okay Reirousa?"

"I'll be good when I see the girls again..." Reirousa said, getting up.

The two of them took a look around where they had ended up, and saw a tall building in the distance. Not having much other options, Link and Reirousa trudged forward towards the building to recollect themselves, get out of the storm and figure out a plan.

"Looks like there's no one around..." Link said, looking around the inside of the building.

"Ugh, of all places did we had to end up here...?" muttered Reirousa.

"What are you talking about?" Link asked. He then noticed all the plaques decorating the walls of the building, as well as urns and boxes on tables, as well as statues of various Gerudo. The writing on everything was in Gerudo text, but he was still having trouble deciphering it.

"What... is this place?" Link asked.

"This is Hotaig's Mausoleum " groaned Reirousa.

"Oh, where they bury the wardead..." Link realized, "Nabooru mentioned this place..."

"I was trying my hardest to not come here..." Reirousa muttered.

"Why's that, you got family here?" Link asked.

"Something like that..." she answered.

Reirousa walked slowly up to one particular plaque, a large one that had numerous names written on it. Link watched as she put her hand up on it and ran her fingers over one of the names. He couldn't help but see the mournful look in he eyes as she did.

"Reirousa... who are these people?" Link asked.

"This is a list of all the Gerudo that were killed in the war against Hyrule Castle six years ago..." Reirousa muttered.

"You knew them personally?" Link asked.

"...they were part of my group..." she whispered.

"You mean the Sandstorm Vipers?"

"No, I mean my... other group..."

"...wait, you mean you were a solider in the Gerudo army?" he realized.

"Long time ago, back when I was sixteen." she said, "I fought in that Gerudo vs Hylian war."

"O-Oh..." Link said.

"Look, just leave me alone right now okay?" she said.

"O-Okay." Link said, deciding to give her some space.

Reirousa looked back over at the various names on the plaque, and one in particular stood out to her above the others.

"Damnit... Hira... why'd you have to go through with it...?" Reirousa whispered, "You go and tell me all that, and then you go and-..." she leaned her head onto the plaque, "It's been six years and... I can't..."

Link wasn't too sure what to say to her at that moment. He just decided to take a rest as Reirousa stayed leaning her head against the plaque. He sat there watching Reirousa and found himself getting somewhat tired. He decided at that point he should take a nap so he could be ready for if Jousak and the Molderm showed themselves...

* * *

Sometime later, he woke up and stretched, feeling much better. He looked to check on Reirousa, only to see she was still leaning against the plaque like before. Concern filled him as he got up and walked over to her.

"Reirousa...?" Link asked.

The muscular Gerudo said nothing.

"Um, it's probably not my place to say anything, but..." Link started.

"Don't tell me." Reirousa said sniffling, "You're going to say something like I should just put my past behind me? That I shouldn't grieve for them?!"

"I... wasn't going to say that." Link defended himself, "I just think maybe you shouldn't dwell on it as much as you are..."

"If I don't then who will?!" questioned Reirousa, then looked up into the air and shouted, "You hearing me Hira, everyone?! You all looking down on me or something?! You want me to just forget about all of you and move on?! How can I when... when..."

She sobbed and punched her fist into the memorial plaque.

"...when I'm the reason you're all dead..."

Link just stood in shock from what Reirousa had said, his thoughts lingered as he watched her punch at the plaque, which despite her strength didn't so much as crack, as it was made of strong marble. Link took a small breath and placed his hand on the hulking woman's arm. Feeling his hand touch her, she stopped her punches and looked down at Link. He could see under her helmet that her eyes were full of tears.

"Do... you want to talk about it, Reirousa?" Link asked, "Might help you feel better if you got it off your chest."

"...alright, if it'll shut ya up..." she muttered.

* * *

_**Decided to cut it off here since the arc is getting pretty long. I'll have the second part out as soon as I finish and proofread it. **_

_**Also, this chapter taught me I cannot write rap lyrics.**_

_**Well, thanks for reading! Like, follow, review, you know the drill.**_


	16. War of Time's Past

_**And now we move onto Chapter 16, and we take a look into Reirousa's past...**_

* * *

_Flashback_

"Hey, get the hell outta here you noisy brats, an old lady's resting in here, damnit!" shouted a sixteen year old Reirousa, chasing after some Gerudo children playing and making noise outside of their sleeping quarters at Gerudo Fortress.

"Oh come on, you don't have to fuss over me." said Reirousa's mother, stepping out from her room and leaning against the door frame, sporting a small smile.

"W-Who's making a fuss?" Reirousa folded her arms and looked to the side, "Those kids are just annoying little brats!"

Her mother giggled and gave her daughter a soft hug. "I appreciate it, but you worry about me too much, Reirousa, you should worry about yourself more often, why don't you go try to make some friends?"

"I don't need friends.. I don't need anyone else..." Reirousa scoffed, looking to the side.

It was then that her mother knelt down and hugged her, "Sweetie, someday you'll understand what it means to have people to rely on, and to rely on you. I'm not going to be around forever, and I just want you to be able to understand the value in friends before that..."

"D-Damnit mom, stop saying stuff like that..." Reirousa said, "J-Just don't leave yet, okay?" she said, hugging her mother tightly.

"Don't worry sweetie, I won't go anywhere any time soon." she smiled.

* * *

A few weeks later, Reirousa found herself looking up to her mother, who was clad in a Gerudo soldier's outfit, and standing among some others like her.

"Y-You're seriously leaving...?" Reirousa asked, "Are you sure about doing this?!"

"I'm sorry Reirousa, but I have to do this." her mother said, "Our king is in trouble, and I need to do my part to save him. If I don't then..." she paused, then nodded with a determined look on her face, "It's something I must do."

"But..."

"You stay good, okay, Reirousa? Remember what I told you before." her mother said, giving Reirousa a soft hug, then a gentle kiss on the forehead, before turning and leaving with the solders.

"B-Be careful, okay mom?!" Reirousa shouted, with tears forming in her eyes, "Come back home right after this, alright?!"

"You don't worry about me sweetie," her mom said smiling and brandishing her sword, "I'll be just fine!"

* * *

"I'm sorry Reirousa..."

About a month after the war started, some soldiers had returned to Gerudo Fortress from the battle, Reirousa quickly recognized one of them as her mother's friend and companion, who left with her to the war. She quickly ran up to her mother's friend, but upon asking about her mother's whereabouts, the soldier's relieved expression turned to sadness and pity.

She placed a hand on Reirousa's shoulder, "Your mother didn't make it."

"N-No..." muttered Reirousa, she stepped back, before falling to her knees and hands, "She... she couldn't be..." she then pounded the ground with her fist, "DAMNIT!"

Reirousa turned and ran away, her mother's friend reached out to try and stop her, but she was long gone.

This didn't go unnoticed by another Gerudo who had just arrived as well...

* * *

If Reirousa wasn't already a difficult person to approach, this tragic turn of events didn't help much in that regard. She lashed out at just about everyone who spoke to her. She started keeping herself more and more isolated over the next couple of weeks.

Eventually a Gerudo woman approached her home, along with some soldiers, an older woman compared to most other Gerudo soldiers, with faint traces of white hairs among the traditional red hair they were known for.

"Is this the place?" she asked them.

"Yes Commander Imono," one of the soldiers said.

"Very well." she said, bring her hand up and knocking before poking her head in, "Sister Reirousa, this is Commander Imono with the Gerudo army, are you in there?"

"Get the hell outta here!" shouted Reirousa, who was leaning back on a chair with her feet up on the table. There were numerous furniture and other things destroyed around her home, more then likely from being thrown around.

"Listen, Reirousa, I'm sorry about your loss..." Commander Imono started, walking up to Reirousa and putting a firm hand on her shoulder, "But your mother won't be forgotten. She died valiantly in battle, and took down many of the Hylian scum in the process, you should be proud of her."

Reirousa sat quiet for a short while, before tears started forming in her eyes.

"But... she's... gone..." muttered Reirousa, "I got nothin' left... "

"... in that case... tell me, how would you like the opportunity to avenge her...?" the Gerudo commander asked with a small smirk.

"Huh...?"

* * *

"Girls, I'd like to introduce you to our newest rookie, Reirousa." Commander Imono stated.

Reirousa stood beside Imono at the training grounds, feeling somewhat intimidated seeing the crowd of Gerudo.

"She doesn't look like much." commented one of the soldiers, "Sure she won't be taken out in the first few seconds?"

"The hell does that mean?!" shouted Reirousa, "I'll pound you!"

"You wanna try something?!" shouted the soldier, getting practically in Reirousa's face.

"Bring it!" Reirousa shouted back, and with that the two started pummeling each other, and the others cheered the two of them on.

"Hey, wait a minute! Everyone settle down!" shouted Imono, only to fall on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, one Gerudo soldier in the back just grinned lightly, "She's really got some guts."

* * *

"Gack!" shouted Reirousa, falling backwards from an attack by her sparring partner, her sword falling harmlessly to the ground beside her. "Damnit..."

"Looks like it's my win!" said the Gerudo soldier with her own sword.

"Ugh, I can't get used to fighting this way..." Reirousa muttered.

"Why not just give up then?" asked the soldier shrugging.

"Fat chance! I gotta do this!" shouted back Reirousa, "I got a reason to fight!"

"Really now...?" asked a new person, it was the Gerudo from before who had been watching her, "Go rest up, I'll see to the rookie." she said to Reirousa's sparring partner.

As the other girl left, the soldier knelt down to Reirousa, "Nice work there kid."

"Meh, I couldn't even land a hit on her..." Reirousa scowled.

"How about we spar then?" asked the soldier, "Come on, let's go."

"Uh... alright..." Reirousa said getting up, "So uh, who are you?"

"I'm Hiraemo. My friends call me Hira, but you can call me... Hira." she grinned.

"Uh... okay." Reirousa said rubbing the back of her neck

"Now, draw your blade, and let's see where you're messing up."

The clash of swords went off between the two, until Reirousa lost hers and it fell to the ground.

"Damnit!" Reirousa shouted.

"Hmm... you got the strength, but lack the technique... let's try again." Hiraemo said.

This went on for a while, and despite her effort Reirousa kept getting disarmed.

"That's it, I'm done!" Reirousa shouted, about to turn and walk off.

"Hmm... maybe we could try a different weapon." Hiraemo said.

She lead Reirousa to the weapons racks, where she took a look over at the various weapons on display. Taking a look over at Reirousa again, she then picked out one weapon that was in good shape and was barely used, a warhammer.

"Try this, it might suit you." Hiraemo said.

Reirousa gripped the warhammer curiously, it was heavy compared to the sword, but she had little trouble lifting it.

"Now, let's put em up." Hiraemo said, drawing her sword.

Another clash of steel went off as the two went at each other Reirousa found herself quickly adapting to the warhammer's style. Eventually the two stopped and put down their weapons.

"Not bad." grinned Hiraemo, "I think you may have found your battle style."

"Uh... thanks...?" Reirousa said, looking up at her.

"Come on, let's get some drinks." Hiraemo said leading Reirousa off to the mess hall.

* * *

Over the next couple of weeks Reirousa was training hard, using her warhammer to spar with the other Gerudo soldiers, weight raining to develop her muscles, and spending more time with Hiraemo and eventually the other soldiers. At first, many of the soldiers took her little more then a brash brat, but time made them eventually warm up to her. Even Reirousa herself was getting along with them better.

Eventually it wasn't long before the final day of their training before they would go to war. Reirousa was kicking back on a bench, contemplating what she was going to do.

"Hey, ready for this tomorrow?" Hiraemo showed up, handing Reirousa a cup of water.

"Yeah, big time." Reirousa thanked her for the water and took a sip. She watched as a solider past by them, who took a second to wave to the two.

"You're really fitting in well here." grinned Hiraemo, "And you're a great fighter. Commander Imono must have seen something promising when she recruited you."

"Nah, nothin' like that." Reirousa said, "I'm just in this for my mom."

"Your mom?" Hiraemo asked.

"She... died last month in the war..." Reirousa muttered, squeezing her cup, "I gotta take down those Hylian bastards and avenge her."

"...is that really what you think she'd want?" Hiraemo asked.

"Huh?"

"I don't think she'd want you going to war for her sake." Hiraemo said, "When I lost my own mother, I was pretty devastated myself, until someone told me that she may be lost, but she's not gone."

"What does that mean?" Reirousa asked, rubbing her head.

"She may be dead, but she's looking down on me from the world of spirits." Hiraemo said, looking up in the sky with a soft smile, "I was encouraged to not grieve, but to just live on and not worry, that it's what mom would want for me."

"Oh..." Reirousa muttered.

"Well, I'm not going to tell you what to do, but just take it to thought. Now come on," Hiraemo said getting up, "Lets get to the meeting room, Imono wants to explain our battle plans."

"A-Alright!" Reirousa nodded, and with that they went off.

* * *

The next day, Reirousa and Hiraemo, along with the entirety of the Gerudo army, all stood in line as Commander Imono stood before them. They were now positioned at the camp just outside the battlefield, everyone ready to strike against the Hylian army.

"Sisters, today is our day to strike down the Hylian scum and free our beloved King Ganondorf! For the sake of our fallen sisters, and the ones waiting for us at home, we shall succeed!" she shouted, raising up one of her twin swords.

"Yeaaahh!" shouted the army, raising their weapons.

"Now, our plan over the next two weeks is as follows..." Imono started, as the troops gathered around her, she described the details of their routes on a large map. Reirousa, not normally one for complicated details, found herself quickly adapting to the strategies. Maybe it was just her determination to avenge her mother, or maybe it was the encouragement from Hiraemo.

"Hey wait a sec." Reirousa brought up, she walked over to Commander Imono's map and studied it. "I got an idea, send these troops over here," she said, moving some pins from one side to the other, "We can ambush em better there."

"...very good Private Reirousa, I wouldn't even had considered that." Imono said, genuinely impressed, "I was right to bring you on board."

"Um... thanks.." Reirousa muttered, rubbing the back of her head, as she turned to Hiraemo, who gave her a thumbs up.

"Very well," Imono shouted out after finalizing the plans, "Now that you all know your routes, everyone fight for your king and our people!"

The crowd cheered out and went off to their positions.

"Well, looks like I'm going off with that group you positioned Reirousa." Hiraemo said, "And you're going with Imono herself."

"Y-Yeah..." Reirousa said, "You just stay alive, alright?"

"Of course you too." grinned Hiraemo, who took a second to put a helmet on. "Fight hard and strong, Reirousa, and we'll see each other again!"

"Right!"

* * *

The war between the Gerudo and the Hylians continued through the days, Imono called her sisters into battle, and Reirousa swung in using her warhammer, smashing and bashing Hylian knights down. As time past, despite all odds, the Gerudo were actually starting to get some headway into the war.

Then came one day, when Commander Imono was clashing against a Hylian Knight captain. Imono brought down her twin swords, but the captain blocked off the attack and kicked Imono away. She forced herself up and stood to fight, but more Hylian knights started coming in. Reirousa was worn out from the battling herself, she gripped her warhammer and ran out at the captain, but he easily knocked her away.

"Heh, so this is the strength of the Gerudo? Pathetic." sneered the captain, "None of you stand a chance. Know my name you Gerudo bitches, I am the Hylian Captain Gereminus, one of the strongest in our great army!"

"I think... we need to fall back on our next plan..." gasped Imono.

"O-Okay..." gasped Reirousa, alongside her.

"Heh, these women don't understand," smirked one of the knights who stood alongside Gereminus, "Their delaying the inevitable, soon they'll die like that other group we brought down."

"Yeah, I still remember the last one's words before I did her in." smirked Gereminus. "All she had to say in her final words... I think it was, 'I'm sorry Reirousa.'"

Reirousa paused and her eyes widened, she slowly looked up at Captain Gereminus, "What... did you just say...?"

"Come on, we have to get out of here!" exclaimed one of the Gerudo solders, with her hand on Reirousa's shoulder.

Reirousa however didn't respond, she turned and stomped towards Captain Gereminus, "The hell did you just say?!"

"What's the matter?" shrugged Gereminus, "Did I say something to anger you?"

"Maybe she's Reirousa?" asked the knight beside him.

"The woman I killed was a bit older then most I fought... did you know the woman I killed, a friend perhaps?" asked Gereminus.

"You... YOU BASTARD!" shouted Reirousa, running right at Captain Gereminus and swinging her hammer at him which he blocked with his sword, "THAT WAS MY MOTHER!"

"Oh, is that all?" smirked Captain Gereminus, "Well she's dead, and there's nothing you can do about it now."

"I'LL KILL YOU!" shouted Reirousa, going all out on Captain Gereminus.

"Reirousa!" shouted one of the Gerudo soldiers, turning to her commander, "Imono, we have to stop her!"

"... …let's retreat, we need to hurry." Imono stated, ignoring the soldier's words.

"But..."

"This is her place." Imono said, "This... was her true purpose for being here."

"Wait what?!"

"She was too young for any true combat, I mostly brought her into this war as a human shield, should the situation arise." Commander Imono said, "Her death shall be the saving grace of us all."

"But that's not..."

"Move solider, or her death will be in vain" Imono said, as they all retreated.

But none of those words were heard by Reirousa, who was too much in a blind fury at that moment..

"RAAAHHH!" she screamed out, swinging her warhammer like a mad person, Captain Gereminus was mostly capable of driving back her attacks, he swiped at her with his sword cutting her across her body, but she managed to lunge out and thrust her warhammer forward, impacting into Gereminus before bashing him across the face.

"Gaaahh!" shouted Captain Gereminus, clutching his face.

The other knights then ran in and tackled Reirousa to the ground. She squirmed and trashed around to try and break free, but Gereminus then brought his foot up and stomped down on Reirousa's chest, causing her to scream out. He continued to stomp on her until her injuries grew so severe she fainted.

"What a psychopath." groaned one of the knights.

"Should we kill her sir?" asked another one.

"...no." smirked Captain Gereminus while rubbing his injured face, "I have something better in mind."

* * *

Reirousa's eyes slowly opened, as she took a look around where she was. It was a dark isolated room. She tried to move, but found herself chained up against a wall.

"Ugh... the hell happened...?" Reirousa muttered.

"Ah, so you are awake." said a familiar voice, it was Captain Gereminus, walking in with a club in his hand, and a bandage on his cheek.

"You... bastard!" shouted Reirousa, yanking at the chains to try and free herself.

"My, my, that's no way to treat your captor." he smirked, "It's going to make what I'm about to do more painful for you."

"What're you talkin' about?" Reirousa asked, narrowing her eyes.

"My proposition is simple." Gereminus said, "I'm aware you have knowledge of the Gerudo's next plan. I'd like you to tell me everything you know about it, and I'll set you free afterwards."

"Go soak yer head, I ain't telling you anything." Reirousa scowled.

"...I was hoping you'd say that." smirked Gereminus, walking up to Reirousa, then swinging out the club and bashing her in the stomach.

"Gaaah!" shouted Reirousa, as Gereminus started beating her senselessly with the club. She tried her hardest to endure the blows, but they were getting too severe for her. Eventually though, Gereminus stopped and stepped back.

"Anything to say now?" Gereminus asked.

"Screw you." Reirousa simply said.

"Very well, next time I suppose." he shrugged, walking out.

Reirousa spent the next week like this, Captain Gereminus would come in, integrate her for information, she'd refuse, he would beat her up with his club, then leave. She'd receive bread and water to keep her sustained, but it wasn't much.

Reirousa tried her hardest to hold on, trying to keep her thoughts more pleasant things, like the soldiers she had grown to admire during her time training, especially Hiraemo. Her thoughts went to her mother, but it seemed like every time she tried to think of a pleasant memory, all she could think about was her friend telling Reirousa that she was dead, and then the words of Captain Gereminus bragging about him killing her, and all it did was make her sad and angry.

Eventually one day, as Gereminus continued to beat her with his club, she couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't think about anything else anymore, and just wanted to be done with all the pain..

"ENOUGH!" shouted Reirousa, hanging her head down, "I'll tell you what you want..."

"Glad to hear you comply." Gereminus smirked.

* * *

"What's going on?"

A few days later, Reirousa found herself bound and tied up, on a hill overlooking a vast plain. It looked somewhat familiar for some reason. She then realized Captain Gereminus was standing beside her, along with numerous Hylian knights.

"Where are we...?" Reirousa asked.

"Do you not remember this? This was the ambush point that your main squadron is going to come from. We're using the information you gave us to destroy them all." smirked Captain Gereminus.

Reirousa froze up and saw very faintly that the Gerudo were on their way to the area, and tears started to form in her eyes.

"No!" shouted Reirousa, "You can't!"

"Thank you so much for this." said Gereminus, "You've been quite helpful."

"EVERYONE!" screamed Reirousa, "RUN AWAY! IT'S A TRAP!"

But it was too late, and the two sides went into battle. The Gerudo fought hard and strong, but the Hylians had an easy advantage over them, and the Gerudo started to fall in battle.

Reirousa tried to shut her eyes to not see them, but Gereminus grabbed her head and forced her eyes open, so that she could watch.

"This is what happens when you mettle with the great Hylian army." whispered Gereminus, "Watch and absorb it, as your people die. I'm keeping you alive so that you send this as a message to any of the surviving Gerudo bitches."

"You... can't..." sobbed Reirousa. Her thoughts went to Hiraemo, who was probably being slaughtered by the knights at the position she placed her, just like the others were here.

Commander Imono meanwhile, ran into battle slashing her twin blades through the knights, before arriving at the top of the hill where Captain Gereminus and Reirousa were.

"You Hylian bastards!" shouted Imono, clutching her side, which was bleeding. "We'll take back our king, and I'll have you head!"

"Hmph, then let's see what you can do." smirked Gereminus, pulling out his sword.

The two clashed heavily, blade against blade. Reirousa herself could only kneel and watch as Gereminus gained the upperhand. He deflected Imono's right sword out of her hand, before going forward and impaling her through the stomach.

"N-No... Ganondorf..." Imono groaned out staggering back, her injuries from the past battles were too much for her, and her body had become too weak, "My husband... please... forgive me..."

And with that, Imono collapsed onto the battleground and rolled down the hill, joining the bodies strewn about

"Commander!" shouted Reirousa.

"Well that takes care of that." smirked Gereminus, "Now to-"

"Sir! We're being attacked on the right!" shouted a knight, running up to Gereminus, "We tried to fend them off but they got the-"

That was the knight's last words before he was sliced across the back and fell to the ground dead.

"What?!" exclaimed Gereminus, as he saw who used the blade.

"Looks like we got the advantage this time!" said a familiar voice, Reirousa's eyes widened and looked to see it was Hiraemo, brandishing her sword. "Reirousa, hold on. I'm going to rescue you!"

"Hira, you're alive!" Reirousa shouted.

"Yeah Reirousa, that placement you recommended to Commander Imono was a great move." Hiraemo said with a grin, "We got the drop on those bastards before they were even the wiser!"

"I... did that...?" Reirousa asked.

"Hmph, you'll die now woman!" Gereminus said, drawing his blade and the two went into battle. The two of them swung their swords with great force and technique, and it was getting more clear that Hiraemo was starting to gain the upperhand in this fight.

"Grrr... you bitch!" Gereminus scowled, he then turned to Reirousa, who was still tied up. He then smirked, and lunged at her with his sword.

"No, Reirousa!" screamed out Hiraemo, running out to block Gereminus's attack, but he deflected her sword and managed to impale her through the chest.

"H-HIRA!" shouted Reirousa, tears running down her face, as her friend fell to the ground.

"Heh, your concern for her made you let your guard down." smirked Gereminus as he turned away, "Even with your ambush, we still have the advantage. Now to put an end to this ba-"

It was then that Captain Gereminus felt a sharp pain, as he realized someone had shoved a sword through his chest from behind. It was Hiraemo, despite having such severe injuries, had been able to impale him shortly after cutting Reirousa free of her binds.

"You let your guard down..." Hiraemo said with a smirk.

"M-My king..." muttered Captain Gereminus, coughing out blood, as his eyes rolled into the back of his head, "I... failed you..."

And with that, Captain Gereminus of the Hylian army fell to the ground dead.

"Hira! HIRA!" shouted Reirousa, running over and kneeling down to Hiraemo who had just collapsed..

"Reirousa... I think it's time I join our sisters in the world of spirits..." she whispered.

"No! You can't! I'll get you to some medical help! I swear!" Reirousa hung her head down, "Please don't..."

"I'll say hi to your mother for you..." Hiraemo smiled lightly, "Don't mourn for us Reirousa... just live..."

And with that, Hiraemo collapsed.

"Hira..." sobbed Reirousa, kneeling at her lifeless body on the hill overlooking the battlefield.

* * *

Reirousa slowly trudged through the valley, looking out at the land. She saw many Gerudo and Hylian knights, all dead. She tried her hardest not to look directly at any of them, and just continued on, with tears running down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Under her arm was a certain helmet, the one Hiraemo had been wearing, it was all she could think of to hold onto as a memory of her.

The battle had ended as a failure for the Gerudo, many of them retreated, but any more had died. Even the ones who were part of Hiraemo's team had been beaten off.

Reirousa spent the night at an abandoned tent, but found it impossible to sleep. She closed her eyes tightly but all she could think of was the brutal battle, and seeing her people slaughtered. It was a sleepless night for the survivor of war.

The next morning, she continued on, thinking she would never see living person again, and started to contemplate if she should just collapse on the ground and let the vultures finish her off...

It was then however, Reirousa saw fresh smoke in the distance. She wasn't sure if they were Gerudo or Hylian, and frankly at that point, even after all she had been through she didn't care. She ran as fast as she could to what turned out to be a campsite, and found the occupants to be five Gerudo. They had just been starting to pack up their things when they saw Reirousa.

"Oh! Another of our sisters!" exclaimed one of the girls.

"Huh? Who are you guys?" Reirousa asked.

"My name is Sovan. We're... were soldiers in the war..." sighed one girl, "Our teams were killed in an ambush by the Hylian knights..."

"We couldn't do anything for them..." said another.

"Ugh, I know that feeli- wait a minute..." Reirousa said, taking a good look at them, "You guys look really young to be soldiers, how old are you?"

"I'm fourteen..." sniffled Sovan, "And these girls are younger..."

"F-Fourteen?!" exclaimed Reirousa, "But the Gerudo law says girls can't be solders until they're at least sixteen!"

"Commander Imono... didn't give us much choice..." said Sovan, "She said it was our duty..."

"She threatened to draft my momma if I didn't join..." sniffled another Gerudo.

Reirousa was at a loss for what to say, the army was actually taking younger women and forcing them into the war, they were clearly not fit for battle, giving off the idea to Reirousa that they were just sent in to die, and it affected her thoughts on Commander Imono herself...

A disturbing thought came to her, could it had been her mother went to war to prevent Reirousa from going herself like what this kid had to do? She didn't even want to think about that possibility at that moment...

"Jees..." Reirousa muttered, "So what are you guys gonna do now?"

"I... don't know..." one of the girls said, "If we try to go back to the fortress, we might just get sent back to war..."

"...or maybe executed for failing..." said another.

Reirousa just paused, then let out a deep sigh.

"Alright, let's go." Reirousa said, turning and walking off,

"Huh? Go where?" Sovan looked up and asked.

"Hell if I know." Reirousa said, "I'm sure we'll find a place eventually..." she turned to them and raised her voice gruffly, "Just don't get lost, got it?!"

Sovan and the girls gave the faintest of smiles as they all followed after her.

* * *

_**So that ends the chapter. I'll just say this story in general is a new venture for me to write, but this chapter was probably the darkest story telling I've done, though it was a necessity to show what was going on during the time skip, and I felt this situation was too important for Reirousa to just narrate like Sarami did with her story.**_

_**Well I should have chapter 17 out soon enough, stay tuned!**_


	17. Comfort in Sorrow

_**Chapter 17 is here, enjoy!**_

* * *

"...we've spent our days since then in these damn wastes... and the girls decided to make our gang the Sandstorm Vipers." Reirousa sighed, finishing up her story to Link, "I don't have the guts to show myself over at the new town... I'd probably just get tossed out on my ass..."

Needless to say, Link was shocked at the story Reirousa told, and what she had gone through. He was especially disgusted with the way the Hylian knights treated Reirousa, the torture both physically and mentally, but at the same time was appalled by Commander Imono drafting young girls like them into the war. It definitely made him see both sides of the war in many different ways...

"Reirousa.." Link muttered, "I can't believe all that happened to you. It's no wonder you're in so much pain."

"So you get it now?" Reirousa said, "I can never get over what happened... and everyone that I lost that day... All I can do right now is look after the Vipers, they're all I got left..."

Link just paused, and took a deep breathe, "I get it more then you know..."

"Huh? What're you talking about?"

Link slowly walked up to the plaque and placed his hand on it, his fingers trailing over one of the names on it.

"Because, I played a part in that war too..." he said.

With those words, he explained what he had done to get Ganondorf captured, which lead to the tragic war. Reirousa was at a loss of what to say to him, but continued to listen

"Nabooru told me not to blame myself for what happened, but it still bothers me sometimes. I don't think I can ever really forgive myself for what happened to your people, even if it was best for Hyrule as a whole." Link explained. "There's a saying, 'The needs of many outweigh the needs of the few', but it doesn't make those few lives any less important..."

"So... how do you deal with it...?" Reirousa asked, "You know, so it doesn't just eat you completely up inside?"

"Almost immediately after I told Nabooru everything, she comforted me, she assured me I wouldn't be alone anymore. I've made a lot of great friends in Gerudo Town, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Dr. Sarami, the mystic twins... and of course Nabooru herself." Link said, "They've become the strength I needed to help me move forward."

"To move forward, huh...?" Reirousa asked.

"You seem to have found something yourself though..." Link turned to Reirousa, "...with Sovan and the other Vipers." Link explained, "Even after all you suffered, you took them in as your family."

"I-I... only did that cause they had nowhere else to go..." Reirousa muttered, "What else was I supposed to do...?! I couldn't let em die..."

"Personally, I think from remorse can come great strength and resolve. It was from the tragedy you suffered that made you compassionate enough to help the others." Link said.

Reirousa's eyes lit up from hearing those words. The pointy-eared man looked up to her, then came forward and wrapped his arms around the muscular woman.

"H-Hey, what're you doin'?!" she asked, slightly embarrassed from feeling him against her.

"Reirousa, I don't expect you to just get over your loss, I understand that s much as anyone... All I can tell you is just take it one step at a time." Link said, "And if you just can't deal with the pain... then I'll help you through it."

"You... you will?" Reiroua asked, small tears forming in her eyes.

"I promise I will." Link said, "And if neither of us can let go of the past, then we'll just comfort each other until the rest of our days."

Reirousa couldn't say anything at the moment, but then wrapped her arms around Link, holding him closely. Link could feel tears dripping down on him from Reirousa's eyes, and despite how strong her arms were, she was holding Link gently. It was a very comforting moment for the both of them, even in that harsh situation they were in.

"T-Thanks... Link..." Reirousa said crying.

"Thank you too Reirousa..." Link said, with tears of his own going down his cheeks.

The two of them just stood there for the longest time, in front of the plaque that commemorated the lost, but not forgotten lives of their past...

* * *

Link and Reirousa eventually left out the mausoleum. The weather was clear, and no storms seemed to be coming. For a brief time, the two of them could feel at peace.

That peace was broken though, when they heard a loud voice shout out.

"I see them! They're just ahead at the entrance!"

They turned to see Aviel flying ahead of Nemisa and the Vipers. Aviel quickly dive-bombed and crashlanded onto Link, hugging him tightly, while the Vipers all pulled Reirousa in a big group hug.

"Thank Aifet you're okay Link!" shouted Aviel, holding him tightly. Nemisa had ran up, looking like she was almost about to hug Link as well, but ended up slowing down and kept her distance.

"I-It's good to see you're okay, your highness." Nemisa said awkwardly, but with a great amount of relief.

"Boss! We were worried about you!" one of the Vipers sobbed.

"We were afraid you got eaten by the Molderm!" exclaimed another.

"I-I'm fine!" shouted Reirousa, "Now let go before I kick you all in the ass!"

The girls simply ignored her threat and refused to let go of her, causing Reirousa to roll her eyes and sigh.

"So what happened with that annoying woman and her Molderm?" Link asked Nemisa.

"We managed to evade them, but I'm not sure for how long." Nemisa said, "We need to get the Sand Rod and return back to town as soon as possible."

"Ah ha! Not so fast ya bastards!" shouted a familiar voice.

"Oh no." Link groaned.

The group turned to see Big G Jousak again, along with her team of rebels.

"You... thought you could... get away from... us in that sandstorm?" Jousak exclaimed, panting like crazy, "We're the all-powerful... rebels of... the... Ebony..."

Jousak slouched over panting as her team tried to comfort her and give her some water.

"She didn't try to track us down during that sandstorm, did she?" Sovan asked.

"Is she going to be alright?" Aviel asked sweatdropping.

Big G Jousak took a deep breath, before pulling out her ocarina . Her team started making those spitting and shrieking noises again, and Jousak started singing into her ocarina.

"_Thought you got away, but now yer gonna pay_

_My posse and I are gonna make your blood spray!_

_The false king tried to make us the fool, but he's nothin' but a tool,_

_Soon it'll be the Mother that's the one to rule!_

_Ebony Sisterhood represent, clash and battle and don't relent,_

_Now go all-out til their lives are nothin' but spent!_

And she ended it with her pointed her thumbs down with a cocky grin.

With that, the rebels all unsheathed their weapons and charged in to battle Link, Reirousa and the others.

"Everyone, to arms!" shouted Nemisa, as the two sides ran in and clashed.

Link charged in and used his shield to block two rebels trying to hit him at the same time with their swords, he backed them off with his own sword. Some more tried to surround him, but he delivered a spin attack to send them falling to the ground.

"You were a fool to come here with no weapon!" shouted a rebel to Nemisa, who swung her sword at her, but she brought up her wrist and blocked the sword with her steel bands, before kicking the rebel in the side and slamming her in the back with her elbow.

Aviel aimed and firing arrows which deflected the weapons of every rebel that ran at her, the before smacking them to the ground with the crossbow itself. Another rebel tried getting the drop on her from behind, but she turned her arms into wings and shot into the air, before coming down and bashing the rebel on the head.

A rebel thrust her spear at Reirousa, who stepped out of the way, grabbed the spear, and swung it, hurling the rebel through the air, before swinging her warhammer into another rebel coming at her from behind, while Sovan and the Vipers rode in on their Spinners and quickly made short work of the remaining rebels.

"Y-You gotta be shttin' me..." Jousak muttered, taking a step back, "We're all too exhausted from the search to fight back..."

"Yeah, not your best plan boss..." muttered one of the rebels before she fell out cold

"Alright, time for hit the beat!" With that, she pulled out her ocarina and started singing into it.

"_My posse's about to lose, so wake up from your snooze,_

_Molderm it's time to wreck those who break our rules,_

_Show em you-_

It was then at that moment that Link slashed through Jousak's ocarina with his sword, breaking it in half, before then swinging his sword into a spin attack, slashing across Jousak and sending her flying.

"YEOOOW YEOOW Yeoow yeoow...!" screamed out Jousak with an echoed voice, flailing backwards to the ground with her eyes whited out, falling unconscious.

"None of that anymore, thanks." Link said, spinning his sword in his hand. He was about sheath it, until everyone could feel the ground rumbling.

"Uh oh..." Sovan muttered.

And with that, the Molderm burst out of the sand, screeching out. It looked around and saw Link and Reirousa. Recalling how the two of them caused it so much trouble before, including blinding one of it's eyes, it roared out and came right at them.

"It's time to fight!" Link said, brandishing his sword, and the group charged in.

The Molderm lunged at Link, but he ducked and rolled to the side while Reirousa used a bomb-charged warhammer swing to blast it away, while Link charged in and delivered a slash of his sword across the very place the Molderm was hit by, it screeched and fell to the sand, rolling across the ground.

Aviel aimed her bow and shot off a barrage of arrows, most of them deflected off the Molderm's armored body, but she pulled down her goggles, narrowed her eyes carefully, and fired one arrow straight forward and impact right into the Molderm's injured eye.

Nemisa stood watching it carefully, taking a deep breath and running forward, the Molderm recovered and swung out it's tail at her, but Nemisa leaped up and delivered a flying kick directly into the blinded eye with such force it sent the Molderm crashing into the ground.

The Molderm got up and roared down at Nemisa, but the Vipers came in on their Spinners and started circling around the monster, generating a cloud of sand and camouflaging them. The Molderm looked around frantically trying to get a look at them, but it was then that Reirousa leaped on top of the worm and bashed it with another explosive attack.

Despite all the abuse it took, the Molderm forced itself up and roared out loudly.

"You gotta be kidding me, is this thing invincible?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

The Molderm then looked around and quickly dived down into the sand.

"Did... did it run away...?" Aviel asked.

That question was answered when the Molderm shot out from behind them and slammed it's body down at them, creating a shortwave that repelled everyone back. In it's blind fury, the Molderm then lunged out at anything it could sense, that being one warrior who had stumbled off her Spinner.

"Sovan, look out!" shouted Link.

"Wha-"

Sovan didn't even have a chance to react as the Molderm came right at her with it's mouth open and swallowed her up.

"SOVAN!" shouted Reirousa, her battle-ready face suddenly turned blank in a split second. Her legs suddenly grew weak, and she fell to her knees, her whole body was shaking.

"Oh no..." Aviel said, putting her hands to her mouth in shock.

"Boss, we need to do something!' shouted one of the Vipers.

"No... not her..." trembled Reirousa, flashing back to when Hitaemo was stabbed, "It's... happening again... I was supposed to protect her..."

"Reirousa..." Link muttered, looking to her. He then turned to Molderm and narrowed his eyes. He then charged right at the Molderm, bring up his sword and bashing the monster across it's bad eye. The Molderm screeched out in pain and it's senses turned to Link, who stood ready fight.

Instead however, the Molderm then lunged down with it's mouth open and in that instant, swallowed Link as well.

"LINK!" screamed Aviel, with tears forming in her eyes.

Reirousa's whole trembled, "NO, NO!" she shouted, clutching her head before falling to her hands, "STOP! STOP DYING DAMNIT!"

"YOU MONSTER!" Nemisa shouted, running at the Molderm and started kicking and punching at the it's vulnerable spots, "Release him, release my Link this instant!"

The Molderm, starting to feel too much of the pain of Nemisa's blows more and more, then spun around, knocking her away, and it screeched out, rampaging everywhere. The girls tried to fight back, but it's rampant attacks were getting to be too much, and they were all deflected away.

Reirousa on the other hand, was on her hands and knees trembling, not just from losing Sovan, but Link as well.

"You... you said you'd be here for me..." muttered Reirousa, "You said we'd comfort each other..."

"Boss, look out!" screamed one of the Vipers, and Reirousa looked up to see the Molderm coming right at her.

Reirousa paused, staring up at the beast coming at her. Her eyes narrowed and she snarled, clenching her warhammer, and loading another bomb into it.

"You bastard..." she muttered, looking up at the large worm. She could swear for a second she saw the arrogant face of the late Hylian Captain Gereminus in that moment, "I WON'T LET YOU TAKE ANYONE ELSE FROM ME!"

With that, Reirousa brought back her warhammer and swung it out with every ounce of her incredible strength, smashing it directly into the Molderm's face, sending it flying into the air from the explosive impact, it spiraled through the air before landing down on it's back. The Molderm started to shake and screech out, while everyone watched as they saw a strange motion was going on inside of it.

Suddenly the creature's belly was split open, and leaping out from it was Link, brandishing his sword in one hand, and holding Sovan over his shoulder with the other hand.

The Molderm quivered and convulsed before gasping out and falling over dead.

"L-Link's alive!" shouted Aviel with wide eyes.

"And so is Sovan!" cheered one of the Vipers.

Link landed down to the ground holding Sovan tightly,"You okay there, Sovan?" he asked her.

"Ugh..." Sovan muttered, but with a small smile, "A little slimy, but I guess I'll be fine, thank you so much." she said, giving him a sweet but slimy kiss on the cheek.

It was then that Link's guards and the Vipers all ran around then hugging the two, relieved for their safety.

"By the goddess of the desert, we thought you two were done for!" a Viper shouted with tears down her face.

"Liiiink!" sobbed Aviel hugging him with her bird wings, not even bothered by how slimy he was, "I was so scared for yooou!"

"Your highness..." Nemisa started, "NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!" she then shouted, bashing Link upside the head.

"Heh, sorry Nemisa." grinned Link sheepishly, not even seeming to be phased by her punch anymore

"You... saved her..." Reirousa said, walking up to Link and Sovan, "You let yourself get eaten just to save her?"

"What can I say? I couldn't allow any of you to die." Link grinned.

Reirousa stood there blankly, she then trembled a little, before walking up and knocking everyone out of the way, hugging Link tightly.

"You're an awesome man! You really are!" shouted Reirousa, doing everything she could to hold back her tears, Link meanwhile was trying his hardest not to get crushed between her arms.

"Reirousa, you can let go now!" Link exclaimed.

"No!" shouted Reirousa back, still holding him tightly.

Aviel meanwhile just looked on smiling at the two...

* * *

"So how's the food?" asked Sovan. After the battle, the group had soon arrived back at the Viper's hideout and were all gathered around enjoying dinner.

"It's delicious!" said Aviel, "I didn't think you could make food this good in a place like this!"

"It's something I learned from my mother," Sovan explained, "Most of our supplies come from whatever we can salvage, but I can make due with just about anything."

"You certainly can, it's great stuff." Link nodded taking a large mouth full.

"Anything for the man that saved my life." smiled Sovan, taking a moment to wipe some food off of Link's cheek with her finger and tasting it for herself, causing the other Vipers to squeal out.

Reirousa in particular felt the urge to say something, but just took a large mouthful of food to shut herself up.

Eventually the group finished their meals, and Reirousa stretched out.

"Well now that that's done, how about we go get you that Sand Rod so you can get?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" grinned Aviel, "We were victorious over the rebels and the Molderm, we need to celebrate! Let's get some music playing, right Link?"

"Yeah, sounds good." grinned Link, pulling out his ocarina.

"Oh no, you don't make music like that Jousak woman, do you?!" Sovan asked worried.

"Nothing like that." Link clarified, "But we do need something a little more then just this..."

"I know, Nemisa you perform as well!" Aviel said.

"What?! Me?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"Can she play music too?" asked one of the Vipers.

"Nah, she dances!" Aviel said smiling.

"Yeah, come on Nemisa, I'll play the music and you dance!" Link said with a big grin.

"I'm not going to put on a show like that!" Nemisa shouted in protest, "It's... not..."

"Come on, let her know we all wanna see!" Aviel told the Vipers, and they responded by cheering out for Nemisa. Reirousa didn't say anything but shrugged and nodded.

"I... um..." Nemisa was stumbling over her words, looking around frantically.

Link smiled and simply put his lips to the ocarina, closed his eyes, and started playing a tune, it was a slow and mellow tune, it's gentle soothing melody flowed through the room, and everyone hearing it could feel their spirits lighten, almost healing them in a way.

Nemisa closed her eyes, feeling the rhythm as it played. She remembered the tune from back when Link played it with Togau during the caravan trip, and as embarrassed as she was about it, her legs starts to move with the flow of the song, her arms rose and fell, and she started to dance. She rocked her hips left and right slowly, her arms moved almost as if she was in water, and her legs shifted slowly while occasionally raising one leg high into the air at a high note.

She kept her eyes closed, soaking in the music Link was playing, it was comforting, almost like a soft hug from a loved one, one person in particular went through her mind; a woman in a dark and lonely place, hugging Nemisa as she cried...

But then she found herself thinking of someone else with her, a strong but compassionate person, holding her against his bare chest, and she took comfort in that warm embrace. She would look up and see his compassionate eyes, and soft blond hair tickling her head, as he leaned forward to press his lips against hers...

Meanwhile back in reality, everyone was frankly in awe of the way Nemisa was dancing at that moment, showing off so much passion and grace in her movement, even the normally rowdy and rough Sandstorm Vipers watched the dance intently. Link in particular kept one eye open, watching Nemisa dance as he played, as he was just as captivated by it as everyone else.

Reirousa herself was taken in by the melody Link was playing in particular, as she thought about her mother, and her team from the war, the days her mother would dote over her and smile sweetly no matter how frustrated Reirousa would be with her, and the fond times she spent with her team during their training. Her thoughts were tempted to dwell on the day she found out about her mother's death, and the day her team were all killed, as usual for her guilty conscious to do, but as she listened to the melody, she kept shifting back to the good times, it seemed like all she could think of at that moment was the happiness she felt from those who cared about her.

Her thoughts then drifted to all the times she spent with the Sandstorm Vipers, how they all relayed on her and fought for her, and lastly, her thoughts then went to Link himself, and the promise he made to help her cope with her loss, and the comfort the two of them could have in each other...

"Boss...?" brought up Sovan, "Are... you crying?"

"M-Me...?" Reirousa said with a scoff, "Hell no, I'm not crying... my... eyes are just a little dry is all!"

The others didn't say a word back to her, but smiled as the song and dance continued through the night...

* * *

"Well there it is," Reirousa said, having lead the group to the Shrine of Aifet, where the Sand Rod was, "There's that treasure you were after."

In the center of the shrine was a small pedestal with the shape of the Desert Goddess modeled into it, and the arms of the goddess seemed to be holding up the Sand Rod. Link nodded and took a step up to the pedestal and took the rod, holding it firmly.

"Looks just like Nabooru described." Link said.

"Think we outta try it out?" Aviel asked.

"I wouldn't do that," Nemisa said, "We should conserve it's power, since Lady Nabooru has intentions for what to do with it, and like the Vipers we don't even know how it works anyway."

"We would have tired to use it ourselves but we could never figure out how it works." Sovan said.

"Okay, let's concentrate on getting it back safe and sound." Link nodded, taking a moment to wrap the rod up in a cloth to preserve it.

As the others started to leave, Reirousa stood and looked up at the shrine. Her thoughts wandered, and she reached up to her helmet, removing it and placing it on the ground in front of the shrine. She got down on her knee and put her hands together.

"Hira... rest in peace." Reirousa said, and with that she stood up and left.

* * *

"Reirousa... you removed your helmet?!" exclaimed one of the Vipers.

"Uh, yeah... I was getting tired of the helmet hair." she fibbed, rubbing the back of her head. With out covering her facial features, they got a hood look at her golden eyes and mellow expression.

"Wow, without that helmet you look... a lot less scary now." Aviel said smiling.

"What'd you say, squirt?" asked Reirousa, glaring down at her.

"Nothing!" squeaked out Aviel hiding behind Link. The Hylian himself smiled and looked up to her.

"It was a good choice," Link nodded, "I think you look better without it."

"Erm... that.. I... ...shut up." muttered Reirousa, turning her head to the side. The Vipers couldn't help but giggle to themselves at their boss' awkwardness around Link.

"Alright then, we better start heading back to Gerudo Town." Nemisa said.

"So, I guess this is goodbye then?" Reirousa asked, rubbing the back of her head, "Um, if you guys... ever want to come back and visit us... I'm sure the girls would like to see you."

"What are you talking about?" Link asked, "You're all coming with us."

It was at that moment that Reirousa did a double take and her eyes widened, "W-What?! You can't be serious!" she exclaimed.

"We get to go to Gerudo Town?!" asked one of the Vipers, "Really?!"

"Sure." Link said, "We won't turn our backs on you guys. Besides, you all more then proved your worth today."

"That'd be great, I'd love to go there!" squealed one of the Vipers.

"Yeah, come on Boss, let's go!" said another.

"N-Now wait a minute, I didn't say anything about going!" exclaimed Reirousa, "This place is our home!"

"You mean that broken down old basement in the middle of the wasteland?" Nemisa asked with a small grin, "That's not a life for anyone, if the king says it, then you all are most welcome."

"Yeah, come on Reirousa!" Aviel chirped up, "Gerudo Town is a really nice place, and our sisters will be happy to have all of you there!"

Link nodded, "We could use someone like you and the Vipers around. You have a lot of experience in handiwork and battle." he glanced to the side and scratched his cheek, "And of course, we still have that promise we made..."

"Come on Boss," Sovan said, putting a hand on Reirousa's arm, "Swallow that pride of yours and let's go."

"Um... uh... that..." Reirousa stammered, "I..."

"Wait, did you say a promise?!" exclaimed Aviel with a bright smile, "What's this about a promise? Did you select Reirousa as your next fiance, Link?!"

"What?! The king is going to marry the boss?!" shouted the Vipers, they authentically all surrounded Reirousa and patted her on the back, Sovan in particular saying "Congratulations, Boss!"

"HEY, I never said anything like that!" exclaimed Reirousa blushing bright red, "The promise I made... was... uh..." she glared at Link and Aviel, "Damnit ya big mouths, I'm gonna clobber you two!"

Instead of being intimidated though, Link and Aviel both laughed instead. Even Nemisa was trying to her hardest not to giggle herself, feeling somewhat sympathetic at Reirousa and her awkwardness.

Link in particular looked to see Reirousa trying her hardest to talk down her team. She was definitely stronger then she had thought she was, and was an admirable person. A small part of him found himself even taking to the idea of Aviel's assumption of Reirousa becoming one of his future wives.

'Huh, weird.' Link thought to himself, 'It's almost like a second nature for me to think that way...'

He remembered what Nabooru said before about finding women who he shared a firm bond, that he could spend his life together with, and he couldn't deny he had formed a close bond with Reirousa, someone he could find comfort in, while comforting her as well.

"I just want to see the boss in a wedding dress!" squealed out one of the Vipers.

"Ain't gonna happen!" shouted Reirousa.

Link couldn't help but laugh a bit , as his thoughts then to imagining what Reirousa would look like in that kind of dress, while at the same time he felt a warm feeling in his heart...

* * *

Meanwhile, in an unknown place...

"I got bad news, Mother Eclipsis." said Big G Jousak, bowing on her knees along with the rest of her troops, "My Molderm was taken out by Reirousa and the false king... and even worse, it looks like she's shackin' up with that guy."

"I see... most unfortunate."

Standing before Big G Jousak was the leader of the Ebony Sisterhood, the mysterious Mother Eclipsis, lounging on a throne, she was draped in a full black robe lined with ancient Gerudo markings decorating it made form gold thread. The robe completely hid their body, save for her face which was instead hidden by a mask. The mask itself was mostly a pearl white in design with a feminine frame to it, it made the woman's expression completely unreadable, and there were gold chains hanging down from the top of it that hugged the mask's shape.

"I swear ta ya, this is all my fault!" shouted Jousak, "Lay the smackdown on me if you want, but please leave my homegirls out of it!"

"No matter, you all did your best, so no punishments will be given." said the rebel leader, "Now go ahead and recuperate from your injuries."

"T-Thanks a bunch lordship, you're the most chill momma!" Big G Jousak said, pointing two fingers to the Mother Eclipsis, "Come on girls, let's kick back a spell." and then she and her team left the room,

Shortly after that a woman came to Mother Eclipseis with a note in her hand.

"Your lordship, a message." she said, handing it to the mysterious masked individual.

"Thank you..." muttered the masked lord, who opened the note and read it over. It was at that point a small chuckle could be heard from her.

"So it won't be long now... we just have to find that one person, and we'll soon have all that we've wanted..."

* * *

_**So that concludes the Reirousa arc, and it seems Link's troubles are only growing, but thankfully his friends are growing as well! Look forward to the next arc coming soon!**_


	18. Festival of The Desert

**_Howdy folks, it's time for Chapter 18! This one's going to be a much lighter toned story after what happened with the last major arc. Hope you all enjoy it!_**

* * *

"This has been a fine mess." sighed Nabooru as she, Link and Aviel sat around the dining table for a meal, "First the slave kidnappings, now a rebellion."

"Have you heard about this Ebony Sisterhood before?" Link asked.

"Or their leader, that lady Mother Epilepsy?" Aviel brought up as well.

"I'm pretty sure they called her Mother Eclipseis." Link said sweatdropping.

"Not a clue." Nabooru pondered, "All I knew before was that a handful of our Gerudo sisters opposed my views of how to rebuild our civilization, and they left to Gerudo Fortress, that's the reason I mentioned not to go there in the invitation I sent you. They've kept to themselves over the years, but I had no idea they were so well informed and organized at this point." Nabooru let out a sigh."I'm sorry this kind of thing was put on you Link."

"It's no problem," Nemisa said, "Between us and Reirousa's team, we won against them easily."

"Yes, I'm pleased you brought our lost sisters back to town. From what I've heard the six of them are fitting in quickly." Nabooru then smirked to Link, "And Aviel told me you and Reirousa hit it off pretty well..."

"Oh did she?" Link asked, looking at Aviel annoyed, who quickly stuffed her mouth with potatoes and smiled innocently at him, with her cheeks bulged out to have an excuse not to say anything.

"Am I to assume she's a wife candidate too...?" Nabooru asked with a knowing smirk, causing Nemisa to spit out her drink.

"Do you have to be so blunt about it?!" Nemisa exclaimed to Nabooru.

"Well how about it Link?" Aviel asked excitedly.

"Ah-haha, well... I dunno, maybe?" Link said scratching his cheek, "If she's willing I suppose. We definitely became good friends, and I really admire her. We would have had a lot more trouble getting the Sand Rod without her help, ."

"Yes, thanks to that I'm going to be able to fortify our defenses around the town." Nabooru nodded.

"Plus after that I'll take the time to set up the you-know-what."

"You mean the pool?!" exclaimed Aviel, standing upright, "I've been waiting for this! I'd love to go swimming and have sister Ruto over!"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I sent out a letter of invitation for Ruto to come over in two weeks for the celebration." Nabooru nodded, "I should have the pool finished before she gets here."

"Oh yeah!" Aviel realized, "It's almost that time of year, isn't it?!"

"Celebration? For what?" Link asked in confusion.

"Hm, right, I guess I forgot to tell you." Nabooru realized, "Two weeks from now we'll be having our Festival of The Desert Goddess. We hold it annually in honor of the goddess Aifet to ensure the well-being of our people."

"We do all kinds of fun stuff, food, games, shows, there's even tournaments for things like swordplay and archery!" Aviel said enthusiastically.

"That's pretty impressive, I'll be looking forward to it." Link nodded.

* * *

_Two weeks later..._

"Link, it's time to wake up!"

"Huh?"

Link suddenly found a familiar weight on his chest as he opened his eyes, looking up at Aviel sitting on him like usual in the mornings. She was even more energetic then usual today, and no wonder, what with the festival starting today.

"Morning Aviel, can you get off me now?"

"Not until you get up, you're not sleeping in today! Today's the Festival of The Desert Goddess!"

"Alright, alright, I'm up!" Link groaned.

At the dining table that morning Nabooru was greeted by Link walking in with a bird girl clinging to him.

"Aviel, I said I'm up now." Link said dryly.

"Not letting go til you go outside." Aviel stated.

"And how am I supposed to eat like this?" Link asked, eventually pulling Aviel off of him and plopping her down on her usual seat.

"Morning there, sunshine." Nabooru grinned, "Ready for today?"

"Suppose I am, is there anything I need to do for it?" Link asked, siting himself down and going to work on eating his breakfast.

"Not really, just help me give a little speech, and then you're free to do as you please." Nabooru said.

"Alright." Link nodded, he then noticed something off about the dining room, "Hey, so where's Nemisa?"

"She said she had some business to attend to this morning, she did say she'll see you both at the festival later though." Nabooru said.

"Well okay, I just hope she has a little fun at least." Link said.

After they all finished eating, Nabooru clapped her hands together. "Alright then, let's go greet the people!"

* * *

"...and so it is on this day that we all celebrate and devote ourselves to the desert goddess Aifet, so that we may continue to prosper in this new age of the Gerudo!" Nabooru said to the people of Gerudo Town, standing at the front of the palace, "And now our beloved king Link has something to say for you as well!"

Nabooru then nudged Link to get him to speak up. Link nodded, cleared his throat and stepped up front. He heard a lot of excited squeals and cheering from the crowd, a rather large contrast from when everyone had taken to him so awkwardly seven months ago. The citizens had really grown to like him, it gave him some more confidence in himself to speak.

"Hello sisters of Gerudo Town, as your future king, it's taken some time for me to adjust to life here, as well as learning to take on my role here, and in this time there's been many hardships for us... But I feel through the strife that we've been brought together closer then ever, and with that we'll become stronger then ever before!"

"Take it off!" shouted one Gerudo in the crowd, causing a few others to laugh and cheer.

"Uh, yeah." Link said sweatdropping, "Now... um, let's all celebrate and have fun, on this day of the great Desert Goddess!"

With that the people cheered out and went about their business. Link himself took a sigh of relief while Nabooru put a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax Link, you're getting better with your words, you're becoming a real hope for them all." Nabooru said smiling.

"Thanks for that." Link said, "So what are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to get some work done, and then get to working on that special project." Nabooru said, "I'm sure your lovely princess of the Zoras will take nicely to it." she winked.

"Yeah... but what about you?" Link asked, "Don't you want to do anything fun today? It is the festival after all."

"I... I should be fine." Nabooru said, "You just go on and enjoy yourself okay? You've earned it."

And with that, Nabooru strolled off into the palace. Link just stared out at her, unsure of what to say to her...

* * *

Gerudo Town was buzzing with excitement on the day of the festival, colorful banners were hung everywhere, music was playing throughout the town, while the various shops and restaurants were given a makeover in celebration of the day, and the people themselves were going around lively and loud.

"Alright, so where do you want to go first Link?!" Aviel asked, making small hops around Link as the two of them walked down the street.

"Dunno, not really familiar with what's to here, care to help me with that Ms Tour Guide?" Link asked with a grin.

"Oh of course!" Aviel straightened up, "There's some games like the hot cucco wing eating competition, the greased pig chase..."

While Aviel was excitedly pointing out all the various places to go and things to do some girls upon seeing Link, waved and whistled to him, to which he replied by waving back to them.

"...and then there's apparently going to be some really big show with a special guest tonight!" Aviel said.

"Huh, wonder what that's going to be about." Link pondered.

"Ohhohoho! It's a pleasure to see you again, my dear husband!" laughed out a familiar voice suddenly.

Link recognized the voice and turned to see that sure enough, it was his fiance Princess Ruto of the Zoras walking down the street. Alongside her was three other Zoras; a tall muscular male, a hunched over elderly male with a cane, and a green-scaled female one with two fins growing out from the back of her head.

"Hey, Ruto!" Link grinned and waved to her, "Glad you were able to make it!"

"Sister Ruto!" squealed out Aviel, running up to the Zora princess to hug her, only to be stopped by the tall male Zora, who simply glared down at her, making her back up to Link's side.

"It's okay, Zopem, she's a good girl." Ruto accursed the male zora by patting his arm, who paused and stepped away.

"Who is he?" Aviel asked, tilting her head.

"This is my bodyguard, Zopem." Ruto said, "Daddy appointed him to me after the Hylian vs Gerudo war, and he's stood by my side since."

"..." Zopem didn't say a word, but just stared down at Link and Aviel, he seemed to focus heavily on Link in particular.

"A-And the others?" Link asked, looking over at the other Zoras.

"The older gentlemen here is Oton, he's our royal ambassador, and is here to see the ways of the Gerudo as they are now." Ruto introduced him, then gestured to the green zora, "And this is Luva, she's a friend of mine from the waters of Zora Coast."

"Ahem, a pleasure to meet you Gerudo King." Oton bowed his head, "I see your people are doing well these past years."

"Oh, uh, yes of course." Link said bowing, "I'm, erm, yet to be officially coordinated as king as of this time, but I hope everything here is too your expectations Ambassador Oton, please, uh, enjoy this town as our... honored guest."

"Ga ha ha ha! No need to be so formal with me boy." laughed Oton, "I can tell you're not the type to be talking that way."

"Ah, t-thanks..." Link rubbed the back of his head. He had to admit he was nervous about the idea of delegating relations with the zora, but at least as far as Oton was concerned he could be more relaxed then he thought.

"Hmph." Zopem on the other hand didn't seem very eager to make friends with him, he just stared intently at Link.

"Hey, what's up dude?" Luva spoke up a laidback tone to Link, while sporting a mellow grin, "So you're, like, Ruto's hubby now?"

"Well we're still just engaged at this point..." Link said, feeling a small sense of happiness to admit they were to be married. Ruto seemed to agree, strolling up to Link and wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning against him, as he put his arm around her waist.

"But I'm looking forward to the day when it comes." Link added.

"Hee hee, you were right Ruto, he is pretty sweet, and cute for a Hylian." Luva giggled.

"Ohohoho, of course Luva," Ruto gave a haughty laugh, putting the back of her hand up to her chin, "Only the finest man would suit one like myself!"

Zopem didn't say a word, but Link could still feel a sense of unease from the way the Zora was looking at him, even more now that he and Ruto were holding each other.

"So I understand we have you to thank for the defeat of Morpha over at Lake Hylia." Oton said, "We couldn't be more thankful for that, the monster was a real pain in my old rear, especially when it claimed the Water Temple as it's territory."

"We don't need to hear about your old rear, Ambassador Oton." Ruto said annoyed.

"Well everyone pitched in to help us with defeating it." Link affirmed, "Including Ruto."

"Yes, yes, King Zora was pretty skeptic about the idea of allying with the Gerudo at first, but he seems to have softened about it a bit after the princess told him about how you all defeated that monster." Oton nodded.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Ruto said, she turned to Zopem and motioned to him, who handed her a bag, which she then handed to Link. "This for you, husband."

"Oh?" Link asked, taking the bag and opening it. Inside was a strange thin cylinder device with chains wrapped around in the middle and a pointed tip. "Wait, this is..."

"It's the Longshot," Ruto said, "A artifact of the Water Temple. After Morpha was defeated, the Zora were able to enter the temple to fix the damages it caused, as well as salvage lost treasures inside."

"We were going to keep it in the Zora archives, but Princess Ruto was insistent we hand it over to you." nodded Oton.

"You're sure about this?" Link asked.

"I just thought you'd get more use out of it then anything. Think of it as an... engagement gift of sorts, one more suited to your style." Ruto said smiling.

"That thing looks pretty complex, can you handle it Link?" Aviel asked.

Link paused and looked at the device, held it up into the air, and squeezed the handle, causing the pointy tip to shoot out with the chain and carrying Link with it, surprising everyone. They all moved their heads to watch Link shoot himself around the area using the device, surprising a few passersby as well, before the Longshot attached to a nearby tree allowing Link to land safely to the ground.

"Think I can handle it." Link grinned.

"Woah!" Aviel exclaimed with her jaw dropped.

"That was so... COOL!" Luva said excitedly.

"Well, you took to that pretty well!" Ruto said with wide eyes.

Link didn't really mean to show off like that, but he couldn't help himself. In reality, this wasn't the first time he held this device, at least in this time period. In the dark future, he had entered the Water Temple during his quest, and found this very device to help him throughout his journey.

'Come to think of it, when I was sent back into the past, I lost everything I had collected in the future, just like the Mirror Shield...' Link thought, 'Well this should be useful.'

"Thanks for this, Ruto." Link then said smiling.

"Ohohoho, anything for my dear husband." Ruto laughed.

"Well then, I suppose I'm going to go meet with the merchants around here to take a look at their business." Oton said, shuffling his legs off, "You have fun today, Princess."

"I think I'll go do some clothes shopping!" said Luva, "You guys know, like, a good place I could head to?"

Aviel took a second to look at Link and Ruto, sporting a small smile, and waved up her arm to Luva, "I know some places, I'll show you around as an experienced tour guide!"

"Righteous, okay then!" Luva said, "Make sure you tell me all the juicy details later, okay babe?" she added with a wink to Ruto, then strolled off with Aviel. The bird girl stopped for second, turned her head and gave Link a thumbs up, earning a soft smile and nod from her future king.

Zopem meanwhile just continued to stand there without a word, it was getting pretty awkward between the Hylian and the two Zora to say the least.

"What about him?" Link whispered to Ruto.

"It'll be fine, Zopem, I'll be good with Link today. Why don't you go off with Oton and see to his well-being? You know how his back can get when he tries to push himself too hard." Ruto assured him.

"...as you wish Princess." Zopem muttered, he looked to Link once more before turning and following after Oton.

"He's... pretty intimidating." Link said.

"Don't worry about it, he can be like that." Ruto handwaved.

"I guess... So ready to check out the festival?"

"Oh of course, but there's something I'd like to do first..."

* * *

Link found himself sitting at a bench outside of a store while he heard Ruto talking excitedly from the inside. She had been ushered in by a Gerudo merchant and she insisted Link wait outside for them. He wasn't sure what it was all about, but waited patiently like a good boy as instructed by his fiance.

"Well my husband, how do I look?" Ruto's voice brought up.

Link turned to see her, only for his jaw to drop. Ruto was dressed up in traditional Gerudo silk clothes, colored a light blue to match her scales. She wore a head cloth that was big enough to go over most of her somewhat bulbous head, with a see-through veil that covered her mouth, a top that covered her chest, but made her cleavage stand out quite well, and a cloth belt that held on her new silk see-through pants. The outfit was designed well enough that it allowed her fins to remain free to flap around like usual.

"Do you like it?" Ruto asked, doing a little twirl, causing the cloth and her fins to sway, "Lady Nabooru had it commissioned for me a couple weeks ago, it was made to help keep my body from drying out in the heat here."

"I-It's... really nice, you look great..." Link said, standing up.

He was truly honest when she said that, it was weird considering he was used to seeing her nude as Zora usually were, but the outfit gave off a different kind of feeling for him. The outfit seemed to actually accentuate her natural beauty more, and he couldn't help but feel like a lucky man to have a lady like her as his future wife.

Ruto smirked at his reaction and walked up to him, pushing his jaw back up to close it. "Naturally I would, now come along Link," she said taking his hand, "Let's seize this day for ourselves!"

"Alright then!" Link nodded.

* * *

"Ga ha ha ha!" laughed Oton as he and Zopem left a store, being seen out by the shopkeeper and her assistants, "You girls take care now!"

"Thank you for your business!" said the shopkeeper with a bow.

"I have to say, these Gerudo have changed drastically since before the war, they really know how to make an old man feel welcome!" Oton said to Zopem as they continued down the street.

"I'm not so sure myself..." Zopem muttered, "After everything that happened with the war, I'm not very comfortable of the idea of forming an alliance with this tribe. What if this attempt to rebuild themselves is just a cover to go after our Hylian allies again and free that demon king of theirs?"

"I don't think that's the case, my boy." Oton said, "Lady Nabooru went out of her way to contact me about forming an alliance. She seems to be working to keep these Gerudo from ever going back to their old ways, and she has many ways to help the Zora as well."

"Well, there's also the matter of that boy." Zopem continued, seeming to ignore Oton's remark, "He's supposed to marry the princess, but he hardly seems fit to be a king; too young and weak..." he narrowed his eyes, "And then there's the concern that as the Gerudo King he will marry multiple women, it's an insult to the dignity of our princess!"

"It should be fine, I've talked with Ruto on this, and she's already said she's comfortable sharing him with other ladies." Otom said, then laughed, "Ga ha ha ha, he's a lucky man, I'll give him that!"

"Hmph, my point is he's unfit to marry Princess Ruto in general." Zopem muttered.

"I know you worry for her my boy, but she should be fine, the two of them go back a long way." Oton said, "She told me about how before you became her bodyguard that King Link saved her and Lord Jabu Jabu from a monster, back when he was just a child at that!"

"She mentioned that to me... multiple times." Zopem responded with a sigh, "But was it not the Gerudo King Ganondorf himself who cursed Lord Jabu Jabu with that monster to claim the Zora's Sapphire? What's to say this boy taking the princess' sapphire isn't part of some plan for him to take over Hyrule the way the other king attempted?"

"Zopem, in my years as the royal ambassador, I've grown a knack for reading into people." Oton said, "And I could tell that Link is a good and noble man. Princess Ruto loves him dearly, and she's been working hard to get the Zora accepting of him, and forming an alliance with the Gerudo so that they can marry someday. You just need to learn to trust her judgment."

Zopem paused, looking at the old ambassador, and just continued following him, deep in thought.

"Judgment, huh...?"

* * *

Link and Ruto meanwhile were busy traveling down the street, Ruto was taking time to eagerly visit every store on the block, admiring the exotic Gerudo outfits and jewelry, and Link was being dragged along every step of the way, holding all the bags for her purchases.

"Just how much more stuff are you getting?" Link asked, as he tried to balance the bags he was carrying so as not to collide into anything or anyone.

Ruto paused and looked into one window, seeing some jeweled necklaces and rings on display, she stared at them wide eyed with s small bit of drool seeping out from her lips.

"...yes." Ruto said simply, before leaving Link to go into the store.

"That wasn't a 'yes or no' question!" Link exclaimed.

As Ruto went into the shop, Link just set down the bags to rest his arms. He took a look around at the area, when something caught his eye. He went over to a makeshift stand where a Gerudo merchant was selling some various things, and he took a close look at one in particular that stood out to him.

Eventually Ruto emerged out of the store somewhat annoyed, "Hmph, those were hardly anything impressive after all..." she sighed, then called out, "Oh Link, where are yooou?"

"Coming!" Link said in haste, gathering up the bags and running off to join her, as the stand merchant waved goodbye.

* * *

Soon Ruto led Link into another clothing store. She took a look over to him where she saw he had set the bags down to rest his arms, and looked over his garment of a red vest and green pants in particular.

"Hmm... excuse me, miss?" Ruto called out to the clothing store owner, "Would you be able to do custom wear here for a man?"

"For the king? Oh yes, Princess, it would be an honor!" the seamstress and store owner said cheerfully, taking off a ruler tape hanging from her shoulders. "First we'll need his measurements!"

"Uh oh." Link realized.

He soon found himself standing upright with his arms stretched out left and right, while Ruto and the store owner were getting his measurements over.

"So lets go with a green and gold vest, black with red lines for the sleeves..." Ruto muttered, looking over Link's body, "Oh, and make sure the vest is made to be worn open so he can show off that chiseled chest of his..."

"Mm-hmm, how about back here then?" asked the seamstress.

"Hey, watch where you're moving that tape!" Link snapped.

Link's protest went ignored, and he sighed, looking out the window at a Gerudo mother with her child.

The daughter stared at Link, before asking her mother, "Mommy, why are those ladies dressing up the king?"

"Because men don't know how to dress themselves, honey." the mother said, as the two past by.

"...and we'll make the pants red with some black there and there... hey, quit fidgeting." Ruto scolded Link, tugging on his pants to make him stand still.

"We done yet?" Link asked.

"That will do." nodded Ruto, she told the seamstress "I'll pay for it upfront and you just have it sent to the palace as soon as it's done."

"Splendid!" the seamstress said, cupping her hands together brightly.

Link and Ruto soon left the store afterwards, Link was a bit confused about just what happened. "So what was that you were sizing me for anyway?" he asked.

"Why your new king's garments my husband, I want you to look good on our wedding day after all!" Ruto said cheerfully.

"Our.. wedding..." Link said, finding himself blushing red at the thought of the day.

"You think that's nice, you should see what I picked for my dress." she smiled, kissing him on the cheek. He couldn't help but wonder about how she'll look in a wedding dress, but those thoughts were cut off when he realized a sensation in his stomach, and it wasn't fluttering butterflies of love or anything corny like that.

"Hey, you getting hungry?" Link asked Ruto, "I know a restaurant you might like here."

"Oh, of course!" Ruto said.

* * *

Link escorted Ruto to a familiar little restaurant he had been to many times now, the same one whee he went on his tour of the town with Aviel.

"So what can I get ya two?" asked the waitress. Link turned to the Gerudo and quickly recognized her.

"Sovan?" Link inquired, recognizing the head of Reirousa's Sandstorm Viper gang, "You're working here now?"

"Yup, got the job pretty quick." she grinned, "Thanks again for bringing the boss and us here, it's great to be able to make food for everyone, and especially to get paid for it!"

Link was glad to see Reirousa and her gang were starting to fit in the way they were. He went ahead and introduced Ruto to Sovan, while she got to work on cooking their meal order.

"So Link saved you from the belly of a large creature? Not the first time he's done something like that!" Ruto laughed.

"Hey Link, sister Ruto!" exclaimed Aviel as she came into the restaurant with Luva, "You guys eatin' here too?"

"Nah, we're just here for the free water." Link said in a cheeky tone.

"So how are you liking the town, Luva?" Ruto asked.

"It's dry as hell, but I'm having fun! Thanks for bringin' me here Ruto!" Luva said.

By that time, Sovan dished out Link and Ruto's orders and went to taking Aviel and Luva's. Naturally their order included two bowls of shaved ice. As Link and Ruto ate, the zora princess took a look at Link's food and grinned slightly.

"Oh husbaaand..." she said in a singsong voice, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, "Can I have a taste of your food?"

"What food?" Link asked. Ruto opened her eye in curiosity only to see Link had already finished his food and he was wiping the remnants off his face.

"You're such a glutton!" Ruto exclaimed, folding her arms and looking away with a pout, leaving Link confused.

"Sovan, I'm here for the sandwiches I ordered to go!" announced a new voice.

"Sure, they're right here!" Sovan called out, gesturing to a bag on a nearby table.

"Huh, hey it's Nemisa!" Aviel exclaimed. The Gerudo warrior seemingly ignored Aviel and walked past her

"Oh! Nemisa, greetings!" Ruto spoke up.

"...hello Princess, an honor to see you again." Nemisa nodded with a slight bow.

"Where've you been all day, Nemisa?" Link asked.

"I've... been busy." Nemisa said.

"Well why don't you sit and eat with us then, Nemisa?" Ruto asked with a pleasant smile, patting an empty spot on their table.

"...I... can't. I still have much to do." Nemisa said, but then added, "...perhaps I'll take a rain check on that offer though."

"Oh, okay..." Ruto said, the group watched as Nemisa went out the door with her order, "I wish I could just sit her down and have a friendly chat with her." Ruto sighed, "I really admire her for how she saved you from drowning back at Lake Hylia."

"Yeah, I really want to do something for her to brighten her spirits..." he said concerned.

"Here comes your order!" Sovan called out, walking from the kitchen area to hand Aviel and Luva their meals, as well as the two bowls of shaved ice. She suddenly stumbled a bit though, causing the food tray to trip, and spilled one of the bowls of shaved ice on the ground.

"Ah shit," Sovan said, as she moved her arm to try to balance the plates, but one bowl started to tip. "Ah shit!" she repeated with more panic in her tone.

"Woah, be careful Sovan!" Aviel exclaimed, as she and Luva got up to help her balance her tray, but they both slipped on the shaved ice and collided into Sovan, making her knock over the other shaved ice bowl.

"Ppphbbtt!" Ruto snorted out giggling at the two's clumsiness.

"Hey, are you two alright?" Link asked, he got up himself to try and help them, only slip on the ice himself, and fall forward into Aviel and Luva and impacted into the ground.

"Ooowww..." groaned Luva, "Like, how the hell did that happen?!" she then saw one of Link's hands was groping her chest mounds, ""H-Hey dude, watch where you're grabbing!" she shouted a red face.

"Been a while since something like this happened..." Aviel said with swirling eyes.

"Mmph..." Link muttered, his face buried in Aviel's chest.

"Whoops." Sovan said rubbing the back of head, "Uh, no charge for that I guess..."

"Ahahaha, you guys are too much!" Ruto meanwhile was holding her sides and laughing so hard there were tears in her eyes.

"Is this the place?" asked a new voice, making everyone stop as Ambassador Oton and Ruto's bodyguard Zopem both come into the restaurant, "Hey we finally found it! Good thing too, I'm famished!"

"Let's just make this a quick," said Zopem, "I feel I should get back to find out how Princess Ruto is doi-" he stopped when he saw the scene in the restaurant.

Link was laying on top of both Aviel and Luva, his face buried in Aviel's chest while his hand was laying on Luva's chest, with their faces flushed bright red.

He then looked up at Ruto who had just stopped laughing before they came in, and he saw her staring back at him blankly, with tears going down her face.

"You... you... BASTARD!" Zopem shouted in anger, quickly grabbing Link from the ground and holding him up, slamming him into a wall, "You DARE hurt Princess Ruto like this?!"

"Wait, it's not what you thi-" Link was slammed against the wall again by Zopem, the Zora's powerful arm choking Link.

"You put yourself on a high pedestal, and fool around with women while Princess Ruto watches and weeps?! You have no right to call yourself her fiance!" Zopem shouted.

"Zopem, stop this!" shouted Ruto, "Link did nothing wrong!'

"Zopem you fool, calm yourself!" exclaimed Oton frantically, "Release the Gerudo king, or this should lead to an international incident!"

Aviel quickly aiming her crossbow at Zopem's shoulder, "Hold it! As the king's bodyguard, I demand that you unhand him, or else!" she shouted sternly.

"...fine." Zopem narrowed his eyes and let go of Link, dropping him to the ground.

"Look this whole thing is a misunderstanding." Ruto said crossly, "This was just an accident."

"She's right." Link said, rubbing his throat and going back over to Ruto, "I swear to you, that the two of us are bound together now, and I would never do anything to hurt her."

"That's right!" Aviel shouted, waving her bird wings, "He and sister Ruto love each other!"

"Really now?" Zopem asked. He closed his eyes and contemplated this thoughts. "Judgment..." the zora bodyguard then muttered to himself.

"Huh?" Link asked.

"I've decided... that you need to prove how true you are to her." Zopem said, "If you wish to marry our Princess Ruto, I demand that you must prove your wrath to us Zora!"

"What?!" Link asked, "How do I do that?"

"A competition." he said, "You will face me on the field of battle!"

"Oh dear..." sighed Oton, "I might have said something wrong to him..."

"This can't be happening,..." Ruto groaned.

"Ugh... my shaved ice..." sobbed Aviel, looking down at the melting remains of her treat.

* * *

_**Well I didn't say there wasn't going to be some conflict, look forward to Chapter 19 soon!**_


	19. Proving One's Self

_**Chapter 19 time! I wish I had more to say in these intros and outtros, but... meh.**_

* * *

Link found himself at the archery grounds, holding a bow and arrow, alongside Ruto's bodyguard Zopem. The zora had given him a challenge to prove himself worthy of taking Ruto's hand in marriage.

"The first to three perfect bullseye shots wins!" Zopem stated with a bow and arrow set of his own.

"Not quite sure what this has to do with me proving myself to marry Ruto but..." Link sighed, getting into position.

"Go Link! Do it for sister Ruto!" cheered Aviel from the stands, along with Ruto Oton and Luva.

"Yes, do it for me!" cheered Ruto.

Zopem meanwhile narrowed his eyes, pulled back his arrow, aiming squarely at his target.

'Hmph, there's no way this boy can best me in archery, I've trained in this art since I was a chil-"

It was then that Zopem realized Link had already shot three perfect bullseye shots into his target.

"W-What?!" exclaimed Zopem with his jaw dropped to his waist, he let go of the string on his bow and the arrow just fell harmlessly to the ground.

"So, do I win then?" Link asked.

"...best two out of three!" Zopem stated.

* * *

"Next will be a battle of the mind! Flex your brain muscles to their maximum!" Zopem said, as he and Link sat a table with a chess board between the two at the town's chess tournament. Numerous Gerudo were participating in it, but they gave Link and Zopem permission to use one of the boards for their little duel.

"Okay...?" Link said.

"Think Link can handle chess?" Aviel asked.

"I haven't seen him play it myself, but he has a knack for strategy and puzzles, so maybe..." Ruto said.

"Good luck, Link!" shouted out Dr. Sarami with a wave, who was participating in the tournament itself.

"Thanks Sarami." Link waved.

Sarrami smiled and blew a kiss to him, causing him to blush bright red and Zopem to get even more angry.

The doctor then turned back to her opponent and moved a piece, saying 'Checkmate.", causing the opponent to fall off her chair and impact into the ground in a daze.

"How did she win in two moves?!" the opponent groaned out in exasperation.

"Very well, we begin." Zopem said to Link.

Zopem started by moving one piece, then Link moved one of his own. This continued until after some time, when Zopem's king had ended up in a bad situation. The zora had a cold sweat trickling down his head, he reached out at one piece, only to change his mind and take his remaining rook piece. He slowly moved it to another position, but while still holding the piece, he looked up at Link who was just sitting there calmly.

"Uh, Zopem?" Link asked.

"Hold on, my hand is still on it!" the zora shouted, before moving it back to where it was originally. He then took a close look at the board and saw an ideal move, and he scooted his bishop forward to knock out one of Link's knights.

"There you are, a simple-"

"Checkmate." Link said, scooting his queen piece into a position that trapped Zopem's king, leaving the Zora to fall over backwards off his seat.

"I'm not even sure why Zopem even did that challenge." Ruto said, absentmindedly stroking Aviel's hair, as the bird-girl was laying on her lap, having been bored to sleep "He's a crummy chess player."

"Congratulations Link!" Sarami said, strolling up and embracing Link right into her large chest, causing him to wiggle around like crazy to breathe.

"Sarami, you're going to suffocate him!" exclaimed Aviel.

"Jees, even I'm a little jealous of those things..." Ruto muttered.

"So would you like to have a chess match against me then?" Sarami asked, smiling to Link, who finally puled himself out of her grip, "If you win I'll give you a reward."

"Uh..." Link paused, looking over at all the Gerudo girls Sarami had defeated in the chess torunament, who were impacted to the ground from how quickly they were defeated by her. "I'll pass."

He then turned to Zopem who was forcing himself up onto his feet. "So do I win now then?" Link asked, hoping to put an end to their battle.

"...best five out of seven!" stated Zopem.

Everyone collectively sighed in reaction.

* * *

"Alright! Nice to have you two competing!" Togau said, speaking to Link and Zopem, "This game never really gets much attention during the festival."

The group had arrived at a canopy where Togau was hosting her own game. Besides her was her pet pig Oseg, and a large barrel of grease that her cucco Imra was busy stirring with a spoon.

"Okay, so what do we do exactly?" Link asked.

"Rules're simple," Togau stated, "I'm gonna get Oseg all greased up and turn him loose on the streets of Gerudo Town, and it's up to you two to try and catch my piggy boy!"

Oseg, standing beside Togau, simply let out a snort.

"I think I see why this game doesn't get much attention..." Aviel said, looking at the grease barrel.

"I will crush you in this battle of zora versus man versus swine." Zopem said, crackling his left knuckles.

"Uh, it's just a fun little game, Mr. Fish Guy." Togau said sweatdropping, she then looked to Ruto, "He seems like the friendly type."

"Don't get me started..." sighed Ruto.

"Alright then, time fer the greasing!" Togau said, taking the barrel and pouring it down on Oseg. The pig showed no reaction to being covered in the grease, while Imra worked with a cloth to make sure the pig was completely drenched in the stuff.

"Gross." Ruto muttered.

"Least it's going to cool him off in this weather." Aviel said, after a pause she added, "Or maybe it'll just make him smell like bacon."

It was then at the mention of 'bacon' Oseg wigged out and squealed in horror, slipping out of Togau and Imra's work on him and he went charging off down the street.

"Oops, guess the contest already started!" Togau laughed, "Go get em boys!"

"Of course! I shall be victorious!" shouted Zopem, chasing off after Oseg.

"How did I get talked into this...?" Link sighed.

"Good luck, my husband." Ruto snickered.

"Thanks..." Link groaned as he charged off after Oseg.

Zopem had managed to catch up with the greased pig, who was expertly running and dodging through the streets around the carts and Gerudo women. The Zora leaped into the air and wrapped his arms around Oseg, only for the pig to slip out effortlessly and continue to run.

Link jumped into the air, bounced off Zopem's head and dived down at the pig, only for Oseg to dart right suddenly and Link instead impacted onto the ground, skidding across the street and into a fruit stand, knocking it over

Zopem charged past Link, who stuck his head out of the fruit with an apple lodged in his mouth. He spit out the fruit and continued chasing around the pig.

Meanwhile, going down one street was Reirousa, who was just out to get some snacks for later that day. She was about to round a corner when a greased Oseg came running and collided into her stomach. The pig staggered back in a daze, while Reirousa herself didn't even so much as move or flinch from the impact. Oseg looked up to see what the hard object was he had just ran into.

"Hey, you alright pig?" Reirousa asked.

Oseg's face paled white upon seeing Reirousa, who despite showing concern for the pig's well-being was unknowingly making a glare that outright terrified him. The pig squealed out in horror, before turning and running off in another direction..

"H-Hey, what's the big deal?!" Reirousa asked, following after him.

Oseg turned to see Reirousa running at him, her footsteps making loud stomping sounds, which only scared the pig worse.

The pig, in his hurry quickly turned a corner and right past Zopem's legs, causing him to trip over and collide right into Reirousa.

"Grr.. watch where you're going you idiotic woman!" shouted Zopem, before getting a good look at Reirousa.

"You tryin' to start a fight, buddy?" Reirousa asked with her eyes glaring down angerly at him, as she cracked her knuckles.

"Uh oh." Zopem muttered.

Oseg meanwhile charged down the street, but stopped when it came to a small pile of fruit in the middle of the street. Exhausted from it's running and terror, Oseg gladly started gobbling up the fruit, allowing Link to spring his trap. Using a towel, he quickly grabbed Oseg and held him in place, though the pig was too preoccupied with eating to care.

"I got him!" Link shouted out.

It wasn't long before the girls and Oton caught up with Link, and Togau held his arm up to declare him the victor.

"This game's winner is, Link!" cheered Togau.

Just at that moment, Zopem went flying backwards past them all and into the fruit stand that Link had crashed into earlier. Zopem muttered to himself, covered in fruit, while Oseg ran up to him and stated licking fruit goo off his head.

"Got anything to say to him now Zopem?" Ruto teased, walked up to Zopem, leaning over and poking the male Zora on the forehead with a grin on her face.

"...best seven out of twelve." Zopem simply said.

* * *

"Welcome everyone to this year's Hot Cucco Eating competition! We've gathered these brave Gerudo, as well as our beloved King Link, and sister Ruto's bodyguard Zopem, to see who can eat as many of these cucco wings, heavily heavily marinated in spicy pepper sauce, as possible!" shouted a Gerudo hosting the completion.

Link and Zopem sat at a bench table, a huge plate of cucco wings soaked in red sauce in front of both of them, and sitting beside them was five other Gerudo girls, and oddly enough even the mystic ice elementalist Korume was there as well.

"Is this still the field of battle?" Ruto asked.

"Oh Zopem... I hope he knows what he's doing..." sighed Ambassador Oton.

"So why aren't you competin' Kesuta?" Togau asked Kesuta, Korume's twin sister and fire expert, sitting alongside the group, "Aren't you resistant to fire?"

"Heat's one thing, spicy's another... trust me, I learned that the hard way..." muttered Kesuta, looking like she was reflecting on past trauma.

"This endurance competition shall be your downfall, Gerudo King." Zopem said.

"I'm still having a hard time seeing what this of all things is supposed to prov-" Link started, but was cut off.

"And BEGIN!" shouted the host.

With that, Link, Zopem, Korume and the five other Gerudo all started gobbling down cucco wings as fast as possible.

Seconds after the competition started, one Gerudo girl screamed out and breathed fire into the air.

"It's too damn hot!" she screamed, "What the hell is this stuff made from, the fires of Death Mountain?!" she got up and ran off to find a way to sooth her mouth.

"That's one down!" shouted the host, and it wasn't long before a second and third Gerudo girl gave up after that.

As Link ate cucco wing after cucco wing, he was gasping out from the spiciness of them, sweat rolled down his face, and the sauce smeared against his lips was intensifying the burning feeling he was enduring.

"Are... you... faltering, boy?" Zopem taunted.

Link look a glance at Zopem, only to see the Zora's whole body was now beet red with tears streaming down his eyes.

"Can Zoras even handle this sort of thing?!" Aviel exclaimed.

"This is so stupid..." sighed Ruto.

Eventually two of the other Gerudo left, and it was down to three competitors, Link, Zopem and Korume. Link was craving some milk and bread at that moment, but took a look up to see Ruto watching, and resolved himself to keep going.

'Gotta do this for our relationship...' Link paused in thought, 'Why this in particular I don't know, but...'

"This... is... nothing!" shouted Zopem.

Link then glanced over to Zopem who seemed to be actively swelling from the intensity of the spicy food.

"Just how much more can he take?" Togau asked.

"It looks like he's gonna explode..." Luva said.

The Zora looked back, to see Link was having some trouble with the spicy food but holding on, which only motivated Zopem to eat faster.

It was then at that moment Zopem, in his haste to win, grabbed one cucco wing that still had a sizable piece of pepper on it from when the sauce was made. He bit into the cucco wing without even noticing it, and froze as the slice of pepper touched his tongue.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the peak of Death Mountain, a large Goron named Biggoron was taking a break from his job as a craftsman. He was causally sipping a cup of dirt, enjoying the view of Hyrule from atop the peak. As he gazed out at the land, he could have sworn he saw a large fireball in the distance, and that it was in the direction of Gerudo Valley.

"Wow, those Gerudo sure know how to party." Biggoron said.

* * *

Back at Gerudo Town, everyone just saw Zopem laying on the side of the table outcold and his whole body smoldering as if he had been bathing in lava, with smoke rising up from his mouth.

Having seen his rival pass out, Link sighed with relief and held up his hand to request some bread, which the host as quick to provide.

"Zopem is out and King Link has surrendered, we have a winner!" the host then announced, "The victory for this year's Hot Cucco Eating competition goes to our returning champion from the last three years, sister Korume!"

Everyone turned to see Korume, who was calmly sitting back, wiping sauce off her face without even looking the slightest bit phased, in front of her was a plate of bones, indicating every wing having been eaten.

"Fufufu, too easy." Korume said.

"Is... your sister being an ice magic user make her immune to spicy food or something...?" Aviel asked Kesuta.

"No... she just really likes hot food." sighed Kesuta, "Needless to say, I don't let her cook for me... anymore."

"Zopem, I think it's time to call it quits." Ruto said to her bodyguard.

"Yeah, this is getting kind of dangerous." Link pointed out.

Zopem forced himself up and muttered, "Best... thirty one... our of... twenty three..."

"That's not even mathematically possible." Ruto said sweatdropping.

"Fine..." Zopem groaned, "Then one more to decide them all!" he shouted out. He paused for a second, before collapsing on the table.

"Want some bread?" the host of the competition asked.

"Yes please." Zopem muttered.

* * *

Link found himself holding a wooden sword, and across from him was Zopem holding a wooden battle staff, while a small crowd of Gerudo, along with Ruto, Aviel, Oton, Luva, Togau, Reirousa, Ketsuta, and Korume were all sitting in watch of what was going to happen.

"What's going on here?" piped up a new voice. Aviel turned to see Nabooru walking up to the stands, "I was just finishing my work when I heard Link was attacked by one of the guests sister Ruto brought with her, and something about a pig."

"It's... a long story..." sighed Ambassador Oton, "I apologize foe my companion's recklessness. He's always been the sort to... well..."

"It's alright either way, Link's a tough guy. I'd just like to see this for myself." Nabooru said, taking a seat beside Oton.

"This will be our final duel." Zopem said to Link, holding his staff, "We battle until one is at the other's mercy."

"Okay... very well." Link said, going into a battle stance.

"Good luck my husband!" Ruto called out.

"Pound that bastard into fish paste, Link!" shouted Reirousa, flexing her arm.

"Hey, watch your tongue." Ruto snapped at Reirousa.

"I wonder if Zopem knows what he's doing by fighting him..." Oton muttered, rubbing his chin.

"Don't worry Mr. Ambassador." grinned Aviel, "Link can handle this."

"Yeah he's been through worse then this." Togau nodded.

"Knock his lights out, King Link!" shouted Kesuta.

"I want to see him writhe and squirm again like during the cucco eating contest..." chuckled Korume darkly.

Zopem was a little annoyed at how everyone cheering for his defeat, but all that did was make him more determined to crush the new Gerudo King.

"Now face me, boy!" shouted Zopem, charging at Link with his staff.

Link brandished his wooden sword and the two clashed their weapons. Zopem pushed Link's sword back and swung it at his legs, but Link jumped over the staff and kicked Zopem in the chest, sending him staggering back. The Zora spun his staff and swiped it at Link, who ducked and rolled under Zopem's legs, before bringing up his sword and smacking him in the back, making the Zora shout out in anger.

"Stand still you weakling!" shouted Zopem swinging his staff around back and smacking Link backwards across the ground, but Link jumped back onto his feet and sprinted forward, leaped into the air and brought his sword down, but Zopem blocked it with his staff before repealing Link away. Zopem trusted the staff forward multiple times, as Link nimbly weaved left and right to dodge each thrust.

Link narrowed his eyes and swung his sword down at the staff, knocking it downward, while at the same time having the other end bash Zopem across the face, and then Link swung his sword and smacked Zopem across the chest.

"Grraaahh!" Zopem shouted in anger, "I'll make you pay Hylian!" He grabbed the staff again and started swing it like mad at Link, forcing the Hylian to back up. Zopem was swinging blindly, but his sheer strength was making it hard to counter.

Link soon found an opening and swung his sword in an overhead attack, smacking Zopem across the face, making him stagger, before Link shoulder bashed him backwards, then performing a spin attack to hit Zopem one last time, sending him flailing back to the ground, his staff fell and hit the ground, breaking it in half. He was about to get up when Link pointed his sword at Zopem's throat, forcing the Zora to lay back on the ground.

"Damnit..." Zopem muttered.

"Looks like it's over." Link said, spinning his sword in his hand and sheathing it.

The Gerudo all cheered out excitedly for Link's victory, as Ruto, Nabooru and the others all got up and ran over to congratulate him.

"Link, my beloved hero!" Ruto said, grabbing and squeezing him tightly.

"Way to stick it to him, like a true man!" Reirousa said flexing her arms, all fired up.

"You did quite well Link." Nabooru smirked.

"Thanks everyone." Link nodded, then turned to his opponent, "So Zopem, is that it then?"

"No... I can't accept this..." gasped Zopem, "I can't let Ruto... marry this... degenerate king..."

"What's your problem, you meanie?!" exclaimed Aviel, "Can't you just accept Link and Ruto's marriage and let them be happy?"

"You think I don't want my princess to be happy?" shouted Zopem, "I just..." he sighed and took a deep breath, "...owe Princess Ruto so much..."

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"...when I was younger," Zopem started, "I was part of the army. I was aiding the Hylians in the war against the Gerudo. But I was too brass and hotblooded, and eventually got reprimanded and discharged by my superior officer... I went back to Zora's Domain in disgrace, and I had thought myself to be useless..."

He forced himself to sit up and turned his head to Ruto, "Just when I was at my lowest point though, the princess met me and helped me turn my life around. She inspired me to find my place in life..."

"I worked hard and eventually got the right to be her bodyguard... and over the past six years... She became like a little sister to me." he said, "That's why I needed to make sure that if you intend to marry Princess Ruto, that you weren't just trying to use her or hurt her... And if true, that you had what it took to look after her and keep her safe..."

It was that moment, when Ruto suddenly stepped up and slapped Zopem across the face.

"What the hell?!" exclaimed Ruto, "What kind of reasoning is that to treat Link like this?! I didn't just pick him as my husband because he has a cute butt!"

"No one brought that up..." Aviel pointed out sweatdropping.

"I picked him not just because he's handsome and strong, but kind and noble as well! He wants what's best not just for the Gerudo, or the Zora, but Hyrule and the people as a whole!" Ruto shouted, "He's the man I gave my mother's sapphire to as a wedding vow, and you won't question who I choose to love!"

"But-"

"Also, I may be a princess, but I'm not a weak or helpless child. I can defend myself, but for those times when I can't, I know Link will be there for me..."

Ruto then smiled lightly and held out her hand.

"...as well as you."

Zopem just paused looking to her. In that moment, an old memory went through his mind, of him as a lost ex-soldier, and Ruto as a child, who was smiling brightly and handing him a river lily flower.

"I... I'm sorry..." Zopem said, taking Ruto's hand and she helped him to his feet, "And I'm sorry to you too Gerudo King, I think I was wrong about you.." he said to Link.

"No biggie." Link said, waving his hand dismissively, "I promise I'll do everything I can to make Ruto happy. We'll work hard so someday the Gerudo and the Zora can unite as well."

"Yes," Nabooru agreed, "Link proved to you how serious he is about marrying Ruto, and as his adviser, we'll work together to form an alliance with you."

"I'm looking forward to that day myself." Oton said. "I've been watching everything around here since I arrived, and at this point I think I can safely tell King Zora that we should become allies with your people."

Ruto nodded, "It won't happen overnight, but we Zora will do what it takes to make the Hylian Parliament hear your desire for a peace treaty, and we'll seal our alliance the day Link and I wed."

"...very well." Zopem said, sticking out his hand, "Then I'll leave the princess in your capable hands... Gerudo King Link."

"Thank you, and please continue to watch over her as well, Zopem." Link nodded.

As the crowd cheered over Link's victory against Zopem, and the future alliance, Ruto herself couldn't help but smile to see her husband and her bodyguard shake hands.

Nabooru meanwhile beamed with pride at the sight of Link and his resolve.

'He's growing more by the day...' she thought.

* * *

As the sun was starting to set over Gerudo Valley, Link and Ruto were enjoying dinner at a restaurant,a different one then the diner where Sovan worked, but a fancier and more refined one. It was clearly built for evenings, as the windows showed off a beautiful view of the sunset.

"Aaah...!" Ruto opened her mouth, motioning for Link to get a taste of the food he had ordered for himself. Before the meal arrived, she had a strict talk with him about taking his time eating so he could savor his meal, though he was pretty sure the main reason was so she could do this. He didn't really mind though, as he lifted a fork of his meal and fed it to her.

"Mmm, very nice." Ruto swooned, "I've always wanted to do this with you!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying it." Link smiled, he didn't really get her desire to be fed by him, but she seemed to enjoy it so much he just went along with it.

"Yes, but I need to be careful with the quality of the food here." Ruto said, cutting a piece of meat from her plate and eating it."If I get carried away I could end up as big as my daddy!" she joked.

"Considering that overly vain attitude of yours, I doubt you'd let something that ever happen." teased Link, "But even if it did, I'd still love you the same."

"T-Thank you..." Ruto said with a light blush, then a second later realized what he said, "Hey, who are you calling overly vain?!" Link just laughed in response, causing her to huff out in annoyance.

"Well this won't help humble you at all, but I got something for you." Link said, he reached into one of the bag Ruto had him carrying and took out a small box, which he opened for her, causing her to gaps out.

"Oh... oh my!" Ruto exclaimed. It was a jeweled necklace, the chain made of silver and lined with blue sapphires hanging down the front of it. He stood up and went around back of her, putting the necklace on her.

"Link, this is beautiful!" Ruto said marveling at it, "Where did you find this?"

"Got it at a stand in the marketplace." Link said, "I figured it would go well with your outfit."

"It's perfect..." she whispered, stroking one of the sapphires with her finger, "Thank you..."

Meanwhile, the other Gerudo in the restaurant, even the waitresses, were watching the two, seething in jealousy over seeing the zora princess and their king so close. In the back, Aviel and Luva had come to the same restaurant for dinner as well, and their friends didn't go unnoticed by them.

"Awww, they're, like, so cute together..." Luva said smiling, "But I'm so jealous of Ruto!"

"I'm just happy to see Link like this." said Aviel, "He's gone through a lot since he came here, and I love seeing him relax and smile."

"So is he gonna marry you too?" Luva asked. "Ruto mentioned the king can marry a lot of girls at once here."

"M-Me? Marry Link?" Aviel asked, blushing bright red. "H-He's a great friend but... I... um... I... don't think I'm ready for something like... that..."

Aviel paused and looked over to see Ruto open her mouth to motion for Link to feed her again, only to find out he had just cleared his plate, causing her to scold him, but Link just laughed wholeheartedly.

'But maybe some day...' Aviel thought to herself with a light smile.

* * *

Later that night, everyone had gathered at the main square of Gerudo Town, where a large stage had been set up. Everyone was siting back, waiting for the big surprise that was going to happen that night.

"Hello everyone!" shouted a familiar looking Gerudo stepping up onto the stage, "Thank you all for gathering here this beautiful desert night, blessed to us by the great Desert Goddess Aifet!"

"Hey, isn't that the host of the night club?" Link pointed out.

"Sure looks like her." Aviel said.

"Night club?" Togau asked, rubbing the back of her head, "Didn't even know we had one of those."

"We have a special treat on this night. To honor the goddess of the desert, we present to you the red goddess of the dance! That's right, for this one-night only occasion, the lovely Madame Scarlet will be dancing for you all tonight!" the host declared.

This came as a shock to everyone there. While many cheered out, quite a number of the Gerudo were baffled at this announcement.

"Madame who?"

"She's supposed to be a legendary dancer!"

"What?! But Madame Scarlet never leaves the club!"

"I've heard she's an actual goddess who came down to Hyrule to bless our people with her skills!"

"I can't wait to see what dance she does tonight!"

Link and Aviel were pretty surprised to hear about this.

"Is Nemisa really going to dance out here like this?." Aviel whispered to Link.

"Yeah, she's pretty cautious about keeping her identity a secret, I wonder what made her decide on this?" Link whispered back. "It must be what she was doing all day, practicing for this show."

"Well, it seems we can finally see the great Madame Scarlet out in the open." smirked Nabooru, then added under her breath, 'It's about time she finally showed herself like this.'

It was then that two Gerudo lit some torches to the left and right of the stage, then threw some dust onto the fire, causing the stage to engulf in smoke, surprising everyone.

What was even more surprising was when the smoke blew away, in the place of the two girls was a single woman, clad in a red silk dancer's garb, it was 'Madame Scarlet', also known by Link and Aviel to be Nemisa.

The crowd cheered wildly at the sight of the exotic dancer, who greeted the audience with a bow.

"Woah, is that her?" Reirousa asked.

"She's beautiful!" Ketsuta said with a gasp.

"Does she... kinda look familiar to anyone?" Togau asked tilting her head.

"D-Don't think so!" Aviel said, in the hope of trying to protect her friend's identity.

"Either way, I'm looking forward to this show." Link smiled, "I think you're going to like this, Ruto."

"I look forward to it..." Ruto said as she looked up at Madame Scarlet. She took Togau's question from a second ago into account and stared intently at Scarlet.

The music started to play, and Madame Scarlet started her dance, her legs rose and fell slowly with each high note, her arms rose up and her hands delicately stretched out and tickled the air She swung her leg around and did a spun, to the left, then to the right.

"Oh my, she's such a great dancer!" Sarami exclaimed.

"Togau's right, she... kinda reminds me of someone..." Reirousa muttered, scratching her head.

"Hm, could it be...?" Sovan asked herself, narrowing her eyes.

"She dances beautifully." Ruto said, putting her hand to her chest in shock, whispering to herself, "Could it really be... her?"

Korume just watched the dance herself, without a word. She took a took over at the other girls, and especially at Link, seeing him in awe of Madame Scarlet's dance, she lowered her gaze and a small, faint smile graced her lips.

Meanwhile the dance continued on, as Madame Scarlet moved off the stage and started dancing down the aisles of the crowd, they all cheered and squealed as she went by. Link watched her carefully, turning a little red when she took a second to shake her hips, which gave him a good view of her round but firm rear end. Scarlet then at that moment look a glance behind her, looking right at him, which he responded by turning his head away. He was stricken with embarrassment, as well as fear about her retaliating by punching him or something.

Instead, Scarlet danced over to Link, gripped him by his chin, and turned his head to wards her. He was astonished to see Madame Scarlet looking right at him as he looked back into her golden eyes, and she smiled lightly. Knowing this was his bodyguard Nemisa was so strange, even after all this time he had seen her dances, but what surprised him more was seeing how serene she was in that moment, a stark contrast to her usual attitude. She took one of her silk sashes and wrapped it around Link's head, bringing him closer to her, and they just gazed into each other's eyes for a while. It was then the music suddenly changed to a more upbeat tune and she leaped back, continuing on her way back to the stage.

Link was at a loss of what to say or do in that moment, but he then heard a light giggle, and he turned to see Ruto in amusement.

"She's pretty good at more then dancing I see." Ruto said grinning.

"Ah heh heh..." Link just chuckled nervously.

Soon the music was on it's way to ending. Madame Scarlet's hips swayed left and right as her arms waved in sync with them. Two Gerudo came up to the torches they had lit earlier, they pulled out some pouches. Scarlet then knelt down and did an impressive flip high into the air, landing down on the ground in front of the stage, just as the Gerudo threw some dust into the torches, causing large bursts of flames shooting into the air, illuminating Scarlet's landing poise.

Needless to say, the crowd cheered out wildly and excitedly, some standing and whistling.

"That... was... awesome!" Reirousa exclaimed, slamming her fist to the ground in excitement, causing a small dent in the stone.

"Shes as great as I've heard!" Sarami said, putting a hand to her cheek, "And it seems she fancies Link as well."

"Very good." Nabooru said, nodding to herself with a smile.

Link watched as Madame Scarlet did a polite bow and leave. He paused to himself, took a glance over at Ruto who was still clapping excitedly and put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey Ruto, I got something quick to do, we'll meet over at the palace." he said.

"Very well." Ruto said, "Don't keep me waiting." she winked.

Ruto watched as Link got himself up and took off, and she couldn't help but notice he was walking in the direction she saw Madame Scarlet leave in, and she smiled lightly.

* * *

"Great dance tonight, Madame Scarlet!" said a Gerudo complimented Scarlet as she walked to a building where she was to dress.

"You did extraordinarily!" said another.

"Thank you so much." she replied with a soft smile, causing the two Gerudo to swoon, as she continued on her way.

In Madame Scarlet's dressing room she took a long drink of water to hydrate herself, before starting to remove her veil and hood. Her thoughts wandered to when she glanced at Link during her performance, and how he and Princess Ruto were siting beside each other... holding hands. She paused and looked down at her own hand, and then removed the sash from the arm, showing a red scar on her wrist. She stared at it and closed her eyes, lost in thoughts of the past. Her other hand reached into her pocket and clutched at the small green jewel she commonly carried...

"Hey Nemisa, nice work out there." a voice said, causing her to snap out of her trance and look over to see Link poking his head in and then walking into the room. She couldn't help but notice he had his hands behind his back for some reason.

"I-It was nothing, your highness." she said, taking another drink of water.

"No I'm serious, your dancing's gotten even better then before." Link said, "Have you been inspired by something lately?"

"...maybe." Nemisa said distantly.

"Hey... so uh..." Link looked down a bit, "I wanted you to have something..."

Nemisa looked to see him pull something out from behind his back. It was a modest sized plush doll of a green and yellow Deku Scrub with little button eyes.

"W-What is that for...?" Nemisa asked curiously.

"Just a gift I thought you'd like..." Link said, "I won it at one of the competitions I beat Ruto's bodyguard in..."

"I.. um... don't really need... I..." Nemisa stammered, until Link spoke up.

"Come on, just take it as a gift to congratulate you on your performance tonight." Link said with a small grin, he took her hand, causing her to freeze up for a second, before he put the plush doll in her hands.

"Li-..." Nemisa paused, before sighing and finally accepting the plush doll, "Well I suppose if it's a gift, I have no choice... t-thank you, your highness..."

Link couldn't help but smile as he could see the bit of happiness in her eyes at that moment, holding the plush doll, even if she was trying her hardest not to show it.

"Well I gotta get going," Link said, "Nabooru said she wanted to show me and Ruto something at the palace. I'll see you tomorrow." and with that he turned and walked out.

"Very well L-... your highness." When Nemisa was convinced Link was long gone, she looked down at the plush doll, her normally stern face then changed to smile warmly. She gave it a firm hug, it was quite soft, and it reminded her of another plush doll she once hugged some time ago...

It when was than through her comfort, she felt small faint tears going down her face. She then looked down at her hand, the one that Link had held for just a moment. She lingered on the thought, before wiping her face clean of tears, and then going back to changing.

* * *

"Oh my, it's exquisite!" Ruto exclaimed, taking a took over the place that Nabooru had called them over to show off.

Link, Ruto, Nabooru and Aviel all stood in the new room Nabooru had added to the palace using the power of the Sand Rod, a sizable one with a large swimming pool built into it.

It was a lot more impressive then everyone expected. It was pretty glamorous in many ways, there were fountains with statues pouring water into the pool, palm branches decorated the room to contrast with the mostly yellow and brown interior, and the water was quite pure and inviting, with no dirt or sand littering it.

"You crafted this Lady Nabooru?" the zora princess asked.

"Yes, its the result of my mastery of the Sand Rod over the past six years. While I had to prioritize fortifying the defenses of our town against the slavers and rebels, I knew I needed to find time to make this for our beloved Zora sister." Nabooru said.

"I'm... honored for that, Nabooru." Ruto said smiling, giving her a small hug. Nabooru was taken back a little by it, but returned the hug soon after.

Link couldn't help but smile himself to see the two get along so well, he thought about how he and Zopem buried the hatchet, and could only hope all the Zoras and Gerudo could be just as welcome to each other someday...

"Alright! Time for swimming!" Aviel declared, yanking off her clothes, showing off she was wearing her swimsuit underneath it.

"How... long were you wearing that for?" Nabooru asked.

Aviel ignored Nabooru's question and just dived into the water.

"Yahoo! It's great! Come on in everyone!" Aviel shouted.

"In just a second." Ruto said, before playfully shoving Link into the water and then jumping in herself.

'Hey, at least let me change out of my clothes first!" Link exclaimed to Ruto when he came up for air.

"Oh by all means change out of your clothes then." giggled Ruto, swimming up and gripping onto his vest, "We're not going to complain."

"Yeah, want us to help?" Aviel chirped.

"I can do it just fine, thanks." Link said annoyed.

Nabooru just smirked at the three of them in the pool and turned away, walking off to see to other tasks.

"Oh, Lady Nabooru! You come in too!" shouted Aviel, causing Nabooru to stop in her tracks.

"Yeah, come on Nabooru! You made this thing after all, you should join us!" Link called out..

"I... well.. I have some things to-" Nabooru muttered, before a large splash of water hit her, "Hey!"

"Ohohoho," laughed Ruto, "I'm afraid you let your guard down, Lady Nabootu."

"...Okay, now you asked for it!" Nabooru then grinned, quickly removing her clothes and jumping into the pool herself.

The four of them spent the next hour playing in the pool. Link was happy to see Nabooru enjoying herself, especially after she had been working so hard lately.

It was a great feeling for Link to be with everyone, he was more comfortable then ever with the life he had now, and he could only imagine what future held for him and his friends...

* * *

"You enjoying the water alright?" Link asked Ruto, walking up to the edge of the pool. It was much later in the night, Aviel had gone to bed, while Nabooru had gone to her study to do some late minute work.

"It's not the cool waters of Zora's Domain, but it'll do in a pinch." Ruto said with a smile, "Nabooru did good work."

"Yeah, she's worked really hard to make this town so great." Link nodded, "I have a lot of admiration for her..."

"I think we really need to do something good for her as well sometime..." Ruto said, putting a finger to her mouth, "I'm glad we were able to coax her into joining us tonight, but we need to help her get a little more relief in her life..." she grinned lightly, "You know, besides you pleasuring her so many nights."

"Ah ha ha," Link laughed sheepishly, "Um, you're still okay with that sort of thing?"

"It was a strange for a while, but I've warmed up to it. After all, she's a part of our weird family as well." Ruto nodded. She thought on that note a little more, then glanced to Link and sported a small mischievous grin.

"Say..." Ruto started, swimming up to the edge of the pool and taking a good look at Link, "You have a little something on your face there..."

"I do?" Link asked, rubbing at his face, "Did I get food on it or something?"

"You keep missing it, allow me." Ruto said in a fussy manner, reaching out her hand.

"Oh, alright." Link said, kneeling down to her.

That was when the opportunity came and Ruto grabbed Link by his arm, yanking him into the pool.

"Gack!" Link exclaimed falling right into the water, he came up to the surface, only to see Ruto staring right at him with that mischievous grin.

"Now I got you right where I want you!" Ruto said, suddenly hugging him tightly.

"...I think you're wrong about that..." Link muttered, his wet hair covering his facial feature.

"Hm?"

"I'm the one who has you!" Link exclaimed, grabbing Ruto's sides and started tickling her.

"Ahahahahaha! Oh you little- aahhaahaha!" Ruto couldn't hold back as the two of them thrashed around in the water.

Eventually their wrestling led them over to the shallow end of the pool, where it was sloped to allow the swimmers to just walk out from the water. They instead found themselves laying on the floor of the pool, with the water slowly drifting around them..

The two of them just stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like forever. Link sometimes contemplated to himself what exactly it was that made him go from being weirded out about being in a marriage with Ruto to truly loving her. But as he laid there looking into her eyes, all he knew was that he just loved her now, simple as that.

Link leaned downwards and pressed his lips against hers. Ruto wrapped her arms around Link's neck, and he in turn wrapped his own arms around her waist, the water from the pool splashed against them as the two held each other. Link was about to break the kiss, but Ruto held him down and continued it. Link soon found himself having a hard time breathing from how long they held the kiss, it was kind of dangerous, but at the same time exciting. Eventually the two finally did broke the kiss and Link panted heavily, while Ruto just smirked lightly.

"No fair, you were breathing water through your gills." Link muttered.

"All's fair in love and war, my dear husband." Ruto smiled while tickling his chin.

"Well in that case..." Link said, as he leaned down and started kissing at her neck where her gills were, causing her to moan out.

"Oh you bastard!" she shouted, "How'd you know how sensitive I would... ooh! Oooh..."

Link was taking what Sarami had taught him before about the way of a Zora's body into practice at that moment, as well as what Nabooru taught him about pleasuring a woman. Ruto found her legs squirming at the feeling of Link going all-out on her, until he eventually stopped , moving slowly away from her neck, but releasing some cool breath into the opening of her gills, causing Ruto to shudder. He looked down to see her now gasping out with her face flushed.

"I... think we need... to take this elsewhere..." Ruto whispered, "Please, if you could... carry me?"

Link simply nodded and lifted her up bridal style and Ruto wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her off t his bedroom, He was relieved to see Nabooru wasn't there at the moment, as he probably wouldn't have wanted to have to talk her out of the room. He laid the Zora princess down on the bed pillows and laid over her.

"Are... you sure you're ready for this? I figured you would have wanted to save yourself for after we marry." Link inquired.

"It's fine, I'm more then ready." Ruto said, "Plus I'm not in my mating period right now, so we don't have to worry quite yet about having kids..." she then blushed lightly and stroked his face, "Though I look forward to the day we do..."

"...yeah, same here." Link smiled, and the two kissed again.

Eventually Link's shorts found themselves being flung to the ground away from them.

And the two of them shared a wonderful night together...

* * *

Meanwhile, in the home of the mystic twins, Kesuta and Korume, the two of them were kneeling before a crystal ball, their hands held out over it, as they studied the mysterious aura it was giving off.

"It seems that it's almost time..." Kesuta told her twin sister.

"Y-Yes..." Korume nodded, "A few hours from now..."

"You've been pretty nervous lately, you sure you're up to this?" Kesuta said.

"...it doesn't matter either way, is there?"

"It's fine, I've already made up my mind. We both know this is the only way, so there's no use worrying about it."

"I know that... but..."

"Look at it this way, if you manage to pull it off, then King Link can take you as his wife and bless you with his children. Think of that as a motivator!"

"Yes... I suppose so..." Korume said lowering her gaze.

"Well then, we should probably prepare for this." Kesuta said.

"..you go on ahead, I have other things to do first..." Korume muttered.

Korume just watched her sister until she had left to get ready, then she herself went off out of tent...

And she headed straight towards the palace...

* * *

_**And so ends the festival, and despite all the conflict that went on, our main characters seem to have thoroughly enjoy themselves. But now it looks like Link is in for something else now...**_

_**I will say I had a lot of fun incorporating the other main characters into this chapter, especially with Reirousa's small cameo. It was also jst nice to write a more comedic story after Reirousa's backstory. **_

_**Well stay tuned for the next chapter, leave a like, follow or review if you enjoyed it!**_


	20. Rite of The Mystic Twins

**_Okay, time to kick off the next major arc. Sorry if this one took a while, I hope it was worth the wait!_**

* * *

It was late night in Gerudo Town, the Festival of the Desert Goddess had ended, and all the residents were either packing everything up or resting. Everything was quaint and calm in the slowly growing and strengthening town of the Gerudo.

In the palace, Link was sleeping soundly on the pillows that made up his bed, and besides him was his future wife, the Zora princess Ruto. The two had just shared a great night at the festival together, which ended with a passionate round of love-making. Link had used his past experience with Nabooru to the test, and made Ruto by her own verdict, feel amazing the whole time.

Speaking of the Zora, Ruto's eyes slowly opened. She yawned a little and looked over to her husband-to-be, sleeping soundly. She smiled lightly, remembering the amazing night the two had.

"You've grown so much, my love..." Ruto whispered running her hand along Link's cheek, who continued to sleep through it. Ruto then paused and stroked at her scaly skin "Hm, I need to get to the pool and moisturize myself a little..." She stood up and brushed herself off.

Before she left however, she turned back to Link, watching him sleeping. "How cute." she said to herself, before giving him a gentle kiss on the lips, then turning and leaving for the pool.

Shortly after Ruto left, a mysterious figure slowly sneaked into Link's bedroom. They walked over to where Link slept and gazed down at him.

It was Korume, the ice elemental mystic of the Gerudo staring down at him. She watched as Link slept contently, though she could see a trickle of sweat going down his head, likely from the warm night. She found her icy hand moving down to his face and stroking it ever-so slowly. Link shivered a little at her touch, but didn't waken. Korume smiled softly, a smile that was blissful... yet sad at the same time.

She traced her finger along his chin, closed her eyes, and slowly brought her lips closer and closer towards Link's...

"AH-HA! I knew it!" shouted a voice.

Korume surprised by the loud voice, staggered backwards She turned in the direction of the voice to see her twin sister, the fire elemental Kesuta standing there with her broom, puffing her cheeks out in anger.

"Oh, dear sister... so good to see you." Korume said, trying to cover her nervousness.

"Don't 'good to see you' me!" shouted Kesuta, "I thought we agreed neither of us do that kind of stuff with King Link until after tonight!"

"I couldn't help myself... I didn't want to miss my chance if..." Korume muttered, looking down at Link, then said coldly to her sister, "Why don't you go get carried away in the wind like the ember you are?"

"Grrrr... you're so selfish!" shouted Kesuta.

"Hmph, I'm already committed to going through with what we have to do, I at least deserve to grace my king's lips." Korume retorted, then smirked, "Or perhaps you're just jealous he favors me?"

"Why you little, that's it!" Kesuta shouted, engulfing herself in flames, "I'll roast you!"

"I'll freeze you solid first." Korume said, engulfing herself in an icy aura.

The two stood, staring each other down, until the tension was broken by a loud yawning.

"Ugh... what's all the yelling about?" Link groaned, forcing himself up and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes., "Korume? Kesuta? What're you two doing here?"

"Um..." Korume muttered, she and her sister were at a loss for words.

"We were uh... gonna..." Kesuta looked over to Korume, the ice mystic thought for a second, then did a motion like a ghost wiggling it's fingers, "Uh, right! We were gonna spook you with our trick spirits, like last time!" Ketsuta clarified, conjuring one of her hollow-faced flame spirits and grinned widely, "We were just gonna prank you! So sorry, your highness!"

"Boo." Korume said, conjuring her own ice wisp.

"Really..." Link said in a deadpan voice while sweatdropping.

"Yes, so... um... we just remembered we have something urgent to do! We'll take a rain check on the prank! W-We should head off now, sister!" Kesuta said.

"Y-Yes..." Korume nodded and started to leave. Before she did though, Korume paused, turned to Link and gazed into his eyes.

Link couldn't help but see something off about her in that moment. Her eyes were just full of... sadness...

"Well, g-goodbye your highness!" Kesuta said, "I'm... going to do my best for you! Now come on already Korume!" she then shouted in anger at her sister, getting on her broom and flying off out the window.

"Korume, what's going on exactly?" Link asked.

"We... have to do an important task we must do..." Korume said. She walked up and embraced Link, holding onto him tightly for a moment, before getting on her own broom. She took one last look at Link and muttered a "Farewell, my king..." before flying out the window herself.

"Korume!" Link shouted, running up to the balcony of his bedroom and watching as the two mystics flew off into the vast desert.

He stood there staring out at the desert, at a loss of what just happened.

"Hello husband, did you miss me?" Ruto called out, walking up and hugging him from behind. Noticing the concern in his eyes she asked, "Something the matter?"

"I... think something is wrong with Korume and Kesuta..." Link said.

* * *

Across the desert wasteland of Gerudo Valley, Kesuta and Korume were flying through the desert night sky on their broomsticks. Korume took a pause and gazed up at the full moon overhead, her hands were shaking in that moment, making her almost lose balance on her broom a few times.

"Sure you're ready for this?" Kesuta said with an annoyed voice, "You look like you're going to fall and shatter like an icicle."

"Hmph, I-I can handle it..." Korume stuck up her nose, "Just don't freeze to death before we even get there..."

"Grr... you don't know how long I've waited for this!" Kesuta yelled, "I'll finally be rid of such a pain in my side, and I'll have my precious King Link as my husband."

"...and I'll take pleasure having his children while you watch on in helpless agony..." Korume scowled.

The two sisters glared daggers at each other, then turned their heads away, concentrating on arriving at their destination.

* * *

"Kesuta and Korume...?" Nabooru groaned, waiting up from her bed in a guest room, having taken the bed there so Link and Ruto could have some private time to themselves, but she found herself woken up in the middle of the night by Link, Ruto, Nemisa and a sleepy Aviel, "What have those two done this time...?"

"I'm not sure." Link said, "But I think they're in trouble somehow. They just flew off into the desert."

"That's odd, at this time of night?" Nabooru pondered to herself.

"Are we sure this isn't just another one of their pranks?" Nemisa asked, yawning loudly.

Aviel meanwhile was felling asleep against Nemisa's arm with a bit of drool hanging out of her mouth, causing Nemisa to swat her away.

"Somehow, I don't think so..." Link said. "Just before they left, Korume seemed incredibly sad about something... I could see it in her eyes."

"I have to say I'm worried about them myself..." Ruto nodded, "We should try to find out what's going on."

"Okay then, if you say so." Nabooru forced herself out of bed and stretched, "Let's go check their mystic tent to see if there's any clues to where they went."

"Can we take a nap first?" Aviel asked yawning, only to be yanked off by Nemisa.

* * *

Far away from Gerudo Town, was the sacred area known as the Desert Colossus, where the Spirit Temple stood, built to honor Aifet, the Goddess of the Desert.

Standing at the entrance was an older Gerudo woman, around her late 30s, holding a broomstick and wearing a blue robe. She gazed up at the large statue engraved into the front of the temple, made into the likeness of the goddess Aifet, and squeezed her broomstick. The look in her eyes was of sadness, and at the same time a bit of loathing.

"Mother!" called out a voice. The Gerudo woman closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh, before turning around and looking up to see Kesuta and Korume flying down to her on their brooms.

Upon the two of them landing, the Gerudo woman walked up to the two of them and smiled warmly.

"I see you two are ready then." she said, "What you're doing a great service to the Gerudo. I'm so proud of you both."

"We'll do what's necessary for the future of our people." Kesuta nodded, glancing at her sister, "Even if ONE of us is slacking off..."

"Mother... is this truly what needs to be done?" Korume asked, ignoring Kesuta's remark.

"It must." her mother nodded, "This has been our family's burden for four generations now, I had to do this, your grandmother had to, and so on."

"...very well." Korume nodded, "Then I shall perform my task and not look back."

"Good luck, to the both of you. No matter what happens..." their mother, said, as she took the two girls and hugged them tightly, "You'll always be my precious daughters..."

Korume held her arms around her mother, while Kesuta simply patted her back. The three of them held that for what felt like hours, but was just a minute or two. Their mother eventually and hesitantly stepped back to allow them to enter the Spirit Temple.

"Now enter, and fulfill your duty." she said.

"Thank you mother." they both said, and with that the two slowly walked into the temple until they were completely out of their mother's sight.

"...goodbye, my children." their mother whispered, as tears started falling down her face. She took a deep breath, before getting onto her broomstick and began her journey back to Gerudo Town. She took a second to look back at the Spirit Temple and the statue of Aifet. She lowered her head sadly before turning back and continuing onward.

* * *

"Ugh, couldn't find anything there." Nabooru said, walking out of Kesuta and Korume's mystic tent.

"You would think they would at least left a note." Ruto said with a huff.

"All I found was books I couldn't read, weird statues, and whatever this is in Kesuta's room." Aviel said, holding up a flat and round pink rubber object.

"What the heck is that?" Link asked.

"I dunno, but when I sat on it thinking it was a pillow it deflated and I thought someone had passed gas," Aviel said, a little red.

"Oooh, so that's what that sound was." Ruto said.

"Thank the goddess, and here I thought your highness was having after effects from those hot cucco wings he ate earlier today." Nemisa said.

"Okay, enough of that," snapped Nabootu, desperate to change the subject.

"Well I'm still bothered by the two of them leaving." Link said, "I can't stop thinking about the way Korume looked..."

"I could try flying around to find them, but the desert is too big... I wish we had some idea of which direction they went..." Aviel muttered, now wearing the pink rubber thing on her head.

"Oh, it's Lady Nabooru, and the king! What are you doing here at this time of night?" said a new voice.

Everyone looked to see Kesuta and Korume's mother walk up to them. While she was putting on a pleasant smile, Link couldn't help but notice her face was stained with dry tears.

"Ah, Koleima. It's you." Nabooru stated.

"Who is she?" Link asked.

"Ah, forgive my manners..." Koleima said, bowing to Nabooru and Link, "I'm Mystic Koleima, mother of Kesuta and Korume. A pleasure to finally meet you, my king, and thank you for looking after the two of them."

"Uh, likewise." Link nodded, doing a bow back, "Thank you for your services to our people."

"Hee hee, such a gentleman. It's no wonder my daughters took such a liking to you..."

"Please Mystic Koleima, we're searching for your daughters, do you have nay idea where they went?" Nabooru asked.

"They..." Koleima hesitated, gripping her wrist tightly. This didn't go unnoticed by Link in particular, "They're on an important journey and.. I..."

"Mystic Koleima," Nemisa said, "Tell us where they went, perhaps we can help them."

"I... I can't... " Koleima said, her eyes watering up and her body trembling, "They can't have any interference... or they'll... she'll... It goes against what we of our mystic bloodline's duty... and..."

Link just stared at Koleima, he could tell she wanted so much to tell them, but couldn't for whatever reason. It looked as if it was tearing herself up inside, and he couldn't take it anymore.

With that, Link walked up to Koleima and took her hand, startling her. Link held up her hand and gripped it gently but firmly, and looked into her golden eyes with his blue ones.

"Please, if your daughters are in trouble you have to tell me, they're important to us as well. Don't think as a mystic... but as their mother."

Koleima's eyes widened, her face slightly flushed, as she saw into Link's eyes. Her own eyes teared up and she hugged Link tightly around his arms, weeping on his shoulder.

"My daughters... they've... gone to the Spirit Temple in the Desert Colossus..."

"You mean where Link met Nabooru?" Aviel asked.

"What on earth are they doing all the way out there?" Nemisa asked.

"They... they need to please the Desert Goddess Aifet, by taking part in a ritual..."

Koleima sniffled as she spoke.

"A ritual of sacrifice..."

"W-What?!" exclaimed Link.

"Are you serious?!" Nabooru gasped.

"Yes... as part of our bloodline, they must offer tribute to Aifet by battling each other at the grand sanctum of the Spirit Temple, in the presence of the great interior statue. The winner will be spared and allowed to live on and reproduce... while the loser will forfeit their life..."

"How horrible..." Ruto said with her hands over her mouth.

"But why would they need to do something like this?!" Nabooru shouted furiously.

"According to my mother..." Koleima explained, "Many centuries ago, our ancestors, the witch twins Koume and Kotake had stolen an important treasure from the Spirit Temple, one most sacred to the Desert Goddess. It angered her so much that she demanded that our bloodline must pay for their crime."

"Koume and Kotake... Twinrova..." Link muttered, narrowing his eyes coldly.

"Ugh, those two again..." Nabooru scowled.

"But Kesuta and Korume didn't do it! It was those stupid witches!" Aviel exclaimed.

"Regardless, we of their bloodline have been contacted by Aifet through our mystic work, that in order to please her we must battle our sister in the Spirit Temple to the death. Only the winner may pass on our bloodline." Koleima continued.

"But what if the mystic doesn't have a sister?" Ruto asked.

"That wouldn't happen. Since the beginning, my direct bloodline ensures that each us shall bear twins with each conception, and that the night of the Festival of The Desert Goddess after they turn 17, the twins must battle. It's something Twinrova's daughters had to do, and the winner of that battle went on to have twins who would battle as well, and so on and so forth..."

"Then..." Nemisa realized, "You're telling us you had to take the life of your own sister?"

"Y-Yes..." sobbed Koleima, "I didn't want to... but our mother insisted we had no choice, and we got the same calling from Aifet herself that it must be done..."

"But why do you have to do it?" Link asked, "What worth could it be to battle to the death?"

"It's... for the good of the people." Koleima said, "If the Desert Goddess isn't satisfied, she'll bring down a deadly plague on the Gerudo people as a whole. She'll call upon her fellow goddesses to invoke their wrath...

From the Insect Goddess Ikulia will come a swarm of locust to devour our crops...

The Sand Goddess Sofuria will call forth sandstorms will tear part our town and destroy our homes...

...and for those who still survive, the Death Goddess of the Gerudo, Nerif will bring down an incurable disease that will finish them all off..." she concluded.

Link and the others were at a loss upon hearing this, and hearing Koleima speak these words without even a hint of hesitation, that what she said was pure truth, and clearly full of fear and sadness...

"There's no way this can be true..." Nabooru said, "Aifet is a kind and benevolent goddess, she would never hurt her people like this! She's nothing like..." she trailed off as she spoke that last part

"Isn't there anything we can do to stop this?!" Link asked.

"If there was, I would had done it before I had to strike down my own sister..." Koleima muttered as tears were going down her face.

Link closed his eyes, thinking deeply about the situation, before opening his eyes, filled with determination, he turned to Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and Ruto and said, "We have to stop them!"

"What?!" exclaimed Nemisa, taking a step back, "Are you serious? If what Koleima says is true, then that means confronting the Goddess of the Desert herself! We can't do something like that!"

"Yeah... I'm.. really scared of the idea of challenging the will of Desert Goddess Aifet..." Aviel said shaking, "But... ...I don't want Kesuta or Korume to die... What should we do...?"

"I'm... not sure.." Nemisa muttered, "I do wish to help them, but.."

"It's okay you guys." Link said, "I won't hold it against you if you can't do this. If I need to, I'll go after them myself!"

Nabooru then put a hand on Link's shoulder , "Don't worry, you won't be alone. I have a hard time believing this to be Aifet's doing, but regardless we can't let either of them die!"

"But you can't!" Koleima said, "Did you not hear me just now what the consequences are if they fail to do the ritual?! Everything they're doing is for the good of our people and-"

That was when Link walked forward and embraced Koleima, surprising her.

"That's the very reason I'm going to put an end to this." Link said, "If your daughters are willing to go this far to save the Gerudo, then it just motivates me more to save them from doing it."

"My king..." gasped Koleima, her face slightly red, "But to defy the goddess Aifet..."

"It doesn't matter what you've been told, we're going to save them, and if Aifet does try anything, we'll just convince her otherwise!" Link said, pumping his fist, "I say it not just as king, but as Kesuta and Korume's friend as well!"

"Y-Yeah..." Aviel said, before thrusting her fist into the air, "Yeah! We're not about to turn our backs on our sisters!" Aviel exclaimed.

"...agreed," Nemisa nodded, "The two of them are willing to go this far to help us all, it's only fitting we help them."

"You're all serious about this...?" Koleima said shocked, "You'll save my daughters from this fate...?"

"Of course we will, I swear it." Link nodded.

"...t-thank you, my king... Lady Nabooru, and all of you... I have faith in you to save them." Koleima said, with a small smile, "We're truly blessed to have you with us King Link, it's no wonder my daughters have fallen for you..."

"Ah ha... that's uh..." Link blushed a little, scratching his cheek.

"So the two of them are next in line to marry my husband?" sighed Ruto, "I swear, the bedroom is going to get crowded at this rate."

"Alright, let's prepare and get going, post haste!" Nabooru said to the others.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the center of the Spirit Temple's interior at the grand sanctum, Kesuta and Korume were working on the preparations for the ritual. They were doing as their mother instructed them long ago, drawing circles engraved with Gerudo markings on the ground and setting up torches of fire and small ice sculptures in the form of sacred symbols and deities.

As Korume finished one of her designs, she paused, and took a look up at the giant statue of the Desert Goddess Aifet towering over them. It almost seemed like it was looking down at them, observing what they had to do. It unnerved even someone like her, who was normally a calm and collected person in touch with the mystic arts, to say the least.

"Hey Korume, you messed up on this circle!" shouted Kesuta angerly. Korume looked to see her sister pointing down at one of the circles which was smudged, "The goddess isn't going to tolerate something like this!"

"Oh, of course..." Korume said, going to make the changes to the drawing.

"Honestly, you need to take this more seriously! If we fail to appease Desert Goddess Aifet, then she'll bring her wrath on everyone, our ancestor's sacrifices will be for nothing, and not even King Link could survive such a thing!" Kesuta exclaimed in annoyance.

While finishing up the circle, Korume flinched at Kesuta's words, but then muttered coldly, "Do I need to freeze your big mouth shut so we can finish this...?"

"Raaah! I've had it! I'm looking forward to this ritual, no matter who loses tonight, either way I won't have to deal with YOU anymore!" Kesuta shouted angerly.

There was an awkward silence between the two at that point. Kesuta stormed off to continue the ritual, while Korume stared down at the circle. She looked down and realized her tears were messing up the circle's design like last time, so she went back to fixing it.

* * *

Thanks to their experience traveling the desert, it wasn't long before Link, Aviel, Nemisa and Nabooru arrived at the Desert Colossus, and saw the Spirit Temple not far away.

"Well we made it. I hope we're not too late." Link said.

"Too bad we couldn't bring Ruto with us." Aviel said.

"The weather's too dry for her all the way out here, the four of us should suffice anyway." Nemisa said.

"Say, you sure you're okay coming back here, after what happened last time?" Link asked Nabooru.

"I... should be fine." Nabooru said with a nod, "Now let's hurry!"

And with that, the four of them rushed into the temple.

* * *

"There, regardless of your incompetency, we're ready for the ritual." Kesuta said, stepping back from the last torch being lit.

"Than let us begin the praying ceremony." Korume said, ignoring Kesuta's comment.

The two girls got on their knees in front of the giant Aifet statue, put the palms of their hands together, and started chanting in ancient Gerudo words.

It was then that felt a strange sensation through the room, as a strange voice started to be heard throughout it.

"_...mystics of the Gerudo, and descendants of the dark witches..." _the mysterious voice said,_ "You have done as expected, now it is time for your both to perform your final task, only then shall I spare the Gerudo race from my wrath once more."_

The two girls were in shock of hearing the mighty voice of the Desert Goddess Aifet acknowledging them, they had been contacted by her frequently over the past months through their mystic crystal ball, but never did they feel it so powerfully.

"As you wish, my goddess." Kesuta said.

"Of course, my goddess." Korume said.

"_Fear not, for your sacrifice shall help ensure the safety of your people. This is your purpose in this life."_ Aifet said. _"Now, go and fight, for your right to carry on the bloodline of your people."_

"At once, my goddess." the two said, before standing and walking over to the opposite sides of the sanctum square.

A small trickle of sweat ran down Korume's head, as she looked to her sister, who was hanging her head down with her eyes closed, before rising up her head, opening her eyes, and grinning maliciously.

"Let's go, 'dear sister'."

* * *

_**And that concludes the first part of Kesuta and Korume's arc. I'll have chapter 21 out soon!**_


	21. Fire and Ice

_**Now onto Part 2 of the Kesuta and Korume arc, it's time for the mystics to throw down the gauntlet, but who will prevail?**_

* * *

"We're getting pretty deep into the Temple..." Nabooru muttered, taking a moment to glance around, "It won't be long before we reach the sanctum where the twins should be..."

"Ugh, this place gives me the creeps." Aviel said, she turned to see a statue of a woman's face and screamed out, jumping into the air and into Link's arms while she hugged him tightly, "I think I'd prefer to be spooked by Kesuta and Korume's little fire and ice ghost things..."

"Yes... I can't believe I'm saying I miss their pranks." Nemisa sighed.

"Then we have to save them." Link nodded with a grin, "So they can go back to putting gravy in your shoes!"

"Don't remind me of that..." Nemisa scowled.

"Hey, I think I see it!" Nabooru said, and with that the four of them all went running into the inner sanctum, where Kesuta and Korume were standing, about ready to battle.

"Korume, Kesuta!" shouted Link, running ahead of the group, The two girls turned in reaction to hearing their' king's voice.

"Wha- you?!" becalmed Kesuta.

"It can't be..." muttered Korume.

"You guys, your mother told us what was going on, you can't do this!" Link shouted.

"Yeah, you don't need to battle! We're here to take you back home!" Aviel exclaimed.

"Stand back!" shouted Kesuta angerly, "This is something we have to do!"

"Yes, if mother did tell you, then you understand why we're doing this. Please leave, and wait for the winner to return." Korume said.

Link just ignored their words,narrowed his eyes and charged up towards the two of them.

Kesuta scowled as she clicked her fingers, causing a surge of flames to shoot up as a barrier in front of them.

"What th-" Link stopped in his tracks as the fire shot out.

"What is this?" Nemisa asked, looking at it herself

"I've seen this magic before..." Link said, "A fire barrier that can block off intruders, and reacts to motion."

"No sweat, I'll just fly over it!" Aviel said, turning her arms to wings and flying upwards to go after Kesuta and Korume. However, the fire barrier reacted to her plan by surging up just as she was about to cross, blasting Aviel with fire and sending her backwards to the ground, covered in soot.

"Never mind..." Aviel muttered with spiraling eyes.

"Now that they're blocked off, let's begin." Kesuta said.

"Y-Yes..." Korume said, taking one last sad look at Link, before turning back to her sister.

The two girls closed their eyes and concentrated. Everyone watched in curiosity as the two stood there motionless, then fire stated to form around Kesuta while ice flowed around Korume, their whole bodies soon became engulfed in their respective element, and in a large burst the two had taken on an unusual transformation.

Kesuta now stood with her mystic clothing gone, and in it's place were flames spiraling around her body, covering her chest and crotch in particular, with flames shooting out from the points where she shoulders and hips were. Her long ponytail had turned into a flame as long as her hair was, with small flames spiraled around it. Her forearms and lower legs had been covered, or maybe even turned into fire themselves, with the very ends where the feet would had been replaced with long, sharp tips of flame. She brought up her arms and swung them downwards, causing 15 foot long strings of fire to lash out, which she swung around like whips.

Korume meanwhile caused ice to start forming around her body. Her chest and crotch were both covered in pure ice, with extra spikes shooting out from the shoulders and hips. Her ponytail seemed to turn transparent for a second, before it took on the resemblance of an aurora-borealis, and beautifully swayed through the air. Her forearms started adding up ice in large amounts, soon forming into long spear-like shapes. Her lower legs were engulfed in ice as well, until they took on a pointed tip form similar to Kesuta's. She brought up her ice spear limbs and clashed them together.

"What?! How long have they been able to do that?!" Link shouted.

"I've never seen them able to use power like that before..." Nabooru observed, "Have they been practicing their elemental arts this hard over the past months...?"

"Enough gawking, we have to figure out another way past this barrier!" Nemisa said, looking around for an alternative means of getting around it.

"As far as I recall, this is the only means of getting into this sanctum. They're trapped themselves in." Nabooru narrowed her eyes.

"Girls, stop this now!" Link shouted, but it feel on deaf ears.

"Now it's time to fight, I'll burn you!" shouted Kesuta, rushing at Korume with her flame whips.

"I'll strike you down first." Korume said, rushing at Kesuta with her ice spears.

The two of them immediately went into battle, Kesuta lashed out her whips, while Korume came forward with her spears. Kesuta swung a flame whip at Korume, who leaned back just enough to avoid it before thrusting her spear at Kesuta. The fire mystic sidestepped the spear and swung her leg up, kicking Korume in the chin, sending her back. Kesuta then lunged forward and brought both her whips down, knocking Korume to the ground. Before Kesuta could get another swing of her whip in though, Korume dodge rolled and quickly slashed Kesuta across her side.

Kesuta snarled in fury, sending her whips out far to the sides and attempted to slam them together on Korume, who quickly swung up her spears to drive them upwards, then charged right in and smacked Kesuta in the chest, propelling her backwards. Kesuta grinned however, and pulled back her whips, causing them to smack into Korume from behind, allowing Kesuta to whip her continuously.

"They're not holding back..." Link said with growing concern, "We need to do something before one... or both of them..."

Nabooru tried swinging her swords at the fire barrier, but the force just repelled them, "This kind of power, they've gotten far stronger then I imagined."

"And they did all this, so they could fight to the death here... for the sake of the Gerudo people..." Nemisa muttered, her head lowered and clutching her wrist.

"We can't let this happen, we have to save them!" Link shouted, he pulled out his Longshot and aimed it at a statue near the ceiling, but was stopped by Nemisa.

"Wait you moron!" Nemisa said, gripping his arm, "You saw what the barrier did to Aviel!"

Link just looked out at the two mystics still clashing against each other. Korume managed to swipe Kesuta across the arm with her spear, but Kesuta countered by smacking Korume with her whip, causing her to yelp out in pain.

"But... what can we do...?" Link asked.

Korume meanwhile, went on the offense with a barrage of projectile ice spears, which Kesuta managed to melt away with her fire, but then one particular spear managed to impact into her, causing her to scream out.

"What?! What is thi-" Kesuta took a look down and realized the ice spear was red colored, "Wait, you can cast red ice now, like that Morpha thing?!"

"Was saving it for a surprise." said Korume, "Well, surprise." and with that she fired another barrage of red spears down at Kesuta.

Kesuta snarled and formed a ball of blue fire, which she sent back to melt away the red ice, but another spear still managed to hit her.

"Blue fire doesn't work on normal ice." Korume said, "I'll keep you guessing with what attack I use... this will be over soon, and Link shall be my husband."

Korume continued to fire down spears of normal ice and red ice down on Kesuta, who tried to fight back with regular and blue fire. Fire balls and ice shards shot out at each other, but with Korume's faster shots Kesuta's attempts were becoming more and more futile. As the spears were grazing her body, Kesuta narrowed her eyes, looking up to her sister, feeling the anger within her growing...

"That's it!" shouted Kesuta, pumping her fists, and bringing out her whips, then started spinning at a ridiculously fast pace.

"What...?" Korume asked, her eyes widening.

Kesuta spun so fast with her whips that she took on the form of a giant fiery tornado. She started spinning closely towards Korume, who tried to counter by launching her ice magic, but it was easily repealed by the motion of the tornado. Before Korume could come up with any other strategy, she was sucked into the tornado and screamed out as the fires engulfed her.

"KYYYAAA!"

"Korume!" Link shouted.

Korume screamed out as the fire burned her heavily, she couldn't do anything to escape. Soon the tornado went away, leaving Korume dazed in midair. Kesuta grinned sadistically as she gripped her flame whips at shot at her sister, lashing out with multiple whipping stings on Korume, and then dealing one more blow with a flaming kick, causing the ice mystic to fall and impact to the ground with burn marks all over, and her body changed back to her normal self.

"Looks like this is it." smirked Kesuta, slowly walking up to her sister, "This was my win after all."

"No... I... sister..." Korume muttered, forcing herself up to her knee.

"You know, I've always hated having a sister..." Korume said, conjuring a flame whip in her hand, "You were such a pain to have around... but now I can finally end this, and I shall become Link's bride!"

Korume didn't say a word, but hung her head down, as she remembered back to when they were younger.

* * *

_Flashback  
_

"Hey look, we caught a witch!" laughed a teenage Gerudo girl, holding a ten-year old Korume by her arm.

"L-Let go..." Korume muttered.

"Yeah, she's one of Twinrova's descendants huh? She'll probably end up just as scummy as those two, I bet." said the second one.

"She should be punished, maybe we should burn this witch?"snickered the third one.

"HEY! Get yer hands off of her, or I'll burn you!" shouted a ten-year old Kesuta, running at the three teens with her hands engulfed in flames.

"Woah, she's nuts! Run away!" shouted one of the bullies, dropping Korume as the three of them ran off. Korume was left on her hands and knees, sobbing.

"Jees, you alright Korume?" Kesuta asked, kneeling down to Korume's level. She took her sister's hand and helped her up.

"I-I'm sorry Kesuta..." Korume said sadly.

"Nah, don't worry about it! We're sisters, aren't we? We gotta look out for each other!" grinned Kesuta.

"O-Okay..." Korume said with a small smile, and the two shared a hug together.

* * *

Korume's eyes closed tightly, with tears running down her cheeks, 'Was everything you told me before... just a lie, sister...?' she thought to herself.

"Now, it's time to pay our debt to Aifet, with your life..." Kesuta said with a wicked smirk, raising her whip into the air.

"NO!" Link shouted. He wracked his mind, deep in thought of what to do. He looked up at Kesuta and Korume, narrowed his eyes, and nodded to himself. He grabbed his canteen of water and poured it all over his body.

"W-What's that for?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"I'm going to save them." Link simply said.

And with that he shouted out and charged right into the fire barrier. The force of the barrier tried to drive Link back, but he held his ground, summoning all his strength to push he way through the flames.

"Link, what do you think you're doing?!" shouted Nabooru.

Before Kesuta could bring down her whip, she heard the yelling from everyone, and turned to see Link forcing himself through the fire barrier.

"What, your highness?!" she exclaimed.

"Graaaahh!" Link shouted in pain as he trudged through the force of the barrier, before finally breaking through it. He gasped out, then charged up to Korume and knelt down, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"Link...?" Korume muttered weakly, slowly looking up at her future king.

"Korume... are you okay...?" Link asked.

"I... you... you're covered in burns..." she whispered,seeing the marks on his body.

"Don't worry about that... I'm just glad I got to you." Link grinned.

Korume blushed lightly, looking down and pressing her head against his chest.

"Y-You got through the barrier?!" exclaimed Kesuta, "My king, that was dangerous!"

"Well what did you expect me to do, you were about to kill your own sister!" Link shouted to her.

"I have to! It's the will of the Desert Goddess that one of us shall be sacrificed to her!" Kesuta yelled back.

"I don't care about what the goddess thinks, the important thing is what you think! You really want to kill her?!" Link shouted.

"Y-Yes! She's..." Kesuta gulped a bit, "She's... nothing but a pain! As far as I'm concerned this is a blessing from the goddess Aifet, and I'll be a lot happier without her around!"

"...do you really mean that?" Link asked, holding Korume close to him, "Or are you just saying this because you think you have to...?"

Kesuta's eyes widened, she stood motioned for a few seconds. She put her free hand to her heart, as she started to tremble. The fire barrier even started to die down, allowing Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa the chance to run up to the three.

"I-I..." Kesuta muttered.

"Sister...?" Korume asked.

"To save the Gerudo from goddess Aifet's wrath..." Kesuta closed her eyes and clenched her fists, "One of us must be sacrificed..." she then brought up her flame whip again. She opened her eyes and looked up to see not just Link now, but Nabooru, Nemisa and Aviel all standing in front of Korume to protect her. To say Kesuta was shocked was an understatement.

"You'd... all protect her...?" Kesuta asked.

"Of course we would." Nabooru said, "I don't know what goddess Aifet's goal is here, but I won't allow one of our sisters to be struck down like this."

"Everyone..." Korume said, with her eyes full of tears.

"... ...very well." Kesuta muttered, "Everyone seems to care about you so much Korume... especially our beloved king..." she seemed to linger on those last words a bit, "Then if I can't take your life..."

With that, Kesuta reached down to her boot and pulled out a knife. She then brought it up into the air.

"I'll take my own."

"H-hey, what do you think you're doing?!" shouted Nemisa.

"To save our people... I'll sacrifice my own life, it's my purpose..." Kesuta said, as tears fell down her face. And with that, she swung the knife towards her chest...

...only for Link to catch her arm with his hand.

"Huh...?" Kesuta asked, looking up at Link, who squeezed her arm to force her to let go the knife, which fell to the ground with a clang. He then gave the fire mystic a tight hug, causing her to gasp out.

"Don't ever think like that again, Kesuta." Link muttered, holding her close to him.

"Y-Your highness?!" Kesuta exclaimed, blushing heavily.

"Your life is just as precious as Korume's, or anyone else's..." Link whispered, "And no one's is worth sacrificing."

Kesuta lingered on those words, as tears were running down her face. She looked to see Aviel smiling brightly, Nemisa folding her arms and nodded, and Nabooru giving a knowing smirk. She then saw Korume looked up at her with tears of her own going down her cheeks.

"Your highness... I..."

"_WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"_ boomed a loud voice, startling everyone from the moment, _"How dare you mortals interfere with this sacred ritual!"_

"Is... is that the desert goddess Aifet?!" exclaimed Aviel, who quickly bowed to the ground, along with Nemisa, Kesuta broke from Link's grasp and bowed as well. Nabooru meanwhile, stood tall and narrowed her eyes.

Link himself just stood and walked up a bit to the giant statue where the voice was booming from, "So I take it you're the Desert Goddess?"

"_You dare speak to me in such a manner?"_ boomed Aifet's voice, _"Yes, I am the great Aifet, divine goddess of the thousand sands!"_

As Link and Aifet spoke, Nabooru just stood and watched carefully.

"_Why would you interfere with this ritual? Are you not aware of what shall happen if neither of these two die tonight?!"_ shouted Aifet.

"Yeah, but I don't care. I just want to know is why the hell you would subject this on them?!" Link shouted, "Kesuta and Korume did nothing to you!"

"_Their ancestors, the dark witches Koume and Kotake committed an unforgivable crime, and stole the sacred jewel on my statue's forehead!"_

Link looked up and sure enough, saw the forehead of the statue had a large indent in it, like there was supposed to be some object in it.

"I see..." Link said, contemplating on that, "What if I were to track down and find this jewel for you? Would that satisfy you?"

The statue seemed to pause for a few seconds.

"_... ...impossible." _Aifet said, _"The sacred jewel has been lost forever to those two witches, and since they have no regard for the safety of their people, I've been kind enough to allow their descendants to fight each other for my satisfaction! Only when the blood of one of them is shed may I spare the Gerudo from death!"_

"Well in that case... why don't take your satisfaction..." Link muttered in a soft voice, "And shove it into your empty forehead?!" he then shouted.

Aviel, Nemisa, Kesuta, Korume and even Nabooru all gasped out loud at Link's words.

"_What... did you just say... MORTAL?" _boomed Aifet, as strange power started to surge out from the statue.

"H-Hey," exclaimed Nemisa, "Watch what you say, you moron!"

"These two are precious to me and Gerudo Town!" Link shouted to Aifet, "They've worked hard for the future of the people, after the Gerudo almost fell into extinction, and I won't allow any of them to die by your hands, especially because of this petty grudge against their ancestors! If you want their blood so badly, you'll have to get through me first!" With that, he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the statue's face.

"H-he would even defy the goddess herself...?" Korume asked.

"_You challenge me... the great desert goddess?"_ Aifet asked, _"Just who are you to make such a demand?!"_

"I am Link... the future king of the Gerudo, and I'll say as their king that ALL their lives are worth keeping. And because of that, I'll defend them all from anyone, including the goddess of the desert herself!" he said.

There was a momentary pause, the girls all stood in shock and awe of Link's brazen and courageous attitude, and perhaps for a few of them a little turned on by his assertiveness as well...

The statue meanwhile, stood there are statues usually do, until they heard Aifet speak up.

"_...future king...?"_ Aifet asked, _"You... DARE call yourself the king of the Gerudo? I would never allow you to do so! For this act alone, you must die for my satisfaction!"_

"Heh, I would never do that." Link grinned without even a moment of hesitation, "I'd just make myself look like a hypocrite in front of everyone. I have too much to live for now, and I'm not giving it up for you or anyone!"

"Oh my..." Korume said, putting her hands to her cheeks.

Nabooru chuckled to herself, "Well put."

"_You fool. If you do not appease me, then I shall reign death upon the Gerudo for this act alone!"_ boomed Aifet, _"I shall call upon the insect goddess Ikulia to bring down a swarm of locust to devour their crops, then from the s__and goddess Sofuira who shall call forth sandstorms to tear apart your town and destroy your homes! A__nd for those who still survive, the death goddess Hotaig will bring down an incurable disease that will finish them all off! You'll all suffer by our great power!"_

There was a moment of pause in the sanctum, Link himself just stared up at the statue, contemplating his next action...

It was then that he realized something he was told some time ago and his eyes widened.

"Wait... what did you just say just now...?" Link asked.

"_What ?!"_ shouted Aifet.

"You just said the death goddess Hotaig will bring down an incurable disease that would finish the Gerudo all off..." he said.

"_Of course, it is within her divine power as the goddess of death!"_ Aifet stated.

It was at that moment Nabooru's eyes also widened and she gave the smallest of grins.

"But... isn't Hotaig the Gerudo goddess of war, not death?" Link pointed out.

"Oh that's right!" Aviel realized, "We even visited her coliseum and mausoleum some months back!"

"_...w-what...?"_ Aifet muttered.

"That's... a bit strange..." Nemisa said, narrowing her eyes and stepping up to Link's side, "...that the divine goddess of the desert would make such a glaring mistake."

"_That's... I..."_ the goddess sounded unusually nervous in that moment.

"While we're on the subject, I also find it odd that the divine desert goddess wouldn't be aware that Link was chosen as our king until this very moment, especially after the festival meant to honor her." Nabooru said crossing her arms.

"_Um..."_ they could swear in that moment they saw a drop of sweat going down the statue's head, then they heard the slightest of mumbling coming from it.

"_Wait, was it Hotaig or Ositir who was the goddess of death?"_

"_I don't know! I thought you knew, that's why we decided you should do this!"_

"_Do I look like a living encyclopedia you, ya old coot?!"_

"_I wouldn't expect you know what two plus two equals, but if you're going to do this, I would except you to at least know the goddess of beasts!"_

"_We were talking about the goddess of death, you senile hag!"_

"Hey Nabooru..." Link said, narrowing his eyes, "Does that bantering sound familiar to you at all?"

"Too familiar." Nabooru said, glaring at the statue.

"_You idiot!" _they heard a shout from the goddess statue,_ "You were speaking too loudly!"_

"_What?! D-Do you think they heard anything...?"_

"_I don't know, let's keep quiet."_

"We heard everything dammit!" Link and the five Gerudo all shouted in annoyance.

"_Uh oh... I think our cover has been blown..."_

"Alright the two of you, show yourselves!" Link shouted, holding out his sword.

"Ah-heheheh! Time to make our appearance then!" cackled a familiar voice, as appeared before Link and the group was the fire witch Koume.

"Eehehehehe! We're going to make the lot of you pay for your disobedience!" laughed the other voice, appearing as the ice witch Kotake.

"W-What...?" Korume stammered, staring up at the witches.

"It can't be..." Kesuta said in shock, "Does this mean...?"

"Twinrova." Nabooru said coldly, "It's been quite a long time."

* * *

_**So that ends this chapter, now the true confrontation between our heroes and the twin witches Koume and Kotake awaits... **_

_**Like, follow, review, you know the drill.**_


	22. Unity of Sisters

_**Now on to the conclusion of the Kesuta and Korume arc!**_

* * *

"So it was you posing as the goddess this whole time?!" Nabooru asked Kouem and Kotake in the grand sanctum of the Spirit Temple.

"Yes, and we remember you quite well dear, that defiant look in your eyes..." Koume said, "You were trying to claim a power within the temple, and we were about to make you our slave, until that rotten little brat interfered!"

"Heh, it's been a long time. I think about seven years... you hunched-over old farts!" Link said grinning, earning a laugh from Nabooru and a giggle from Aviel. Even Nemisa snorted a little from it.

"What?!" exclaimed Koume, "It's you?!"

"And he stands to be the Gerudo King?! Unthinkable!" Kotake shouted.

"Yep, I've personally seen to it that he's going to be a thousand times better king then Ganondorf ever could have been!" Nabooru said with a smug grin.

"Grrr, how dare you!" screeched Kotake.

"Wait!" Korume said with desperation in her tone, forcing herself up to her feet, "Please, I need to know, if you were posing as the goddess this whole time, what value would you have in this ritual?"

"Yes, please tell us great, great, grandmother!" Kesuta pleaded, "Please don't tell me our mother had to..."

" Ah-heheheh..." cackled Koume, "As strong as the two of us are, our power isn't infinite."

"Yes, in order to keep ourselves not just strong, but live for as long as we have, we've been doing these little rituals with each generation of our bloodline!" Kotake said.

"What?!" exclaimed Kesuta.

"Where do you little fools think you got that mystic crystal ball from? We contacted you through the ball, and told you of your destiny, posing as the desert goddess, so we could pit our descendants to battle against each other. Whoever is defeated shall have their magic and life force drained from them, and then the stronger of the two will go on to have twin daughters who will do the same thing on their own seventeenth birthday, and so on, and so on..." Koume explained.

"...so that the two of us may live forever and ever!" cackled Kotake.

Link stared up in disbelief at the two witches.

"T-That's it?!" Aviel shouted with tears in her eyes, "You made sisters fight and kill each other just for power?!"

"I knew the two of you were despicable monsters, but that's the lowest of the low." Nabooru said scowling.

"Unforgivable..." Nemisa said, punching her fist into her palm.

Link didn't say a word, but looked over to Kesuta and Korume, who were staring with wide tear-filled eyes, Kesuta herself in particular.

"Y-You mean... our ancestors threw their lives away... and I almost killed my own sister... for these two...?" Kesuta asked herself, falling to her knees.

"Kesuta..." Korume muttered, reaching her hand out to Kesuta's shoulder, only for the fire mystic to pull herself away from the ice mystic and hug her arms around herself, shaking and crying.

Link just looked to them for a while, and then his head lowered, his features darkening.

"Ah-heheheh... as if we care about what you think of us. Now that you know our secret, it's time to finish you all off!" Koume laughed, "It's time for our fusion form!"

Just as they did seven years ago, the two of them took to the high air and started flying in circles. Everyone watched as dark magic spiraled around the two witches, until in a burst of energy, where Koume and Kotake once were, there was now an absurdly tall older woman with spread out ponytails made of both fire and ice, bearing a large jewel on her forehead, and was holding twin broom wands. The witch sisters were now once again in their fusion form known as Twinrova.

"Woah, they can do that?!" Aviel exclaimed.

"Hmph, so how do you intend to keep up with this silly charade now that both Kesuta and Korume know the truth?" Nemisa asked.

"Ohhohoho!" cackled Twinrova, "The fire mystic proved herself tonight to be the strongest, so we'll spare her, and use our mind control magic to make her forget this all ever happened, and she'll go on to breed our next two participants!"

"Mind control... Just like what she tried to do with me..." Nabooru muttered, her eyes narrowed coldly and shouted, "You monsters, I won't allow it!" leaping up and clashing her swords against Twinrova''s wands, but the fused witch smirked and blasted Nabooru backwards with fire. She flipped and landed to her feet safely though.

"I'll get her!" Aviel said, pulled out her crossbow and firing a barrage of arrows at Twinrova, who simply blasted the with another fire attack, reducing the arrows to cinders. "...I don't got her..." Aviel said shaken.

Nemisa meanwhile leaped up, jumping off a wall, before coming down on Twinrova with a flying kick, only for the witch to blast her with an ice spell in midair, causing her to impact to the ground.

"D-D-Damnit!" groaned Nemisa, rubbing her arms to try and warm herself up.

"This isn't good..." Nabooru said, "Her magic is too strong... if we still had the Mirror Shield we could stand a chance... but it was destroyed back when we fought her last time..."

"Now I'll end you all!" Twinrova shouted, bringing up her wands for another attack.

That was when one voice spoke up.

"So that was all there was to this...?"

"Huh?" Twinrova asked, looking down to see Link, whose head was lowered and his features were dark.

"Impersonating the goddess of the desert... manipulating the goodwill of the mystics and their descendants for five generations... forcing sisters to fight each other to the death, tricking them into thinking this was all for the good of the people... Just so the two of you can live and gain more power...?"

"Well of course!" Twinrova said dismissively, landing to her feet and waving her wand at Link, "We are the dark witches of flame and cold, surrogate mothers of the great Lord Ganondorf, and our descendants' sole purpose is to sustain our lives!"

"Is that so...? Well when this is over..." Link muttered, he then raised his head up, his eyes now a blank angry white and shouted, "THEY'LL HAVE TO FIND A NEW PURPOSE!"

"W-What?!" Twinrova exclaimed, taking a step back, "What... is this? I-I'm feeling a strange power coming from his boy..."

"L-Link?!" Aviel asked, "Oh boy, he's doing it again..."

Korume looked up from trying to help Kesuta, and her eyes were wide as she stared at Link.

"I-It's that dark power from before... from the night we first met him in the palace..."

"Just what is with him...?" Nabooru muttered to herself.

"Tsk, no matter what it is, I'll kill you anyway!" Twinrova shouted, she brought up her wand to blast Link with dark magic, but before she could even try, Link flipped into the air and bought his sword down at her, which she quickly blocked with her twin wands, but the amount of strength he was putting into the attack caused Twinrova to struggle.

"Y-You can't be serious!" Twinrova exclaimed. Her wands gave a glow and grew out blades of fire and ice from them, and she started clashing at Link, though still unnerved by the angry gaze he was giving her. Link quickly drove back one of her wands and slashed her across the chest, causing her to scream out.

"You little rat!" Twinrova shouted, flying up into the air, sending fire and ice down at Link, who jumped and dodged past each blast.

"Ohohohoo, yes, run! You can't hit me from up here now!"

That was then Link pulled out his Longshot and aimed it right at Twinrova, he fired it off, sending the hook past her and jammed into a wall.

"Ha, you missed me, little man!" Twinrova teased.

"Wasn't aiming for you..." Link muttered, squeezing the switch of the Longshot, and sending him flying up with it, and kicking Twinrova right in the gut, before retracting the Longshot and spinning downwards, slashing Twinrova as they both fell.

"He's pulling it off!" Nabooru exclaimed.

Kyyyaaa!" screamed Twinrova as the two impacted into the ground. Link stepped down on Twinrova's chest, and she was horrified to see the blank stare in his eyes. He brought up his sword, intending to impale it into her, "Get off of me you little pest!" she shouted, erupting into a burst of dark magic, repelling Link backwards and to the ground.

Link groaned out, regaining his senses, as his blank white eyes turned back to their typical blue. He got up slowly to see Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa all standing in front of him.

"Ugh... guys...?"

"Your highness," Nemisa said with her fists up, "You're being too reckless again..."

"Don't worry Link, we got your back... or your front I guess." Aviel said gripping her crossbow.

"Yes, come on, we'll fight as a team!" Nabooru said, brandishing her scimitars.

"Right, sorry girls." Link sighed, he shook off his daze and came up along side them, ready to fight again.

The four them all charged in, and clashed against Twinrova. Aviel fired her crossbow down at the witch wildly, distracting her long enough that Nemisa should deliver a brutal kick in her side. Nabooru smacked down on her wands with her blades, while Link got quick spin attack on her. Twinrova tried to counter with fire and ice attacks, but Link blocked the ice with his shield and charged forward, ramming into her, while Aviel flapped her wings wildly to blow back the fire, allowing Nemisa to jump and do a flip kick into Twinrova's face, then Nabooru swung down and slashed her with his scimitars again, knocking her to her knees.

Twinrova gasped out from the all-out attack by the group, but it was then she grinned wickedly, firing off a barrage of dark energy force to drive them back, before blasting them away with dark fire and ice attacks.

"Ohhohohoho! You're all powerless compared to me!" Twinrova said, "The life force I've fed off of for four generations has made me almost immortal!" and with that her injuries from fighting everyone quickly healed.

"You got to be kidding me..." Nabooru gasped, "It feels like she's even stronger then she was seven years ago..."

"Her best weakness is her own elemental attacks, but we don't have a way to repel them like we could with the Mirror Shield..." Link added.

Korume took a look over at the four fighting on their behalf, then down to Kesuta who was shaking and crying.

"Kesuta, my sister, pleease snap out of it!" Korume said, grabbing her by her shoulders, "They don't stand a chance against the dark witches as she is now!"

"But... I..."

"Look, I know you loathe and hate me, but right now we need to work together, Link needs our help!"

"Hate..." Kesuta muttered, she looked up at her sister and spoke to her, "Sis... I-I'm sorry... the truth is... I d-don't hate you... I.. just said those things so I could bring myself to kill you... I couldn't work up the nerve no matter how hard I tried, so I deluded myself into hating you... just so I could finish the job..." she sobbed, "I'm sorry!"

Korume's eyes widened at Kesuta's confession, before she smiled ever so softly.

"... ...I should have known..." Korume sighed, "You were always a terrible liar. I apologize for the words I've said to you as well."

"It... it's okay..." Kesuta said sniffling, with a light smile of her own, "I know that's just how you are..."

The two of them looked up to see Link, Nabooru and the others fighting against Twinrova, and weren't doing so well, and she drove them back with another fire blast.

"Can... we really do anything against that witch...?" Kesuta asked, "She absorbed the power of so many of our ancestors, including our own aunt..."

"We must try either way." Korume said, taking her sister's hands and holding them firmly, "You want to marry Link and have children with him someday correct?"

"Y-Yes... of course I do.. I love him..." Kesuta said.

"As do I... so we must protect him, and everyone... We must break this curse on our family, without having to take our own lives, as precious as they are." Korume said nodding.

"...a-alright then! We'll do this, as sisters!" Kesuta said, her spirits raised, as she squeezed her sister's hands, "And then when this is all over, we'll both marry Link and we can raise his children together!"

"...I'd like that." smiled Korume, as a strange power started to spiral around the two of them...

Meanwhile, Link, Nabooru and Nemisa were gasping out from their fight with Twinrova, which despite their numbers, she had easily surpassed them in strength. They watched helplessly as Aviel impacted into the ground.

"Ugh... she's too strong..." Aviel groaned, she took a second to check her arrow quiver, "And I'm out of arrows..."

"Ohohohoho!" laughed Twinrova, "Mere child's play, now to crush the lot of you and claim our new power from the ice mystic!" With that, she started to conjure a large fireball in her hand, growing bigger by the second.

"We... can't do it like this..." Nemisa gasped, "We need more help..."

Link took a deep breath and stepped in front of the girls with his shield out, not sure how good it would do against such a powerful move, but he'd try regardless.

"Now burn you inferior fools!" Twinrova shouted casting down the fireball at the four...

Only for a burst of ice to come down and block off the fireball.

"W-What?!" exclaimed Twinrova, "You meddlesome mystics, I'll- huh?!" she looked up to see what Korume had done, only see the two mystic sisters had their hands pressed against each other's as magic spiraled around their bodies. Everyone turned and watched as Kesuta and Korume's bodies floated up into the air, the magic energy covering them both, and then in a flash of fire and ice, a powerful burst went off, and when the energy dissipated, everyone was at a loss of what they saw.

"N-No way..." Nabooru exclaimed.

"K-Kesuta, Korume...?" Link called out.

Floating in front of them was a beautiful woman. She was quite tall, having a good two feet over the already tall Nabooru. A jewel on her forehead was half orange and half blue like Twinrova's but smaller, and her hair was made from pure flames and aurora which was formed into ponytails that spiraled down to the ends. She had a young face with dark healthy tanned skin. Rather then an outfit, she had fire and ice formed around her that barely covered her rather ample chest and showed off her flat stomach and wide hips. She had fire and ice energy spiraling around her waist and loins like a sash that stuck out in two directions, showing off a pair of long legs. From her knees down to her feet were engulfed in fire on one end and ice on the other.

The woman narrowed her red and blue eyes and spoke out, sounding as if there were two people talking at once, both voices very familiar.

"We... will not allow you to hurt our husband!"

And with that, she brought up her hands and created a flaming whip in one hand and an icy spear in the other.

"The two of them fused together?!" Link exclaimed, "Just like Twinrova?!"

"She's beautiful..." Aviel said, her mouth agape in shock.

"Impossible..." Twinrova scowled, "It took us over two hundred years to master the fusion technique, yet they figured it out at their age?! They'll pay for this mockery!"

Twinrova quickly shot out a barrage of fire and ice magic directly at the other fused woman, who simply brought up her elemental weapons and swung them down, appropriately countering Twnrova's ice with fire and her fire with ice respectively.

"We shall help our husband now, you may call us... Dualsera!" the fused mystics said.

"D-Dualsera?" Link asked.

"Like our name? We made it up just now!" Dualsera snickered. The others could hear Kesuta's single voice coming out of her in that moment as she was waving her arm cheerfully.

"You made it up, I said it was stupid." Dualsera then said in Korume's annoyed voice.

"That's it, I'm going to destroy you all!" Twinrova exclaimed in anger, bringing up her broom wands and casting out dark fire and ice down on them.

The group evaded the attacks while Dualsera herself cast down her own fire and ice magic to block against it. Twinrova then rushed at Dualsera and the two clashed with broom wands versus flame whips and ice spears.

"You're nothing but a pretender, soon your magic shall be mine!" Twinrova shouted.

"Try us you old hags." Dualsera said narrowing her eyes.

Twinrova fired out a wave of fire, but Dualsera flipped in a loop, to evade it and jab at Twinrova with her ice spear. Twinrova quickly moved left and right to dodge the barrage of spears Dualsera sent at her, but then she brought up her flaming leg up and kicked Twinrova across the face. Twinrova snarled and formed two ice blocks, slamming Dualsera between them, but she brought up her hands and feet to block the blocks, her fire side melting the left block, then hurling the other block at Twinrova, who quickly countered by blowing it up with fire, only for Dualsera to rush through the ice shards and strike Twinrova across her body with her flame whip.

"Kyyyaaa!" screamed Twinrova, flying backwards, smashing against the wall.

"Impressive, she's quite strong!" Nemisa exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Take her down Dualsera!" Aviel shouted.

"S-She's amazing..." Link said, staring up at Kesuta and Korume's fused body.

Dualsera took a small glance behind her and saw Link gawking at her. Her face flushed lightly and smiled.

"Hey Korume, Link's checkin' us out with a gaze of lust," Kesuta whispered.

"Fufufu... I think I can get used to this form... and this ample bust." her sister rhymed with a dark chuckle. She took a moment to lift their chest a bit to check it's firmness, while sticking her rear end up behind her, and then turned to see Link quickly look away, his face a beet-red.

"Hee hee... we'll have to experiment with this body when this is all done." Kesuta giggled.

"And we'll have to make sure Link participates in the fun..." Korume rhymed.

"What are they whispering about?" Aviel asked the others while they watched Dualsera giggling to herself.

"I have a feeling Link's life is going to get a lot more complicated soon." snickered Nabooru.

"Hoo boy." Link said sweatdropping.

While that was going on, Twinrova pulled herself from the indent she made in the wall and narrowed her eyes.

"You... little..." snarled Twinrova, "How can you have this kind of power?!

"Maybe if you concentrated better instead of just making me do all the work!" she then shouted to herself.

"Huh?" everyone went staring at Twinrova.

"YOU doing all the work?!" shouted Twinrova, "I'm more then a match for these fools myself! You're the load!"

"Maybe if you weren't so busy picking wax outta your ears and working on your magic we'd be winning!"

"Good idea, then maybe I wouldn't have to hear that shrill voice of yours!"

"Is... she arguing with herself?" Link asked sweatdropping.

As Twinrova continued to yell at herself, her body started twitching and shaking. One of her eyes stared to bulge until it bugged out., then the other, then a third eye formed on her cheek. Her voice started to shift between normal and crotchety, and her skin seemed to suddenly change from tan to gray to a yellowish-green, an arm seemed to grow out from her side and another leg grew out of her right leg.

"Eww... What's happening to her...?" Aviel asked, covering her mouth.

"I think the fusion between the two is weakening..." Korume muttered from inside Dualsera.

"They're somehow uglier now then when they're separated..." Nabooru said with her face paled.

"Grrr... this is your fault!" Twinrova shouted to Dualsera, "You'll pay for this with both your lives!"

The jewel on Twinrova's forehead gave off a strange color, as her disfigured eyes turned a dark purple, with lightning practically shooting out from her, as dark energy spiraled around her arms to the broom wands, which ignited with purple and black flames and ice. She sent them both out at Dualsera, who quickly blocked the attack with her whip and spear, but started to find herself struggling.

"We have to do something!" Nabooru exclaimed, "Not even Dualsera can fight against power like that!"

Link paused and looked up at Twinrova, staring closely at her head in particular.

"Wait, I got an idea!" Link said.

He then shot his Longshot into the air and grappled onto a small statue. He then shot himself to another ledge which placed him right above Twinrova and a struggling Dualsera.

"Damn... not used to this fused form's power yet.." Dualsera muttered.

"Hyyyaaah!"

She then looked up to see Link shouting out, jumping down from the ledge with his sword drawn, as he struck the blade down on the large jewel on Twinrova's head, impacting it with such force that it shifted and crackled.

"Y-Yeeeoouuch!" screamed Twinrova, falling backwards, as the dark energy around her started to diminish a bit.

Link landed to the ground and looked up to see Twinrova's head was lowered and was shaking,

"Grrr... you little rat, how could you have known...?" Twinrova scowled, clutching at her head.

"Just a guess." Link simply stated.

"Grrr... We'll finish you off for that!" she shouted, lunging right at him, only for her attack to be blocked by Dualsera. Twinrova's eyes widened as she felt her power depleting quickly.

"You won't hurt him again, witches." she said angerly, summoning up all her power and blasting Twinrova into the air with a combined force of fire and ice.

"Kyyyaaa!"

Twinrova started to recover from the impact in midair, only to see Nemisa hanging from Aviel's legs above her, the bird girl swung her legs out and Nemisa let go, launching her into the air, and allowing her to do a flip and deliver a flying kick across Twinrova's face, sending her right back downwards.

Link and Nabooru took a look to each other and nodded, Link wielding his sword and Nabooru holding her twin scimitars, the two ran and jumped at Twinrova in midair, the two of them delivering a combined slash attack that cut right through Twinrova, causing her to scream out in pain and impact into the ground.

Everyone watched as Twinrova's already deformed body started to convulse and shift, until she burst apart back into the twin witches Koume and Kotake.

"Ah heh... hehehehee..." Koume giggled, rising up from where they had fallen, "We're stronger then I thought, even after all that I'm not feeling any fatigue..."

"Yes, I think it's time we finish them off..." Kotake cackled by her sister's side.

"Hey, you old crones; look above you." Nabooru pointed out.

The two witches both took a look up above them and saw they both had strange shining halos over their heads, a bright light was coming down on them, and their bodies were slowly starting to float into the air.

"W-What is this...?" Kotake asked.

The two of them floated there for a seconds until they realized what was going on.

"But I can't go yet! I'm only 500 years old!"

"And I'm only 300!"

"We're twins! How can you be younger?!"

"You must be senile!"

"That's no way to talk to your big sister!"

"Didn't you just say we're the same age?!"

The two witches continued to rant and rave as they were slowly ascending into the air.

"I'm getting deja vu in more ways then one from this..." Link said sweatdropping.

The two witches' bantering soon stopped as they looked up and faded away into the great beyond, and the last words the group heard before they vanished...

"We'll come back to haunt you!"

Assured the two witches were gone for good, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

"It's over then..." Nabooru said, "Good riddance."

Link's gaze then went down to the ground where the two witches once were, and saw a strange jewel laying on the ground. It was the one embedded in Twinrova's forehead, the one Link had hit to weaken her power.

"Hmm..."

"What's on your mind Link?" Nabooru asked.

He then took a look up and saw the statue of the goddess Aifet, staring at it intently. Nodding to himself, he lifted the jewel in one arm and aiming his Longshot at the ceiling. He fired it, shooting him into the air and putting him right in front of the statue's forehead, where he took the jewel and pushed it right into the indent.

"It fit!" Aviel exclaimed in surprise.

The jewel let off a brilliant burst of light, and in a flash, it was secured into the statue's forehead, with all the damage done to it seemingly wiped away clean.

"Huh, so that was the sacred jewel that Twinrova stole." Nemisa said.

"Seems they were at least right about that part at least." Nabooru nodded.

In that moment, as Link stared at the jewel, he could have shown he heard an unfamiliar and powerful, but sweet voice...

"_Hey, thanks for that, kid!"_

"Huh...?"

"_Those damn witches were blocking off my ability to communicate with your mystics, but you all set things right! I can't thank you enough, and I'm sure you're going to make a great king for my people."_

Link paused in thought at what he had just heard, "Was that..."

"Link, you okay?" called out Aviel.

"Oh, uh... yeah, sure."

Dualsera stared up at Link, as he lowered himself down to the ground. He took a look up to the statue once more and paused, getting down on one knee and putting his hands together. Everyone watched as the jewel on the statue's head shone brightly, and they too all got down on their knees in prayer of the desert goddess. Dualsera herself walked slowly up to Link's side and got on both knees and put her hands together in prayer alongside him.

"May Aifet watch over our ancestors... and that they may rest in peace now, the burden on our family has now been lifted." Dualsera said.

"Thanks to you two." Link smiled.

"Thanks to all of you." Dualsera said, "You all came to our aide without even being asked, we can't thank you enough."

The two of then stood up, Link finding himself looking up at Dualsera, who towered a good three feet over him.

"And as for you, our beloved hero..." Dualsera said smiling, she then took a surprised Link and lifted him up effortlessly into the air, hugging his body against her ample chest. The fire and ice covering her didn't even faze him in the slightest, due to the natural control the two mystics had over their power.

Dualsera pulled him away, and the two stared into each other's eyes. Despite the power of the fusion, Link could see in Dualsera's red and blue eyes that Kesuta and Korume were in there; the two mystics he had grown to care so much about overtime, and the devotion they had to their people. It was something he could greatly admire and love about both of them.

As beautiful as the two were as their normal selves, seeing the two of them now in their fused form was even more of a sight then before, with her taller and more powerful body also came a more accentuated and alluring figure; a rather bountiful chest and wide hips, and he honestly had a hard time tearing his eyes from her anymore. As inappropriate as it might have been in that moment, a part of him thought about what it would be like to take the whole of her in bed with him...

It seemed Dualsera had the same idea though, as she then drew Link into a deep and passionate kiss, which he found himself returning.

"O-Ooh wow..." Aviel exclaimed, blushing bright red

"It seems our king has indeed found his next wife... or wives... whatever." Nabooru smirked.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at this point." Nemisa said shrugging.

"Don t worry Nemisa, I'm sure it'll be your turn soon." Nabooru giggled, causing Nemisa to cough awkwardly.

It was then in a flash of light, where Dualsera once stood, there was how Kesuta and Korume, the two of them both still hugging and kissing Link.

Kesuta was the first to break the kiss, tickling his chest with her fingers, "Thank you our dear Link, you've saved us and brought our pain to an absolute fin..."

Korume then hesitatingly broke the kiss as well, stroking his face with her hand, and spoke in a seductive tone, "We both love you so much, and soon we'll bless you with our future kin..."

"...I'd be honored." Link smiled, and the three of them pulled themselves into a group hug.

* * *

"Oh my, sounds like the lot of you had quite an adventure." Ruto said, putting a hand to her cheek.

Link and everyone had arrived back at the palace by the next day to tell Ruto and Koleima the unfortunate truth of the situation, as well as the good news that it was over.

"I still can't believe my sister had to die for some cruel trick by those two... witches..." Koleima said, putting a hand to her heavy heart. However, she took a deep breath and smiled softly, "... ...but I am glad you were able to finally put an end to it, and my sister can rest in peace... You did us a great service, my king, Lady Nabooru, all of you."

"It was a pleasure finally doing in those two for good." smirked Nabooru.

"We couldn't have done it without your daughters either." Link said nodding.

"I didn't even think it was possible for others in our family to perform the fusion technique, I'm so proud of you, my daughters!" Koleima said, hugging them both.

"Aw come on mum, not in front of our husband-to-be..." Kesuta said blushing.

"Mmph." Korume muffled from being trapped in her mother's grip.

"Ooooh! I feel so blessed that my cute little girls are going to marry our king!" Koleima anxiously said squeezing the two of them, causing Korume to scramble her arms around frantically to break free, "Just wait until Neagofe down the street hears about this, I'm going to have SO many grandchildren she'll be seething with jealousy!"

"Speaking of which, when are we going to get started on that?" Kesuta asked Link with a smug grin.

"Yes, I'd like to share some private time with him myself..." Kurume purred, clinging to his right arm.

"Well..." Link trialed off, "I'm not really ready for kids quite yet..."

"Yeah, at least wait to do that kind of thing until I leave back to Zora's Domain first!" Ruto said annoyed, taking Link's left arm protectively.

Link chuckled nervously and looked over to Nabooru, who grinned smugly and gave him a double thumbs up.

'I'm really in over my head.' Link thought.

"Ah, it must be nice having a sister by blood. The two of you are so inseparable that you're both gonna be Link's wives!" smiled Aviel, looking to Kesuta and Korume.

"Perhaps a little TOO inseparable at times..." muttered Korume under her breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" exclaimed Kesuta, getting pretty hotblooded..

"I mean those nights when I'm trying to rest and you decide to wander into my bed." said Korume with a cold stare.

"What's wrong with a little skinship between sisters?!" Kesuta shouted.

"Nothing unless your sister is a total bedhog." Korume muttered.

"Well, better a bedhog then a bedwetter!"

"W-What? You told me you'd never bring that up again...!"

"Ha! After you snitched on me about tracking mud into the mystic tent, I'd say it's fair game!"

"Um, we're still here." Link brought up during their squabble, causing the two to stop.

"Ack, we just blurted all that out in front of our future husband?!" exclaimed Kesuta stamping her foot.

"This is clearly your fault." said Korume, squeezing Link's arm tighter.

"Mine?!"

The two mystic twins of Gerudo Town went to arguing for some time, and the group couldn't help but laugh with amusement and joy at their banter and the celebration.

Meanwhile Nemisa was staring out the window, watching the stars in the sky. She reached her arm towards her wrist and gripped it a bit. Her eyes were glazed over, as she reflected on Nabooru's words from earlier.

"_Don t worry Nemisa, I'm sure it'll be your turn soon." _

Nemisa closed her eyes and sighed, thinking to herself.

'Soon... yes, as soon as I get that information... I can finally do what must be done...'

* * *

Link's eyes opened, and he took a look around at his surroundings. It was all too familiar to him, yet unknown at the same time. He was back in that strange mist again, the one he would occasionally appear in while he was dreaming.

After the meeting with Nabooru, the group had all gone to bed to rest from the battle. Ruto in particular had taken time to help Link recover from his injuries against Twinrova, before treating him to a pleasureful experience in bed, and he passed out shortly afterwards.

Now he found himself in that strange place once more. He still couldn't make out exactly what was around him, though he noticed leaves floating from somewhere, something he hadn't seen before until now. He could feel grass beneath his feet, at least assuring him he was in an outside place... or at least he thought he was...

"Hey there buddy, how's it goin'?"

Link quickly turned around to see that mysterious man again, his features were still impossible for Link to make out.

"Okay, enough of these mind games, just who are you?" Link asked.

"Heh, alright. I guess I'll level with you a bit, I'm a part of you, kinda." the man said.

"Kinda...?"

"I didn't always used to be, but now that I am I can't leave. It's been pretty boring for the most part, but lately I've been getting a few rushes of excitement."

Link just stood there confused, not sure what exactly he was talking about.

"Well, I gotta go. Have some fun with those ladies of yours!" he snickered.

That was when Link went the ground give out from under him and went falling back into the dark void once again...

* * *

Link opened his eyes, and found himself laying back on his bed of pillows. He was a bit concerned to say the least, his dreams were getting more clear, yet more confusing at the same time.

"Just what do those dreams mean...?" Link pondered to himself, he worried about what was to come, and anxiety was slowly developing in him.

It was then he felt a soft and cool sensation, and he looked down to see Ruto sleeping and holding him closely around the chest. Link's worries from before seemed to just melt away looking at the Zora's blissful face at that moment.

'It's nice to relay on the people I love when I need it...' he thought to himself, giving his fiance a gentle kiss, before going back to sleep beside her.

* * *

_**And that ends the arc. With one of the biggest thorns in the Gerudo's side gone, and the group only growing stronger an closer from their adventures, they're more prepared for anything that'll come... or are they?**_

_**Next time, we finally take a look into the past of a certain man-hating bodyguard. This might take a little longer then the stories up to this point, as this story took a few rewrites for me to get it put together. Stay tuned!**_


	23. Prelude to Release

_**Alright, sorry for the delay folks, but now it's time for a new arc! This is one I've been building up to for some time now, and I'm glad to finally start working on it. This is going to be a bit of a long arc, but have patience!**_

* * *

Standing motionless was a beautiful woman, clad in silk dancer's clothes.

A soft melody started to play, gentle and sweet, it flowed around the women, who took a deep breath, and started a passionate dance, shaking her hips left and right, rising a leg up and doing a twirl, moving with the flow of the music.

She was so carried away by the music she was startled upon seeing a dark figure standing before her, materializing as a tall and handsome man. She smiled, and twirled towards him, who caught her by her hands, and the two danced together. Their motions were in sync, and moved with the gentle melody. Soon the dancer woman leaned her head against the man's bare chest and sighed contently.

The man gave the gentlest of smiles and held her closely, taking her by her chin and kissing her on the lips. The woman moaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck, her hands brushing against his blonde hair, while he brought his arms around her slender waist, holding her against him. It was pure bliss between the two.

She turned around and leaned against his chest, sighing contently as she felt a warm sensation within her, as her once flat and trim stomach started to swell out perfectly round in front of her, her hands trailed up and rubbed her pregnant belly ravenously. The two of them were now completely nude in that moment, and the tall man's hands trailed up and started rubbing her belly as well, feeling kicks from within her fertile womb.

She looked up to her man, and the two once again shared another kiss...

* * *

Nemisa's eyes snapped open and she quickly sat up from bed, gasping and panting, and drenched in sweat. She looked around to see herself in her room, and let out a sigh, falling backwards on her bed.

"A dream..." Nemisa muttered, she looked down at her hand, the one with the red scar on her wrist, and saw she had been holding and squeezing her green jewel. She gazed down at it longingly.

She then looked over at the plush doll she had been laying beside, the yellow and green Deku Scrub plush, the one Link gave her a month ago at the festival, and her thoughts wandered to her future king, "The man in my dream... was that... him...?"

She then realized a wet sensation, and looked down to see her other hand had been in a rather... inappropriate place.

"G-goddess..." Nemisa gasped out, "Did I do that in my sleep...?! I've never done that before..." she groaned out and covered her face with the Deku plush out of embarrassment.

She peeked out from behind the plush doll and took another look at the jewel, she clenched it one last time, deeply in thought, before she placed it back on her table, and then brought her hand with the scarred wrist to her heart.

"I can't stop running away..." Nemisa whispered, "I need to end this... so I can finally..."

She took a deep breath, then hugged her Deku plush doll and laid back. Her last thoughts before she went back to sleep were of her blond-haired king-to-be.

...and it wasn't long before her hand subconsciously went back down to her wet spot...

* * *

That morning, Link woke up from his bed of pillows and stretched, feeling quite well-rested. He felt a pleasant warmth on one side and a soothing cool sensation on the other. He looked down to see Kesuta to his left and Korume to his right, sleeping soundly, and all three of them were in the nude.

He smiled softly, putting his hands on their heads, causing them both to sigh and snuggle against him. He was tempted to get up and start his day, but just being between the mystic twins was too tempting to move away from. He laid back down between the two and wrapped his arms around them, and they snuggled closer. Korume's hand moved up to his chest and rubbed it softly while Kesuta nuzzled his arm.

This wasn't the first time Kesuta and Korume slept with him, in fact it seemed after the first time they had together, they couldn't keep their hands off him, aside from those times when Nabooru would shoo the two out so she could sleep with him instead. Despite his experience, he had been unsure about if he could satisfy the two of them at once, but it seemed he handled it quite well.

Just last night though, the twins had a special surprise for him, as they fused together into their new form, the Gerudo sorceress Dualsera, and took charge of the night. While it wasn't the first time a woman took the lead with him, Dualsera was such a large woman that it still felt like a new experience. The way they went at him in their fused form was just amazing, and he was captivated by her luscious curves and beautiful face.

"Good morning, our dear husband... we hope you enjoyed last night..." Korume then whispered, now awake, as her cold breath blew against his neck.

There was a yawn, and Kesuta woke, hugging Link tightly, "Good morning as well, I'm getting used to waking up to this sight..." she rhymed.

"Morning girls." Link smiled, giving them both a kiss to the lips, "That was pretty amazing."

"Glad you liked it." snickered Kesuta, "I can't blame you for it, seeing as how gorgeous the two of us look fused together!"

"We enjoyed ourselves too... Lady Nabooru has taught you well..." Korume said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing at his neck, "I feel so free now, thanks to you..."

"Hey, quit hogging him, sis." Kesuta said, nibbling on Link's ear.

With that, it wasn't long before the three of them went right back to their activities from last night...

* * *

Link stretched out his back, walking down the hallway to the dining room for breakfast. Kesuta and Korume were resting from their wild morning, and told Link they'd catch up to him to join them for the food. He had taken to forgo wearing his vest, due to it being a particularly warm morning. It was then he turned a corner and suddenly bumped into someone.

"Oops, sorry ther-" he then saw who it was.

It was Nemisa, who had stumbled forward and had fallen against his chest.

"Ack, N-Nemisa?!" Link exclaimed.

She paused, her body was leaning against his bare chest. The Gerudo woman didn't say a word, and the two were completely motionless. Eventually she backed up from Link, and straightened herself up.

"S-Sorry Nemisa." Link said, standing his guard, prepared for her short-tempered assault.

Instead, his bodyguard took a deep breath, "It's... okay your highness, it was my fault." and with that she walked past him and down the hallway.

Link stared baffled as she walked off, paused, took a glance between her back to see him, before continuing off on her way.

He was genuinely confused in that moment, that was a prime moment for her to clobber him, but she didn't. While he was relieved to not get beaten up, he still felt a bit weirdly concerned for Nemisa because of it.

"Hey Link, ready to eat?" Kesuta asked, strolling up to him alongside Korume, "I'm starved and need to quench my thirst!"

"I'm ready when you are, though I'm claiming the meat dish first." chuckled Korume.

"Yer not putting hot sauce on it!" shouted Kesuta to her twin, then turned to her fiance, "So you ready Link?"

"Oh, yeah, sure..." Link said.

"Was that Nemisa I heard earlier?" Korume asked, looking to her walking off, "Is she okay?"

"I'm... not sure... I think I'll try talking to her later..." Link said, "Come on, for now let's go eat." and with that, the three continued off to the dining room.

Meanwhile, Nemisa continued down the hall to a certain room that was normally left vacant. She took a look around for anyone passing by before entering. Inside stood a Gerudo clad in dark purple, who knelt down and bowed to Nemisa.

"Pleased to see you again." Nemisa said, "You said you had something to report?"

"Yes Sister Nemisa." the Gerudo said, "I've found the one you've been looking for, they're right where my earlier reports said, and they'll be there at least overnight."

"Finally." Nemisa said, taking the map the Gerudo had made, "Thank you so much for your hard work. Was our contact able to make preparations as well?"

"Yes, they're quite impressed, and are eager to see you." the spy confirmed.

"Then I should start getting ready for tonight..." Nemisa said, she gripped her wrist and closed her eyes.

'Finally,' she thought to herself, 'Tonight, I put this to an end...'

The spy meanwhile, watched Nemisa carefully, with a sense of unease about her...

* * *

"I have good news for today!" Nabooru said, while she, Link, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume were all eating breakfast around the dining table, "My spies are due to present us with information soon on the location of the Wyvern Keeper's hideout!"

"The Vern who?" Aviel asked tilting her head.

"The Wyvern Keepers, that slaver group we fought back in the canyon." Link reminded her.

"Ah yeah, those guys were jerks." she said with a grumpy face, "I can't believe they tried to kidnap our sisters like that..."

"We have reason to believe that they have a number of our sisters held up in a certain place with a secret underground hideout they call the Wyvern's Nest, and tonight that place is supposed to be hosting a black market trade as well." Nabooru said.

"Black market?" Aviel asked, "Is that something where they only sell black clothes?"

"No Birdbrain," Korume muttered, "It's a place where they sell illegal and or illegally-obtained merchandise."

"Ooh... then why are the Wyvern Keepers hosting something like that?" she then asked.

"From what I hear, they tend to sell some of their... I hesitate to say, 'best slaves' through the black market auction..." Nabooru paused for a second, looking downcast, "...and that includes some of our sisters."

"I see..." Link muttered, then sported a small grin to Nabooru, "So am I to assume we're in for a rescue mission then?"

"That's right." Nabooru rose her head up and grinned back, "I apologize for bringing this up on such short notice, but I was only just informed on this myself." she slammed her fist into her palm, "But we can't afford to wait, our goal tonight will be to raid the Wyvern's Nest and save our sisters!"

"Alright, a good old fashioned raid!" Kesuta cheered out, her hands igniting with fire, "I'm going to make those slaver bastards burn!"

"Fufufu... I'll slowly slide an ice shard right into their pinky fingernail..." Korume muttered to herself with a dark giggle, making the faces of the others pale.

"Um... so where's Nemisa?" Link asked, looking left and right, "Isn't she coming to breakfast?"

"She told me that she was feeling sick, so she'll be resting in her room." Aviel said.

'Maybe that's what was wrong with her earlier...?' Link thought to himself.

"Well I hope she gets better before the raid tonight, we could really use her help." Nabooru sighed, "But regardless, as soon as my spies give me the report, I'm going to start working on a plan for the raid tonight."

"You believe we can handle this with such little notice?" Korume asked.

"Of course, our solders are stronger now then ever." grinned Nabooru, "Reirousa has been helping them with her training experience from her time in the war, so we'll have plenty of assistance."

"Huh, I'm surprised to hear Reirousa taking the initiative like that." Aviel said.

"She's gotten a lot stronger herself, in more ways then just muscle." Link smiled.

"For now though, you guys all rest up until I'm ready to explain our plan." Nabooru said.

"Alright, think I'm going to go check on Nemisa." Link nodded, standing up and walking off.

"...he really cares for her, doesn't he?" Korume said, when Link was out of earshot of everyone.

"Yep, Nemisa lashes out at him a lot, but he takes it in stride. I think he understands her more then anyone around here these days." Aviel smiled.

"So is she a marriage candidate for him, then?" asked Kesuta with a grin.

"Link's too modest to admit it outright, but I'd say so..." Nabooru chuckled, taking a sip of water, "If anything though, I think Nemisa is the one who needs to be honest with herself..."

* * *

"Nemisa?" Link called out from outside Nemisa's room, he gave the door a soft knock with one hand, while holding a small plate with a tea kettle and two cups on it with the other hand, "It's me Link, can I come in?"

"...Your highness?" Nemisa asked from the other side of the door, "Y-Yes, just a second!"

After a minute he heard her call out "Okay, please enter!"

Link opened the door to see Nemisa in her bed, curled up in silk sheets and with a hot water bottle on her head. He couldn't help but notice she had some of her favorite plushies scattered around her, the deku one he got her during the festival being among them, and drew an amused grin.

"I'm sorry, your highness..." she muttered, "But I'm not feeling quite well today..."

"It's alright, just take it easy for now." Link said, putting the tray on the table beside her bed, "Here, I brought you some tea."

Nemisa was a little caught off guard by this, but smiled pleasantly and took a cup from him, sipping it.

"T-Thank you, your highness." she said, "It's good."

Link couldn't help but enjoy seeing her smile like that, "Did... you need anything else?" he then asked.

"N-No..." Nemisa said, "I should be fine for the day... was there something you wanted?"

Link paused, remembering what Nabooru said about wanting Nemisa's help for the raid. He shook his head, "Nah, it's nothing. Just work on getting better, okay?" Link said.

"...very well, your highness." nodded Nemisa.

Link nodded back, getting up and leaving out the bedroom door. As soon as Link shut the door closed, Nemisa let out a sigh.

"Well, I better get going..."

With that she climbed out of bed to get herself ready for her mission. She went into her trunk and started gathering her equipment, including her steel bands, a small bottle of gray colored capsules of some kind, and her red dancer's garb from when she took on her alter ego, Madame Scarlet.

She paused, and took a glance over at the tea kettle and cups, and her thoughts turned to the gentle smile Link gave her.

"He's... a sweet person..." Nemisa whispered to herself, "I have to do this, so I can finally... finally..."

She blushed lightly, before shaking off her trance. She reached into her pocket and squeezed the small green jewel once again. She took a deep breath and nodded to herself.

"This ends tonight."

Taking her things, she headed towards the window of her bedroom and started to climb out of it, until...

"Hey Nemisa, I forgot to-" Link said, opening the door and stepping in...

...only to see Nemisa staring at him as she was about to climb out of the window.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Link shouted, rushing right up to Nemisa, lifting her up and holding her around the waist.

"H-Hey! Let go of me you moron!" shouted Nemisa, who immediately started pummeling him in an effort to break free. Despite her aggression, Link wasn't even reacting to her punches.

"You're sick, you can't go jumping out of three story windows in your condition!" Link scolded her.

"You know it's really weird when you phrase it like that..." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

He sat her back down on the bed and looked at her intently, she scowled and looked away from him, a huge contract from how she was a few moments ago He saw the defiant look in her eyes and he quickly caught on,

"...Nemisa, you're not really sick, are you?" He even took the hot water bottle, and sure enough it turned out the water was lukewarm.

"So you figured it out?" sighed Nemisa.

"What's going on then?" Link asked.

Nemisa just paused, she clenched at her wrist, which didn't no unnoticed by Link, then she looked to him.

"...very well..." she said, getting up and going over to the tea kettle and cups he had prepared, "I'll tell you, but let's discuss it over some tea"

"Alright" Link nodded.

As Nemisa poured them both cups of tea from the kettle, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the bottle of gray capsules, taking one and dropping it into one of the cups, watching as the capsule dissolved into the tea. She then walked over to Link and handed him the cup.

"Thanks." Link said, taking the cup and sipping it, "So what's this whole thing about?"

"Today..." she paused, looking at him closely, "...is the day I finally put an end to something that's haunted me for years." she said, drinking her own tea, "And when it's over, there's something I need to tell you..."

"...oh...?" Link asked, not realizing his eyelids were starting to get heavy, "You don't need help for this...?"

"It'll be fine." nodded Nemisa, "I can't let you get involved in this... that's why I had to..." she trailed off, watching as Link started to get woozy.

"Ugh... what's going on...?" Link asked.

It then he saw Nemisa lean close to him, and through his dizzy trance he saw her golden eyes passionately stare right into his own.

"...this is something I must do myself."

And with that, she closed her eyes, brought her head forward, and kissed him on the lips.

Link, despite how dozy he felt in that moment, was in shock of Nemisa's forwardness. She leaned him down on the bed, continuing to kiss him, her hands trialing up and rubbing at his bare chest. It was a bizarre situation, but he couldn't help but admit even in that moment he was enjoying it. His hands slowly trailed up, one held her by the waist, while the other ran across her silky thigh.

Soon enough, Nemisa broke the kiss and lightly gasped for air, staring down at him as his eyes grew heavier.

"Wish me luck, my beloved king..." she whispered, as Link started to fall unconscious.

* * *

"Link? Link? Wake up already!" shouted a voice, as Link found himself waking up.

"Ugh... what happened...?" Link muttered, only to see Aviel sitting on his chest.

"Hey, he's awake!" Aviel chirped happily.

Link shoved Aviel off his body and he got up. He realized he was now in his bedroom, laying back on his bed of pillows. He looked around to see that not just Aviel was there, but also Nabooru, Togau, Dr. Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta and Korume.

"What's going on here...?" Link asked, "What's everyone doing here?"

"Well we were all just about to fool around with you before you woke up." snickered Kesuta.

"Uh, we were...?" Reirousa muttered, turning red and rubbing the back of her head.

"She's jokin' Reirousa." Togau said rolling her eyes. She took a look over to the twins who had been in the middle of stripping,"Wait, they weren't joking?!"

"Now's not the time for that." Nabooru snapped to the twins, then turned to Link, "I rounded up everyone here to prepare for the raid on the Wyvern's Nest tonight, and we found you out cold here in your room. I knew I said get some rest but you were practically in a coma!"

"Ugh, I don't know what happened..." Link said, "I went to go check on Nemisa... I drank some tea... and..." he suddenly snapped out of it, "Aah! Nemisa was trying to escape from me!"

"Escape?" Togau asked, "So the two of you were gonna bonk and she chickened out or somethin'?" she added with a snicker.

"Not like that!" Link exclaimed, then explained to everyone what had happened.

"...and then you feel asleep right after that... how bizarre..." Nabooru pondered.

"Nemisa really kissed you?!" exclaimed Aviel butting in, "How was it?"

"Um... " Link trailed off, seeing most of the girls staring at him intently for a response, "It's hard to say exactly because I was falling asleep at the time, but from what I remember it was... really amazing..."

"So... she kissed you so good that you fainted from it?" Reirousa asked, "Is that even a thing?"

"I somehow doubt that." Nabooru said sweatdropping.

"I'm not sure why I fainted..." Link said. He thought a little more about that, "Though the tea did taste a little odd in that moment..."

"...oh dear... I think this all might be my fault..." realized Sarami, putting a hand to her cheek, "Nemisa must have laced your tea with those gray chu jelly capsules I prepared for her..."

"Gray chu? What do they do?" Kesuta asked.

"They're a sleeping agent, I developed them to help people with insomnia, and Nemisa asked me for some the other day, saying she was sick and having trouble resting." Sarami explained.

"Wonder what she's really planning to use them for...?" Togau pondered, "If she was planning to leave before Link showed up, she must have gotten those for another reason..."

"I don't know, but I'm worried about her..." Link said, "She seemed really nervous..."

"Ugh, honestly that woman..." Nabooru said, "I want to track her down, but we have our mission tonight. We'll just have to hope for her safety."

"Um... hello...?" piped up a new voice. Everyone turned to see a Gerudo clad in purple clothes and veil.

"Who are you?" Link asked.

"I'm... a spy for Sister Nemisa. She had me gather information for a mission she was going on... She told me not to tell any of you what she was doing, but... I'm concerned for her, and after just overhearing what you guys were talking about... I think I need to tell you after all..." she explained herself.

"Well, what's Nemisa up to then?" Nabooru asked with her arms folded.

"I'm not entirely sure what she's planning, but she asked me to track down a certain man..." she said.

"A... man?" Kesuta asked, "Nemisa the man-hater asked for that?"

"Like I said, I'm not sure why, but she was insistent I track him down and report his location to her." the spy said, "I went through some contacts, and eventually found out he was going to a tavern far out in the south." the spy nodded.

"Wonder who it is for Nemisa to want to go after him..." Togau pondered.

"T-This tavern..." Nabooru muttered nervously, "It wouldn't happen to be called 'The Dank Salamander', is it...?"

"What?! Yes!" exclaimed the spy, "How did you know that?!"

"Oh dear..." Nabooru said, in a cold sweat.

"Nabooru, you got that look in your eyes, what's wrong?" Link asked with a sense of unease.

Nabooru just took a deep breath and spoke.

"...The Dank Salamander... is a front for the slavers' hideout, the Wyvern's Nest..."

Everyone paused for a few seconds, but letting out a collective shout.

"WHAAAT?!"

"Nemisa's going to the Wyvern's Nest?!" exclaimed Link.

"Did you know about this?!" Togau shouted in anger, grabbing the spy by her top.

"N-No!" exclaimed the spy frantically, "I only followed him to The Dank Salamander, I had no idea about the slaver base being there!"

"Do you think Nemisa knows about this?!" exclaimed Kesuta.

"I don't know..." Nabooru said, "I haven't even been able to discuss our raid plan with her yet..."

"Nemisa, damnit..." Link said, "We have to save her!"

"But what about the raid plan?" Sarami asked worriedly, "We haven't had time to complete it..."

"We don't have time!" Link said, "Every moment we wait, we're putting Nemisa's life at risk!"

"Right!" Reirousa shouted pumping her fist, "We gotta bum rush in there and help her! We ain't turnin' our backs on our sister!"

"Yes, her life is precious." Korume nodded, "So we shall bring her back home, as well as our captive sisters at the Nest!"

"...very well." Nabooru nodded, "I suppose we'll have to use our secret weapon after all."

"Secret weapon?" Link asked.

"You come with me Link. As for the rest of you, alert our sisters, that today we're going to strike down the Wyvern Keepers, and save our people, as well as Nemisa!"

Everyone collectively cheered out and ran off to prepare for the raid, while Link followed Nabooru to a certain place in Gerudo Town familiar to him from the past...

* * *

"Hey, isn't this the prison?" Link asked, as he and Nabooru had gone to the far back of town, to where a lone building with bars over the doors and windows were. "This is where I was put in back when I arrived here."

"Yeah, we rarely ever use this jail, occasionally we'd put Kesuta or Korume in here when their pranks go too far, but lately it's been used to house a certain person we captured a while back." Nabooru explained.

The two of them came up to a tall buff Gerudo woman holding a halberd, who was watching over the prison.

"Lady Nabooru? What brings you here?" the guard asked.

"Sister Usaulu, we need to see the prisoner." Nabooru said.

"Of course." nodded Usaulu, going over to the door and opening it, "Oh sweetiiiee, our leaders are here to see yooou!" she said in an oddly light voice.

"O-Oh... okay..." said a small timid voice, a huge contrast to what Link expected.

Walking out from the prison was a young looking man, in fact so young looking he almost resembled a kid. Shorter then Link, with brown hair and freckles. He was clad in an old vest and pants, and had handcuffs over his wrists.

"Y-You're the Gerudo King...?" the young one asked, looking up at Link, "I heard you were Hylian, but I thought it was just a rumor..."

"Um, kind of..." Link said awkwardly, "Who are you exactly?"

"M-My name is Remo, I'm 16 years old..." he answered, keeping his head lowered out of intimidation of Link and Nabooru standing before him..

"Nabooru, what's a kid like this doing here?" Link asked.

"Well, it's because he's a member of the Wyvern Keepers." Nabooru said, "We captured him a month ago."

"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Link, "This kid is a slaver?"

"Yes, and he's going to be our secret weapon for getting into the Wyvern's Nest." Nabooru nodded. She then spoke to Remo, "Do you remember our agreement?"

"Yeah." nodded Remo, "In exchange for my freedom, I'll help you all save the captives and escape. I haven't been to the Wyvern's Nest before myself, but they should still allow me inside so I can help you."

"I'm surprised you're so willing to help." Link said, admittingly a little suspicious of him, "What made you want to join a slaver group like the Wyvern Keepers to begin with?"

"Well, to be honest, I grew up without parents... I was a street urchin having to steal to eat... then one day I accidentally stole from a Wyvern Keeper member. He was going to take me and sell me into slavery, but I convinced him to instead let me work for them... I've spent the past two years working under them up until I got captured..." Remo explained, "I'm not very strong or technically skilled... so I just did as they asked of me... I feel bad for what I've done to those people, but I didn't have much choice..."

"So what brought about this change of heart then?" Link asked.

"Well..." Remo trailed off, only for the guard Usaulu to put her bulky arm around his shoulders and hold him close to her, she smiled warmly as he replied with a light blush, "Me and Usaulu are kinda..."

"Wait, seriously?" Link asked with wide eyes.

"After I was put in charge of guarding my little Remo, one night I was frustrated and horny, so I took it out on him, and we both took a liking to it." she grinned.

"We spend our days talking, and she um... has her way with me at night... Of course, I'm not complaining or anything..." Remo said sheepishly, "We've fallen in love with each other, as simple as that, and I'd like the opportunity to be with her."

"I-I see..." Link said sweatdropping.

"Love works in mysterious ways." Nabooru commented with a grin, "You should be an expert on that at this point, Link."

"Ah heh heh." Link chuckled.

"So is what I've heard from Sister Aviel true?" Usaulu asked, "The King's fiance Nemisa is on her way to the Wyvern's Nest?"

"Well, they're not engaged yet, but yes." Nabooru said, "We need Remo's help to get us in there for my new plan to work."

"...so she's your fiance...?" Remo asked Link, "That's... really neat. Someday when I earn my freedom, I want to be able to marry Usaula..."

Usaula grinned broadly and hugged Remo, who nodded to himself and looked up at Link with determination in his eyes, "Okay then, I've made up my mind, I'll do what I need to in order to help you get her back!"

"Heh, you're a lot more then you think you are kid." grinned Link, "Thank you."

"Very well then, now let's go!" Nabooru said.

* * *

Meanwhile, to the south in Gerudo Valley, a modest three story wooden building stood atop a dirt hill. A tavern known as The Dank Salamander. It was a common place for travelers and bandits to go to, and even had inn accommodations, though it's lodging had odd dark periods, and occasionally closed at late night for unknown reasons...

Walking up to the tavern was a Gerudo woman, draped in silk red dancer's garbs. It was Nemisa, usually known as Gerudo King Link's bodyguard, but in this case was now in her alter ego appearance of the red goddess of the dance, Madame Scarlet. She stared up at the tavern and the sign advertising it's name. She took a deep breath and clenched her wrist.

"It's finally time... to put an end to this." she whispered.

Nemisa went up to the door where a bouncer guard stood. The way he stood resembled that of a brick wall, not even moving an inch. As soon as she approached however the bouncer immediately glared down at Nemisa.

"Halt, we're closed today for travelers." the guard said, "Who are you?"

"I am the illustrious Madame Scarlet." she said with a dignified voice, and gave a polite bow, "And I believe I'm on the list. Here's my identification." she added, holding up a green handkerchief.

"Hmm..." the bouncer muttered, consulting a paper he had on him, "Ah yeah, that's the item they mentioned you needed to show me. So you're the entertainment tonight. First I have to check you for weapons."

The bouncer checked her over, not seeing anything like knives or anything that could be used as a weapon. It was then though that he saw the bottle of gray chu capsules.

"What are these?" the bouncer asked.

"Oh, that's my medicine." Nemisa said, "It's to help with anxiety."

Thankfully, the guard seemed to fall for it, and nodded.

"...alright then, come on in."

Nemisa thanked the guard and strolled into the tavern, the place was quite full, but rather then the ragtag bandits and travelers a place like this would have, today it was filled with older and more eccentric people, aristocrats and noblemen. Many of them had guards with them as well as trophy wives.

'Hm... this seems rather odd for a desert tavern in the middle of nowhere to draw in this kind of people...' Nemisa thought to herself, 'Just what's going on here...?'

"Ah, you must be Madame Scarlet, correct?" asked a man coming up to her, "Welcome to the Dank Salamander." he took a second to look her up and down, "Our associate was right, you're quite a beautiful and graceful lady." he said.

"Haha, thank you so much." Nemisa chuckled, "I hope the patrons are ready for a show tonight, because I intend to shock them all."

"Very well, we have a dressing room set up for you in the back, come with me." he said, escorting her off to the back of the tavern.

The man lead Nemisa to a dressing room in the back of the tavern, it wasn't much, especially compared to the one at her theater at Gerudo Town, but it would do. After the man left she rested down against a chair and sighed. She reached into her pocket and gripped her green jewel, and her thoughts drifted, thinking back to a certain event that changed her life and her way of thinking...

Three years ago...

* * *

_**And that ends this part 1 of Nemisa's arc, in the next part we'll finally explore into her dark past...**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or review if you enjoyed it!**_


	24. A Tragic Waltz

_**So here's chapter 24, where we now we finally take a look into Nemisa's backstory,. **_

* * *

_Flashback to three years ago..._

"Come ooon Nemisa! Come with us!"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

"Um... I don't know about this..." a 15 year old Nemisa said, looking timidly away from the pleading Gerudo girls in front of her, they were her three friends Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi, "I mean, going out into Hyrule... what about the banishment law...?"

"Oh it'll be fine, we won't get caught! Besides, you always told us you want to meet a guy and have a baby with him, right?" asked Sumof anxiously

"I... guess so..." Nemisa said, putting her arms behind her back and scooting her foot across the ground.

"Yeah, in fact if you find a rich enough guy who wants to keep you, you can live with him as his wife!" said Ifemi, "Then the two of you can have a really big family!"

"Um," Nemisa pondered, absentmindedly rubbing her hand gently on her stomach, "It really does sound kinda nice, but..."

"Then let's go!" exclaimed Sumof, grabbing Nemisa's arm and yanking her off. The other girls were so anxious to go that they didn't look where they were going and collided into another Gerudo.

"Ack, sorry about that..." said Sumof, only to look up and see the Gerudo woman glaring down at them with oddly red eyes, she wore a bandanna around her head, and was clothed in a white vest and pants, and had a black sash around her waist. She narrowed her red eyes and went into a fighting pose.

"Do you brats wish to duel me?!" she asked in a gruff voice.

"Eep!" the three girls exclaimed, all hiding behind Nemisa.

"What are you hiding behind me for?!" Nemisa exclaimed to them. She turned and looked up at the Gerudo glaring at them, "Um... sorry?"

"Hmph..." the older Gerudo muttered, walking off.

"What was her problem?" asked Sumof, "Well whatever, come on, we gotta get to the travel carriage quick! It'll take us out to this bar in Hyrule I was told about, the other girls say a lot of hot guys go there!"

The three girls giggled excitedly, and Nemisa found herself giving in to their pressure.

"O-Okay.. fine..." Nemisa nodded.

* * *

"Wow, check out this place..." Otuko said as the four girls all stood at the entrance to the bar. It was nighttime by the time the four had arrived in the little town, and the bar was packed with patrons.

"Quit gawking, you look like a tourist." said Sumof nudging her.

"But aren't we tourists?" Ifemi pointed out, tilting her head.

"Can we just go sit down before we draw attention?!" Nemisa exclaimed.

The four eventually did sit down at a table and ordered some drinks, then immediately started looking around at the occupants of the bar.

"So you girls see anyone good?" whispered Sumof leaning forward.

"How about him?" Ifemi pointed out a nearby man, "He seems pretty cute."

"Um, no... he looks like he could be my dad." said Otuko.

Nemisa just let out a sigh and looked around, unsure of what exactly to look for in a guy.

"Hey Nemisa, what do you think of him?" asked Ifemi, pointing to another man.

Nemisa turned and looked to the one she was referring too, and grimaced a bit, "Eeehh.. I don't think so... looks too old for me..."

"How about that guy? He looks like he's checking you out!" exclaimed Sumof, pointing to yet another man.

"...honestly I can't tell if that's a man or a bear with mange." Nemisa said flatly.

"How about him?" Ifemi asked pointing to another patron.

"Pretty sure that's a woman... at least I hope so." Nemisa said disturbed. She then let out a long sigh, "I think this was a mistake."

"Oh come on, you just need to look a little more yourself!" said Sumof.

Nemisa took her advice and glanced around, not really seeing anything notable, until her eyes caught a certain sight. Her eyes widened upon seeing one man in particular, sitting at the bar counter and taking with another man beside him.

He was a very handsome man. While he was older, he had an air of real maturity and sophistication to him, despite his older appearance, he was quite handsome, with smooth skin and thin-rimmed glasses, with long blue hair cascading down his back. He wore a fancy garment decorated with shining jewels decorating it, and with a green flower attached to his coat.

Nemisa couldn't keep her eyes off him, while she had met very few men in her life, he was easily the most attractive one she had ever seen.

"Hey, looks like she found someone." snickered Sumof.

"Oooh, he's a cute one!" squealed Otuko.

"Um... well he's.. nice looking, but..." Nemisa stumbled over her words.

"Oh just go talk to him!" exclaimed all three girls in unison, shoving Nemisa out of her seat, causing her to stumble over a bit. She turned to the girls and took a deep breath.

"I... okay fine, I will!" she said in a small fit.

Taking a gulp, Nemisa nervously walked up to an empty seat beside the man and sat beside him.

"Um, a drink please!" Nemisa called out to the bartender, hoping it would get the man's attention. She didn't turn to look at him, but just tried to mind her own business, to see if he'd notice her.

"Why hello there." spoke the man beside her, even his voice had a dignified and mature air to it that made Nemisa almost melt, "What brings a lovely lady like yourself to a bar like this?"

"O-Oh, uh, hello..." Nemisa said, turning to see him, turning bright red at how close their faces were at that moment, "I'm just here with my friends... just... you know... meeting people and... uh... stuff."

"Well you've meet me, so you must be doing something right." chuckled the man, "Pleased to meet you, my name is Jayde."

"H-Hello, I'm Nemisa.." she said, in love with just his name alone.

"Nemisa... such a beautiful name, perfect for a beautiful Gerudo lady such as yourself." Jayde said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle kiss.

Nemisa practically had steam rising up form her head at Jayde's response to her. She slowly glanced over at her friends, who were all watching and smiling from ear-to-ear at the two.

She nervously looked to Jayde, who was sporting a soft smile, "Nemisa..." he repeated, she had to admit she loved the way he spoke it, "I believe that name comes from the Gerudo words 'nieh' meaning graceful... and 'masar', meaning shining jewel... am I wrong?"

"N-No! I mean... no, that's right!" Nemisa said, impressed he was well versed in Gerudo tongue, "So you know much of us?"

"Yes, I take it upon myself to learn much about the history of the different tribes in Hyrule, and I have to say, I've always found the Gerudo to be among the most fascinating. They possess such great strength, and beauty as well. I admire their devotion to the desert goddess Aifet, not to mention their skill in the ancient technology they developed in the past..."

'He really knows his stuff...' Nemisa thought to herself with an inner smile.

"It does sadden me to know about the banishment law that has befallen your people. Regardless of what instigated it, the Gerudo don't deserve such cruel treatment from the Hylian Parliament." he said, "It should be a crime in itself to keep gorgeous ladies like yourself trapped in that cruel desert..."

"W-Well our leader Lady Nabooru has done a great job helping to rebuild us..." Nemisa said, "We couldn't have done it without her..."

"Yes, I'd like to meet her myself someday..." Jayde said, "But in the meantime, I'd like to know more about you..." he smiled, causing Nemisa's red face to blush more.

* * *

"Ugh... every guy we spoke to was a dud." Sumof groaned, laying against the bar table they were originally seated at. It had been almost an hour since they arrived and all three had just about given up with the guys in the bar.

"One just kept trying to grope my chest until I clobbered him..." muttered Ifemi, her face buried in a bowl of peanuts.

"Meanwhile, Nemisa is..." started Otuko, as all three turned to see Nemisa still chatting happily with Jayde.

"I'm glad she's finally getting out and meeting a guy... but I'm getting increasingly annoyed right now..." muttered Sumof.

"Hey guys?" Nemisa called out to her friends, the three looked to see she was now leaving out the bar door, "I'm uh... going out for a walk with Jayde, I don't know if I'll be back just yet!" Jayde reached out and took her hand, and she blushed brightly, "Um... if I don't, have a good night!"

"DROP DEAD NEMISA!" shouted all three girls in frustration and jealousy.

Mostly jealousy.

* * *

"Aaah... this weather is so nice..." Nemisa said as the two of them strolled down the streets of the town, "The weather can be too extreme where I come from, either too hot or too cold... but here in Hyrule it feels just perfect all day."

"Yes, it's something a lot of people here take for granted." Jayde said, "It's only natural they would, but I'm glad to see you enjoying yourself so much." he smiled, "I can only hope someday the banishment could be lifted so you all can come and go as you please."

"That would be nice, then maybe we wouldn't have to break the laws just to meet people..." sighed Nemisa, "Lady Nabooru is doing everything in her power, but she can only do so much. I just hope one day all the Gerudo could come here and enjoy nights like these."

"It is a beautiful night, isn't it?" Jayde commented, "Seems like a night where just about anything can happen..." his voice seemed to carry a hint of suggestion.

Nemisa's head lowered a little with a light blush on her cheeks, as thoughts of what might transpire that night went through her head. The two eventually made it to a small secluded garden area where they took a seat at a bench. Jayde took a glance to Nemisa, then looking up into the sky and smiled lightly.

"Say, are you thirsty? I thought I'd fetch us some water." Jayde asked.

"That'd be nice, thank you." Nemisa said with a polite bow of her head.

Jayde nodded and stood up, walking off. Nemisa couldn't help herself but watch him walk away, and as soon as he was out of earshot, she let out a squeal.

"He's such a gentleman!" she said out loud, "He might actually be the guy for me! Maybe we could even get married... and...then we'd have chil-" she paused on that note, blushing.

"Oh... this is going too fast!" she giggled to herself, "I wish this night never ended!"

Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, are you back already Jayd-" Nemisa was cut off as she turned to the owner of the hand, seeing a completely different man looking down at her with a sinister grin.

"W-Who are you...?" she asked.

"You'll do nicely." smirked the man, as he brought up his fist and punched her right in the face, knocking her for a loop. Before she could even react, the man then bound and gagged Nemisa and wrapped her up in a large cloth, then lifted her up over his shoulder, before carrying her off out of the area.

Despite Nemisa being in a daze from the strong punch, she could just barely hear a voice call out in the distance.

"Nemisa? Where did you go?" Jayde called out, he looked around frantically, dropping the cups of water he had just bought without even a second thought, "Nemisa? NEMISA!"

But Nemisa lacked the strength or ability to shout out to him thanks to the gag and her confinement. It was then she grew tired, and her consciousness was fading, and her eyes closed...

* * *

"Hey, get up already!"

Nemisa's eyes slowly opened, her body was weak and her head was spinning. Her eyes came into focus and saw a man with a black hood over his head and holding a whip standing over her.

"Aah!" she shouted out in shock, looking around frantically, noticing a strange feeling on her neck like something was lightly constricting it, and that she was in some sort of confined room. "Who are you, where's Jayde?!"

"I don't know who you're talking about, but you have a new master to meet, now get up and get moving!"

"Master... what...?" groaned Nemisa, rubbing her head, only to be yanked by her arm up to her feet by the black hooded man.

"I said move it!" he shouted.

"Grrr... I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!" Nemisa shouted, yanking her arm away from him.

The man scowled as he lifted up a small strange orb and clicked something on it.

Suddenly, Nemisa could feel a powerful surge of electricity run through her body, she screamed out in pain before falling to her knees.

"W-What was that?!' she exclaimed, she reached up to the funny feeling on her neck and saw there was some kind of collar around her neck.

"That's a slave collar." the man said. "It's infused with ancient magic that can send an electric shock through your body if I activate this orb."

"I don't understand this... who are you?!" Nemisa asked.

"You've been taken in by the Wyvern Keepers, and as I said before, you have a master to report to!" the man said.

"T-The Wyvern Keepers... SLAVE?!" exclaimed Nemisa, she clenched her fist and shouted, "Never! I'm not going anywhere with you, I'm getting out of here!"

With that she charged past him and ran, only to be shocked again by the strange collar, bringing her to her knees.

"You don't learn, do you? Well you'll have to eventually, now come along!" The slaver said, grabbing her by her arm and dragging her off.

"This can't be happening..." Nemisa muttered.

* * *

"Grou hoo hoo! So you're the one then?" Came the haughty laugh of an older eccentric man, standing before Nemisa. He was overweight and wore a pure white suit with frills decorating his chest. He had a large mustache and held a black cane in his gloved hand.

"Yes, Monsieur Adulph, by your request, we worked to obtain you a genuine Gerudo. While their reputation as people may be trash these days since the war, they're still known for their strong bodies!" the slaver said, presenting Nemisa to the man, "This girl won't let you down!"

"Hmm... honestly you don't seem like too much, but I think I can find some use for you." Monsieur Adulph said, taking a sharp look at her. "Now come on woman, you have much work to do."

"You can't be serious..." Nemisa said, stomping her foot down, "I refuse to go along with this!"

"Hmph, defiance will only lead to punishment." Monsieur Adulph said, taking the small orb the slaver had given him and zapping her using the slave collar's mechanism.

"Kyaaahh!" screamed out Nemisa in pain.

"Grou hoo hoo! She screams good!" laughed Adulph, "Now are you going to come, or do I have to punish you again?"

Nemisa scowled a bit, before hanging her head down, "I'll go..." she muttered.

"Grou hoo hoo! Very good!" he said, as he lead Nemisa into his horse carriage, and with that, they left to Nemisa's new life...

* * *

That night, Nemisa found herself in a large mansion owned by Monsieur Adulph. She was holding a broom, a bucket of water and some rags, though she still wore her traditional Gerudo garbs.

"Normally I'd have you wear something less flashy for a slave, but I quite like you in this outfit, so you'll stay in it!" Adulph said, "Now, get to work cleaning this mansion from top to bottom, post haste!"

"And if I don't?" Nemisa said, narrowing her eyes.

"Grou hoo hoo! I think you know what will happen!" laughed Adulph, holding up the collar orb.

Nemisa gulped and nodded, before getting to sweeping the floor, as Adulph went off on his way.

Sometime after she started, Nemisa took a pause, gripping the broom handle, as tears started rolling down her face.

"This... this is the worst..." she sobbed, "I just wanted to meet a man and..."

Her thoughts then drifted to a certain blue-haired man, and she looked out the window of the mansion, the moon was shining through it. She remembered the soothing look in Jayde's eyes, and his gentle voice, then recalled that gentle voice calling out for her when she was kidnapped.

"Jayde... will I ever see you again...?" she asked.

* * *

"This floor is still dirty!" shouted Monsieur Adulph, kicking at some dust bunnies from under a table, "Punishment!" he then shouted to Nemisa, holding up the collar orb and activating it, zapping Nemisa.

"Kyaaaahh!" she screamed out.

_Some time later..._

"You call this a polish? I can't see myself in this table, Punishment!"

And Adulph zapped Nemisa again with the collar.

_Some more time later..._

"You spilled my drink! Punishment!"

Nemisa once again felt the intense pain of the electric shock from her collar.

"Don't forget your place young lady!" shouted Adulph, "You're lucky I don't send you back to the Wyvern Keepers, you don't want to know what they do to failures!"

"Yes master..." Nemisa muttered with tears going down her eyes.

* * *

It had been almost a week since Nemisa started her new 'duty' to Monsieur Adulph, and she wasn't doing too well as a servant. It didn't help he was so quick to punish her over just about any mistake she made. There wasn't much she could do, trying to retaliate or escape would just result in her getting zapped again.

She had finished her day's work, and had just taken a bath after Monsieur Adulph scolded and zapped her for being so dirty from all the work he had put on her. She walked down the hall, drying herself off with a towel, and in the process of heading to the basement where the slave's sleeping quarters were, she noticed a peculiar door was open, and walked into a room she hadn't been in yet.

It was a children's bedroom, though there didn't seem to be anyone in there. She could only tell it was for a child because of how small the furniture was, and the colorful wallpaper lining the walls. It was rather cute, and very out of place from the rest of the house, which was built and designed to show off Adulph's wealth.

One object in the room stood out to her though, sitting on the bed and laying against the pillows was a plush doll, a pink rabbit specifically. When Nemisa had grown into a teenager, she had long ago discarded all her toys from when she was a little girl, believing that she was too old for those kinds of things. Though the more she looked at the rabbit, the more drawn to it she was. She paused, taking a look around to make sure no one was watching, and slowly lifted up the rabbit. She looked fondly at it and as she held it in her hands, she then gave it a gentle hug. The rabbit's plush body was soft and fuzzy to the touch, and in that moment she finally felt a sense of relief...

"Oh, what are you doing here?"

Nemisa broke out into a cold sweat, realizing she just got caught in the act. She nervously looked over to see a Hylian woman. She wore a plain green dress and had light brown hair, she also wore a slave collar like Nemisa and the other slaves working for Adulph. In a panic, Nemisa quickly put the rabbit plushie back on the bed where she found it.

"Oh, uh... I... never go in here or anything! I... found this rabbit on the ground and just wanted to put it back where it was!" Nemisa said nervously.

"Hmm... but then how did you know where it was originally...?" the lady pondered with a somewhat sarcastic tone to her voice.

"...g-good point..." Nemisa sighed in defeat, only to see the lady put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Hee hee, it's fine, I won't say anything to Mr. Adulph." she said smiling, "I think it's cute."

"I... just needed some relief... this has been the worst week of my life..." Nemisa admitted and slouched over with a sigh.

"You poor thing..." the lady said, putting a hand to Nemisa's collar, "Oh! I forgot my manners, my name is Erien, pleased to meet you!" she said with a bow.

"Yes... you too... I'm... Nemisa..." the Gerudo said.

"Nemisa, even your name is cute." Erien giggled.

"Um, thanks... I think." Nemisa said, she took a look around the room, "So what is this place? Does the.. um... master have a kid or something...?"

"Not at the moment." Erien said, "But I think someday he hopes to have a child. I've taken it upon myself to see that this room stays clean. "

"Huh..." Nemisa said, a little surprised that Monsieur Adulph would have such a desire to be a father, "Where's his wife?"

"From what I heard from the other girls she... passed away from an illness a few years back, sometime before he purchased me from the Wyvern Keepers." Erien explained.

Nemisa just took another look at the room, as her thoughts wandered to her own desires of meeting a man and having a child, and from there she thought about Jayde. She wondered in that moment if he was still looking for her...

"So you're a Gerudo, right?" Erien brought up, leaning her face close to Nemisa, causing the Gerudo girl to back up a step with her face red.

"Y-Yes..." nodded Nemisa.

"I see... I've never seen one before, but you're quite beautiful." Erien nodded with a smile, before twirling around and starting to leave the bedroom, "Let's leave before Mr. Adulph sees us in here."

"Oh right..." Nemisa said, a little surprised by her compliment, before following after her and closing the door.

They were about to leave for the basement when they heard a voice, "Hmm? What are you two doing?"

The two turned to see Monsieur Adulph standing there, tapping his cane against the floor.

"Oh, hello Mr. Adulph, your mustache looks extra bushy today!" Erien said bowing.

"Grou hoo hoo!" laughed Adulph, "But of course! I see you're as lovely as usual, my dear!"

Nemisa couldn't help but see the longing look in Adulph's eyes as he chatted happily with Erien. The two seemed to get along quite well. It was then that Adulph looked to Nemisa and narrowed his eyes coldly.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked Nemisa crossly.

"Oh, I was giving her lessons on how to properly maintain things around this area." Erien said.

"Ah, I see." nodded Adulph, "Good for you, that useless girl definitely needs it. Well then, I'll be on my way!" he said, strolling off.

"Ugh..." Nemisa groaned, "I don't know how you could get along with that guy."

"He can be a cruel person..." Erien said, "But I hope someday I can make him change, and bring out his better self."

"Weird..." Nemisa said, "How could you even put up with him and keep such a pleasant face?"

"Well, sort of like you and that plush doll... I've had a way to cope with my situation..."

With that, Erien led Nemisa down to the basement of the mansion where Adulph had the slaves use to sleep in. Erien went over to her own bed and took a small box from a dresser beside it to show to Nemisa..

Nemisa stared at the box, it was quite pretty, built from polished wood and had a small green jewel decorating the top of it. Erien opened the box and showed there was a ballerina figurine inside of it, and with it, a gentle music started playing.

"A music box?" Nemisa asked.

"Mm-hmm." nodded Erien, "It was a gift from my mother." she set the music box down on the dresser and stood straight. Nemisa stared at Erien as she seemed to be concentrating on something, then she started to move her legs slowly, doing a little twirl and raising her leg, swinging her arms as well.

"H-Hey, what are you doing?!" Nemisa asked.

"Dancing!" Erien said, "It helps me relax." She did a twirl and waved her arms down, "Come on, join me!"

"Uh, I don't know how to dance..." Nemisa said, scratching her cheek.

It was then that Erien took Nemisa's hands, startling her, "Come on then, I'll teach you!"

"O-Okay.." Nemisa said, as she followed Erien's lead, and the two danced together. As Erien's legs moved, Nemisa quickly moved her own legs to keep herself from tripping over, it was after a while that Nemsia realized Erein was moving her legs to help Nemisa learn where to step, and she followed in her example.

"You're learning quickly." smiled Erien.

"Thanks..." Nemisa said, she closed her eyes and absorbed the melody of the music box into her mind. The gentle and soothing music flowed into her, and in that moment, felt quite at peace...

* * *

"Grrraaaah!" shouted Monsieur Adulph, "Be careful you foolish woman! You almost broke that vase! Do you know how many rupees it cost me?!"

"Ah, sorry... master." Nemisa said, adjusting the vase to put it back. It had been almost a month since Nemsia became a slave, and despite improvements, she was still having trouble with her new job.

"Sorry isn't enough this time, punishment!" shouted Adulph, holding up the collar orb. Nemisa closed her eyes tightly to brace herself for the shock, but before he could activate it...

"Oh Mr. Adulph, you're not going to punish Nemisa over something as silly as this are you?"

Monsieur Adulph jerked back as he turned to see Erien now standing there.

"Nothing broke, so no harm done, right?" Erien said with a polite smile.

"Ah.. heh heh... of course not... I wouldn't do that to such a hard worker!" Adulph said nervously.

"You can be so sweet Mr. Adulph." Erien said, then turned to her friend, "Nemisa, you need to be a little more careful, okay?"

"Yes, I apologize, master!" Nemisa said with a bow.

"Okay then, that's enough. Let's go work on the parlor room for now, okay?" Erien said, escorting Nemisa off, leaving Monsieur Adulph standing there.

"Grrr... that damned Gerudo..." Adulph muttered, "It's not enough she's a terrible housekeeper, but she's wormed her way into Erien's life! The blasted Wyvern Keepers, if they aren't careful I'm going to have to resort to...!"

Adulph stopped himself, that was something he only wanted to resort to if his life was at stake with them. Instead he paced back and forth, contemplating to himself.

"But for now the question is, what do I do about the Gerudo...? I haven't been able to punish her for weeks since Erien has been always watching... I'll only hurt Erien's feelings if I try to have that Gerudo sent back to the Wyvern Keepers... and I'm not about to just set her free, that would give the other servants hope for their own freedom..."

It was then Monsieur Adulph came up with an idea.

"That's it! I'll simply kill that Gerudo, and make it look like an accident! I'm such a genius! Grou hoo hoo!" he exclaimed with his typical laugh, but much more sinister then before...

* * *

It took some time, as Monsieur Adulph wasn't particularly good with his hands, but he was able to set up a part of a long and tall staircase in his mansion with a loose plank near the top.

"There..." he said, standing up and wiping his brow, "When the Gerudo steps on this stair, it'll break and she'll go tumbling down this staircase to her death, not even a Gerudo could survive this!"

His eyes sparkled as thoughts ran through his mind, "And Erien will be so devastated by this that she'll throw herself into my arms!" he then pulled out a key from his pocket, "And I'll lighten her sorrow by undoing her slave collar, and she'll never leave my side! We'll fall in love and then... then I can finally have a..." His gaze turned to the room nearby, where he had set up the children's bedroom.

He paused on that note for a little, before his joyous face grinned maliciously, "Now to lure in the little desert rat into her trap..."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the basement living quarters for the slaves, Nemisa and Erien were dancing to the gentle tune of Erien's music box. Nemisa stepped back from her friend and did a magnificent series of twirls and ending it with a majestic bow, earning an applause from many of the other slaves occupying the room at the time.

"Ooooh, you've gotten so good at this! You're a natural!" Erien said brightly.

"Thank you..." Nemisa said, "Someday I hope I can use this ability for something other then just stress relief..."

"Oh, like what?"

"I don't know... perhaps performing on stage before a crowd... maybe entertaining my people during the Festival of the Desert Goddess..." she blushed lightly, "Maybe even captivating the man I love before I lay with him..."

Erien couldn't help but giggle at that last one.

"But... I doubt that'll ever happen." Nemisa sighed, "Especially with where I am now... I don't know if I'll ever..."

It was then that Erien gave her a simple hug.

"Don't say that, there's always hope for the future, 'I know things are bad for you now, but you just have to stay strong... I know someday you'll find the man of your dreams, and you'll dance before your people with the passion and grace you've shown me, and..."

Nemisa looked to her friend with tears in her eyes.

"Nemisa... someday you'll know what it feels to truly be happy..." Erien said, pulling back from the hug and smiling blissfully.

"T-Thank you, Erien..." Nemisa said.

"Hey Nemisa!" called out one of their fellow slaves, "Our oaf of a master wants you in the main hall by the staircase immediately, he's got some cleaning for you to do."

"Oh, okay." Nemisa said nodding she turned to head off for the mansion floor, but didn't see a stool in front of her, and tripped over it, causing her to fall over.

"Ack! Nemisa!" Erien exclaimed, running over to her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm... alright." Nemisa said, forcing herself, only to stumble a bit.

"You're injured! You need to sit down for a little while!" Erien exclaimed.

"Ugh.. fine..." Nemisa said, sitting herself down on her bed, "But what about the cleaning?"

"You leave that to me." Erien said with a smile, "I'll cover for you."

"Are you sure? What if the master finds out?" Nemisa asked.

"It's fine, you just need to relay on me, okay?" Erien said.

"...okay. Thank you for this, Erien." Nemisa nodded to her with gratitude.

"Hee hee, you can make it up to me later." nodded Erien, she turned to the slave to gave them the news and called out, "Tell Mr. Adulph that Nemisa will get right on it."

"Right." the slave nodded and went off.

"You're such a good friend to me..." sighed Nemisa, "Just don't go doing anything dangerous."

"It's fine." Erien nodded, giving her friend a small hug, "It's just a simple cleaning job."

* * *

"Anytime now..." Monsieur Adulph said, standing behind a door by the top of the staircase, listening for Nemisa to start cleaning, "Once she gets up to the top steps, that plank will come loose and she'll be in for a great fall... grou hoo hoo..." he chuckled darkly.

He then heard someone slowly walking up the staircase, signaling his prey had taken the bait. He chuckled as he heard the echoing steps get louder as they went up the staircase, he could hear a humming sound, which sounded somewhat familiar, but he didn't pay it much mind.

"That's it... a little closer..."

It was then he heard a creak near the top of the staircase, he grinned widely as he heard someone scream out. He quickly burst the door open to watch Nemisa fall to her death...

….only to see Erien falling instead.

Adulph could only stare helplessly as he watched Erien falling backwards and tumbling down the staircase, getting battered and bruised all the way down.

"No, Erien!" shouted Adulph.

Meanwhile, in the basement, Nemisa was listening to the gentle tune of Erien's music box. She had her eyes closed as she absorbed in the music, but then she heard the loud crashing and out of unease and concern, instinctively ran up with the best of her ability to see what was going on. The other slaves were curious too but decided not to see, so as not to risk angering Adulph, who had told them earlier to wait down in the basement for a while, though they weren't sure why.

Nemisa meanwhile, didn't care about anything like that and ran up anyway.

* * *

"What's going on h-"

When Nemisa arrived, her eyes shrunk down and her jaw was agape, seeing Erien laying on the floor, covered in injuries.

"Erien? ERIEN!" screamed Nemisa, running over to her friend, "What happened to you?!"

"N-Nemisa..." Erien said weakly, looking up at her, "It... hurts..."

"Erien!" shouted Monsieur Adulph frantically, quickly rushing down the staircase, and shoving Nemisa to the side, grabbing and shaking Erien, "Please, hang on!" he shouted, with tears running down his face.

"Master, calm down and get a carriage ready! We'll get her to emergency treatment!" Nemisa shouted to him.

"I'm sorry... but... I... don't think you'll have time..." Nemisa heard from Erien, who turned to Nemisa and smiled weakly, "Go on Nemisa... and find... your... happiness..."

With that, Erien closed her eyes, and never opened them again.

"No... Erien..." Nemisa said, with tears going down her cheeks.

"Erien!" shouted Monsieur Adulph, shaking her to try and revive her. Upon realizing she wasn't going to respond, he lowered her slowly to the ground. He knelt there for some time and took a deep breath, before turning to Nemisa with unbridled rage in his eyes, "You... BITCH!" he shouted.

"Huh...?" Nemisa asked, looking up at him.

"You... you were the one who as supposed to clean the stairs! You were the one that was supposed to fall!"

"Fall? What are you talking about...?" Nemisa asked in confusion.

"The one that was supposed to step on that stair I rigged was you! You were supposed to die, not my Erien!" Adulph shouted, his anger causing him to unwittingly give away his plan.

"Supposed to..." Nemisa realized what he said, and her eyes narrowed coldly, "You... you killed Erien...!"

"Q-Quiet you bitch!" shouted Monsieur Adulph, made even more angry by her pointing out what he had done, but was too blind in anger to realize it. He brought up his hand and smackws her across the face, causing her to drop the music box, which fell to the ground by Adulph's feet. He slowly picked it up and examined it closely.

"Hmm... what's this...?" Adulph muttered, opening the music box and saw the ballerina inside and the music jingle that started playing.

"No... give that back..." Nemisa said, getting back up, "That belongs to..."

"Hmph, how did you get this? It''s complete trash!" Adulph simply said, dropping the music box to the ground, then bringing up his foot and smashing it to pieces.

"NO!" shouted Nemisa, as pieces of Erien's music box went flying, and the melody going off from the box slowly creaked to a dead stop. Among the pieces of the music box was a single green jewel that had been attached to the top of it. The jewel fell down by Nemisa's feet, and she slowly reached down, clenching the jewel in her hand. She squeezed it in her hand, as tears were running down her cheeks, before she put the jewel into her pocket.

"As for you, you worthless slave... it's time... For your ultimate punishment!" shouted Adulph, taking the collar orb and activated it, electrocuting Nemisa.

"Argh!" Nemisa shouted, cringing from the pain.

"Grou hoo hoo! Does that hurt bitch?!" laughed Adulph as he watched Nemisa suffer from the shock and fall to her knees.

'Please... stop..." Nemisa groaned.

"I'll never stop! Not until you're a charred corpse, you scum!" Adulph shouted with an insane look in his eyes.

As Nemisa tried to fight off the electrocution, she weakly looked to Erien laying on the ground lifelessly, and she clenched her fist. Despite the electricity surging through her, Nemisa slowly started standing up and walking towards Adulph, surprising him.

"S-Stand back!" Adulph stammered as he started to back up, but Nemisa grabbed him by his suit, brought up her fist and punched him across the face, causing the orb to fall to the ground and deactivate. Nemisa then gave him another punch which knocked him down to the ground face-first.

"Stop this you damned slave!" shouted Adulph, who reached for the orb, only for Nemisa to bring her foot down on his arm with such force that she actually broke it.

"Gaaaahhh!" shouted Adulph in great amounts of pain, while Nemisa got on top of his back, grabbing his head by his hair, and started slamming his face into the floor.

She continued to bash Adulph's face against the ground, going at it with such force his nose broke and his teeth started to get dislodged from his mouth overtime, blood flew everywhere from his face as she continued to brutally impact it into the floor.

"Shahp!" sobbed Adulph, his broken nose and missing teeth affecting his speech, "Plwease shap!"

"I'll never stop!" Nemisa shouted angerly, echoing what he said earlier. Monsieur Adulph's eyes glazed over, as Nemisa continued to slam his face back into the floor again and again.

This continued for what seemed like forever, without Nemisa even slowing down. Eventually, she delivered one final impact onto the wealthy aristocrat Monsieur Adulph's face, leaving him lifeless and soaked in a pool of his own blood.

Nemisa stepped back breathing heavily, her body was shaking from everything that had happened just now; Ereon's death, the intensity of being electrocuted, and from what she had done to Adulph. She brought her arms up and hugged herself with them in an effort to calm down, as she fought back her tears.

Eventually she managed to calm down long enough to look down and see a key beside Monsieur Adulph's corpse. She curiously picked it up and examined it, taking a look at Erien's collar and noticing a keyhole that looked like it would fit it. She inserted the key into the same keyhole on her own slave collar which opened it and finally freed her. She gripped her neck, which was a little sore from the collar, and let out some relief.

She then looked down to Erien's body with a heavy heart. She took the key and undid the collar on Erien's neck, freeing her from it. She put her hand to Erien's forehead and nodded to herself.

"Erien... you're free now..." Nemisa whispered, before slowly standing up and walking off, stumbling a bit as she left.

Nemisa then entered the basement where the slaves were, and they were surprised to see her free and in her condition. She tossed the key to the ground in front of one of the slaves and spoke out loud.

"Our cruel master is dead. Free yourselves and go back to your loved ones!" Nemisa stated.

With that, she turned and left the mansion, without waiting for so much as a question or even a thank you from the now former slaves of the late Monsieur Adulph...

...and started her journey back home.

* * *

_**And that ends this chapter. Nemisa's story isn't over though, as chapter 25 has more to come about her tragic past...**_


	25. True Intentions

_**And now for the second half of this look into Nemisa's past, can things possibly get better for her? Wait and see...**_

* * *

"Okay, you're coming with us this time!"

"Not interested."

It had been six months since Nemisa had been captured by the Wyvern Keepers, her enslavement to Monsieur Adulph, and her eventual escape.

She eventually was able to make it back safely to Gerudo Town, and while her return was met with happiness by her friends, she never told them what exactly happened.

As much as she wanted to tell them, she knew this could potentially lead to trouble for the Gerudo as a whole if they tried to retaliate. It could potentially lead to a second war between the Gerudo and Hylians, which she didn't want, even if they did resent the Hylians so much in that time.

To earn her keep in town, she took a job as a guard. While she carried around a halberd as her weapon, she wasn't particularly good with it. She supposed it was a good thing as not much happened around the town to warrant it's use.

For now though, her friends Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi were all surrounding her as she laid back on a chair at her place, trying to get her to go on another man-hunt in Hyrule.

"Oh come on!" Sumof said with her hands to her hips, "I still don't know what happened to you last year, but you GOT to come to this one!"

"Yeah, you'll love it! Trust us!" Ifemi said.

"Pleeeaaase?" Otuko pleaded, grabbing Ifemi and shaking her by her shoulders.

"Hey, don't shake me, shake Nemisa instead!" Ifemi exclaimed.

"I told you I'm not interested." Nemisa said.

"Well that's too bad I guess..." Sumof shrugged with a little mischievous grin, "Cause I think he'd be disappointed if you didn't come."

"He?" Nemisa asked, looking to her friend with a raised eyebrow.

"We were gonna save it for a surprise, but there's a certain handsome blue haired guy waiting for you at the restaurant we're going to in Kakariko Village!"

Nemisa's eyes widened, "Wait... are you serious?"

The girls all grinned widely as Ifemi spoke up, "Yep, it took us some time to track him down and get in contact with him, but as soon as we told Mr. Jayde about you, he wanted to see you big time!"

"You're serious...?" Nemisa asked, she had the beginning of tears in her eyes, memories of what Erien had said to her last year echoed in her head.

_"Nemisa... someday you'll know what it feels to truly be happy..."_

With that, Nemisa stood up and nodded with a smile.

"Alright then, let's go!" Nemisa said, as her three friends all cheered out.

* * *

Their trip took them to Kakariko Village, a small town at the base of Death Mountain. While there were usually Hylian Knights guarding the area, this was one of their off days, and the Gerudo tend to use days like this to meet guys in the area. That night, Nemisa, Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi were on their way to a local restaurant in the village.

"I've never been to a restaurant like this before..." Nemisa said, as the four walked in. The building itself was mostly wood with paper-like walls. The interior was decorated with short tables that required kneeling to eat at, the walls were lined with ancient text, and there were paper lanterns decorating the place, as well as statues of deities Nemisa had never seen before.

"This place was done in the style of ancient Shiekah tradition." Sumof explained. "Over the past years, Kakariko Village has been developing to cater to the traditional ways of their ancestors."

"The Shiekah, huh...?" Nemisa muttered.

"Yep, the Shiekah are a mysterious and secretive tribe that have some roots here in Kakariko. They're said to possess magical shadow abilities and act as guardians to the goddess Hylia. There's even rumors that one guards over Princess Zelda in Hyrule Castle!" Sumof said.

"...Sumof, you're way too much of a history buff." Otuko said.

"Shadow abilities... now that sounds cool..." Ifemi said with a grin, "Being able to go invisible and sneak up on enemies, or sneak up on hot men and having some fun with them..." her expression glazed over a little with a bit of drool hanging from her mouth as her friend looked at her oddly.

"Um, so anyway, where's the people we're going to meet with?" Nemisa asked, looking around anxiously.

"Settle down girl." grinned Sumof, "You'll meet your man soon enough."

"Ah heh..." Nemisa laughed nervously as the four of them were met by a kind waitress to had them check their weapons in for safety. Nemisa was hesitant to release her halberd after what happened last year, but decided this was an indoor area with lots of people around, and there was little risk there. After turning in their weapons, they were escorted to a private area of the restaurant, where upon entering, Nemisa stood with wide eyes and her mouth agape.

Sitting there, among three other good-looking men, was the blue-haired handsome man she had fallen for half a year ago, the man she had been separated form by the Wyvern Keepers.

"Jayde..." Nemisa said softly, clenching her hands together.

"...Nemisa, there you are." he smiled softly, "You don't know how long I've wanted to see you again..."

With that, Nemisa ran forward and embraced him, to which he hugged her back. Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi all stood grinning widely at their friend's reunion with the man she loved.

"You know, for some reason I'm not feeling so jealous of her anymore..." Sumof said to the others with a smile.

* * *

The four Gerudo girls and four men all spent the next hour chatting at the dining table, as a young pretty waitress in a robe came in, who severed the eight strange food Nemisa had never tasted before, it was a combination of raw fish, vegetables and wrapped in rice and seaweed, but she found it was quite good.

"What is this exactly?" Nemisa asked.

"It's sushi, a meal made in the style of ancient Shiekah cuisine." Jayde said, taking a piece and reaching over to place it in Nemisa;s mouth, causing her to blush, "A delectable combination to enrich one's spirit and wisdom."

"It's weird eating with these wooden stick things." Otuko said, trying to grab the sushi pieces with a pair of chopsticks, only for one to go flying into the air and onto Ifemi's head.

Nemisa took a glance over to see her friends chatting happily with the other guys as well. She couldn't help but feel such a huge sense of happiness in that moment.

"Oh, if you'll excuse me my dear, I have to go use the washroom." Jayde said to Nemisa, standing and walking off.

"You two are getting along great." Sumof whispered to Nemisa once Jayde was gone, "I bet tonight will be the night the two of you have some real fun together, if you catch my drift!"

"J-Jees..." Nemisa said with a blush, but finding herself enjoying the thought. The idea of the two going on a walk together, eventually going to an inn where he would take her in his arms and make her his own, then eventually the two would marry together, and spend their days together as her stomach swelled with his children...

In her nervousness, she reached out for some tea, but accidentally knocked it over, causing it to get on her pants. "Ah crap!" she shouted out, before covering her mouth in embarrassment, but it was met with some light-hearted laughter from everyone.

Sumof whispered through her giggling, "You better get to the girl's washroom quick, before Jayde sees you!"

"Uh, right..." Nemisa said, getting up and going off.

* * *

Nemisa wasn't too sure where the washroom was in a restaurant like this, with the somewhat narrow hallways and those strange door panels to slide. She searched around for a staff member to ask about the restroom, so she could clean up quickly and not look like a mess to Jayde.

"Jayde..." she smiled thinking to herself about what Sumof said, and her own fantasies, "I wonder if tonight really will be the night..."

She then eyed the waitress that served their group down a hallway, who seemed to be talking with someone around the corner. She started to walk up to her to inquire about the washroom, when she heard a familiar voice that was talking to the waitress.

"You're quite a hard worker, my dear, and a beautiful one at that. Would you like to come with me later alone to chat about your future?"

Nemisa froze up, and realized it was Jayde speaking to her.

"Oh,.. well... it sounds tempting..." the waitress said blushing, "But I have my work to do here and...

"But one with skills such as yours would be better suited for greater places then just this simple little restaurant, and with beauty like yours' there's many who would want your hand..."

"Um..." the waitress started, "Even you Mr. Jayde?"

Before Jayde could answer her though, Nemsia broke the moment by shouting out.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Nemisa got the attention of the waitress and Jayde, "What's going on here?!"

"Oh... maybe I should go, I apologize!" the waitress said frantically, bowing to Nemisa and Jayde before running off.

"Jayde.. what was that?!" Nemisa asked worriedly.

"Oh, Nemisa!" Jayde said in surprise, "My apologizes, but I thought our waitress might be interested in being involved with a business I work with. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding." he said, with a polite bow of apology, taking her hand and kissing it.

"It... it's okay..." Nemisa said, with a light blush, her anger suddenly melting away at his touch.

"Listen... there's.. something I need to discuss with you about actually.." Jayde said distantly, "You know, in private...?"

"O-Okay..." Nemisa said blushing, as Jayde escorted her into a single dining room that was usually reserved for couples.

Nemisa walked in, smiling deeply, thinking about what Jayde was going to ask her; could be for another date? Or maybe spend a night together? Or maybe even marriage? Her mind was wracked with possibilities in that moment.

As soon as Jayde shut the door behind him, Nemisa turned around to him.

"I've... waited so long for this day..." Jayde said smiling.

"Me too Jayde, I'm sorry for disappearing all that time ago, I want to explain it all to you and-" Nemisa started.

...but Jayde stopped her with words she was never expecting to hear.

"Oh I know full well what happened, and it's time you answer for what you did to us."

"W-What... us?" Nemisa asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Jayde lowered his head, then took the jewels decorating his outfit and pulled them off, revealing them to be a pair of three-pointed sai weapons. He spun them in his hands and gripped them firmly, before looked up with a smile on his face, but while it looked pleasant at first, it gave off a very creepy feeling that unnerved Nemisa as he spoke.

"It's time you pay for what you've done."

"Jayde...?!" Nemisa asked nervously, reaching her hand out to him, "What's going o-"

It was then he brought down one of the sais, it took a second for her to realize what had happened, but then saw he had the sai impaled into her wrist, causing her a severe amount of pain.

"AAAHHH!" screamed out Nemisa, falling to her knees.

Jayde smirked and yanked the sai back, causing it to rip at Nemisa's wrist and tear away some of her flesh. Blood started to come out from the wound as she covered it with her good hand. Her body was shaking and tears were running down her cheeks.

"J-Jayde... what are you doing?!" sobbed Nemisa.

"You've caused me a great deal of trouble over the past ..." Jayde said darkly, "It didn't take me long to find out that you were the one responsible for killing Monsieur Adulph, which lead to the Hylian Parliament bringing down my organization."

"Your... organization...?" Nemisa asked, despite her pain, she thought about what he meant.

"Correct." Jayde said coldly, "After the authorities learned about the death of that aristocrat, they searched his estate and found out about the women he kept there. The bastard turned out to keep records of his past business with us, probably to use as blackmail. After all that, the Hylian Knights tracked down our old organization and seized our assets and men."

That was when a cold sweat ran down Nemisa's head, as everything came together in her head, it was the only thing that made sense in that moment.

Even if it was the worst possible thing to make sense.

"You're... a member of the Wyvern Keepers... you were working with that man who kidnapped me that night..." her body was shaking as she spoke those words.

"Hmph, so you finally figured it out? Bravo." he said with a mocking tone.

"Jayde... you can't be serious... We love each other!" Nemisa pleaded.

"Love? HA! You were one of my easier prey, just put on a little charm and you were putty on my hands. Then my associate just snatched you up without any effort."

"T-This has to be a joke..." Nemisa whispered.

"Does that wound on your wrist look like a joke, you damn woman?" Jayde sneered, making Nemisa flinch at his expression and brazen words, "We've been working hard and sacrificing everything to rebuild our the Wyvern Keepers from the glory it was, and I can't forgive you for what you did to us..."

Nemisa just hung her head low, her features darkening as she reflected on everything that happened.

"You... you bastard... you..." Nemisa snarled, she glared angerly at Jayde, as she thought back to the vile man who captured her last year while she was waiting for her date, then to the man who put the collar on her neck and sold her, then to the buyer Monsieur Adulph, the one who treated her like garbage, punished her, and killed Erien...

Then finally to Jayde himself, who used honeyed words to lure her into a trap, played with her heart to sell her into slavery, and who just hurt her in every way possible.

"YOU MEN ARE ALL BASTARDS!" Nemisa screamed out.

"Hmph, as if I care about that. I simply called you here to send you a message. The Wyvern Keepers may have suffered a harsh blow, but soon we'll rise like a phoenix from the ashes, and grow mightier then before, with each new slave we take in." Jayde said.

"That waitress... you're planning to make her your next target, aren't you...?" Nemisa realized.

"Yes, she's a hard worker, and quite pretty. I think she'll earn us a fair rupee, every little bit helps to rebuild our great organization." Jayde smirked.

"Bastard..." Nemisa said coldly.

With that, Nemisa ran at Jayde, not even caring about the intense pain she was in, lunging at his face to strike him, but the man simply brought his foot up and kicked her to the ground again.

"Don't you dare try to lay a hand on my beautiful face." Jayde sneered, "You can't do anything to me, you're just too weak."

Nemisa stared down, as those words sank into her.

"You... you made a big mistake..." Nemisa muttered looking up at Jayde, "Despite how weak you think I am, when my friends find out what you're doing, they won't show you any mercy."

"Your friends? You mean those three weaklings back there?" Jayde threw his head back laughing, "My dear, they can't lay a hand on me. It may interest you to know half the patrons in this restaurant, including those they're chatting with right now are my personal guards."

"W-What?" Nemisa exclaimed.

"I'm going to be generous tonight, and I'm going to only take the cute little waitress with me. However, if you so much as tell anyone you know the truth about me..."

He knelled down and whispered in her ear.

"I'll have you and all your little friends taken as well, and I have certain clients who would love to use them in ways that even I would find unspeakable."

Nemisa's eyes shrunk down, as sweat ran down her head.

"You... monster..." Nemisa muttered.

"Now I think it's time to go back to our little dinner date, yes?" Jayde asked. He then knelt down, pulled out a handkerchief and tied it around Nemisa's wound, "This should hold the blood until you get to a doctor, naturally I don't think you'll be telling anyone about how you actually got it though."

Nemisa just stared down at the makeshift bandage. She hung her head low, with tears running down her face, before wiping them clean and hesitantly following after Jayde...

...back to their wonderful date...

* * *

"Hey Nemisa, why don't you come with us on another man-hunt?"

"Yeah, give it another chance!"

"I'm not going, period." Nemisa told her friends as she sat back on a bench in Gerudo Town.

It had been two months since her reunion with Jayde at the sushi restaurant. After she was attacked by him, it was a tense moment for Nemisa to sit there at the dining table with everyone as the group date eventually came to an end. Jayde had kept his promise, as Nemisa and her friends all left safely that night and returned back to their home.

"Look, I'm sorry things didn't work out with you and that Jayde guy, but there's still a lot of great men in the world!" Sumof said.

"Yeah, I'm sure there's a guy out there that'll really make you happy!" Otuko said cheerfully.

"...there isn't. All men are despicable monsters." Nemisa said coldly and bluntly

"Jees, Nemisa really has become a total man-hater..." Ifemi said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Ugh, I guess there's no convincing you?" Sumof asked, "Maybe we outta just forget about it this time." she turned and told the other girls.

"Yeah, it's not really the same without Nemisa." Ifemi said, "How about we just go get some food at the diner, wanna come too Nemisa?"

"You guys go on ahead, I'm not hungry." Nemisa said.

"Suit yourself." shrugged Sumof, "Come on, let's go girls."

"Okay." nodded Otuko, who took a second to give Nemisa a big hug, "Take care of yourself, okay Nemisa?"

"Thank you..." Nemisa said, patting her back, as her friends waved goodbye and left to go eat.

Nemisa just looked up into the sky, seeing a few clouds floating in the air, and what looked like a big but scrawny bird flying overhead. As it passed overhead, she could have sworn she heard a crash and a Gerudo yelling and calling someone a birdbrain in the distance, but she paid it no mind.

She looked around at the Gerudo going down the street doing their errands, she saw one Gerudo girl in particular tell her friends "Sorry, I gotta get to the diner, my shift is soon and the lunch rush is about to start!" and she ran off in the direction her own friends had gone in. Seeing her brought back some painful memories of that night a few weeks ago.

* * *

_Flashback_

As the girls left the sushi restaurant in Kakariko Village, Nemisa saw out of the corner of her eye the evil blue-haired man who broke her heart; walking off with the waitress from the restaurant. The waitress clung to Jayde's arm, seeming to be in bliss, and was unaware and the two were being followed by some of the men that Jayde was accompanied with.

Nemisa had been quick to realize in that moment that the poor girl wasn't going to be coming to work the next day...

* * *

Tears were forming in Nemisa's eyes, and she quickly wiped them away, to prevent any of the citizens of Gerudo Town from seeing her. She laid backwards on the bench and closed her eyes, thinking about the waitress, and wondering if she was now going through something similar to what she had been through with Monsieur Adulph. As much as she had wanted to do something about it, she was powerless to do so. She wasn't anywhere near the strength of Jayde, and if she asked for help from anyone, they could only get hurt, or worse...

"Hey, the bench is for sitting, not for sleeping." spoke a new voice.

Annoyed, Nemisa opened an eye to see a familiar Gerudo towering over her. She was wearing a bandanna around her head, a white vest with the black belt, and those odd red eyes of hers. She recognized her as the strange woman that she and her friends bumped into the day she had met Jayde and was kidnapped.

"Back off lady, I'm not in the mood to deal with you." Nemisa said, turning to her side to avoid looking at her.

"You should learn to respect your elders, young one." the older woman said.

"I said back off, or I'll make you!" Nemisa shouted, sitting up.

"Really? Is that a challenge then?" the woman asked.

"I don't..." Nemisa paused, "...you know what? I suppose I could use a quick fight to blow off some steam." she said, getting up onto her feet.

"Very well, I am Tuldon and I shall be your opponent, now draw you weapon and fight!" the woman said, bringing up her fist.

"But... you don't have a weapon." Nemisa said, looking her over.

"I don't need one." Tuldon said, clenching her fist.

"Well... I suppose..." Nemisa muttered, withdrawing her halberd and going into a fighting stance, 'I'm not very good with this thing anyway...' she thought to herrself.

"Come at me." Tuldon said, gesturing with her hand.

"This still seems a little unfair but... fine." Nemisa ran in against her with her halberd, but Tuldon blocked it by swinging her foot up onto the pole.

"Huh...?" Nemisa asked, "What kind of battle style is..."

That was when Tuldon knocked the halberd back before swinging her fist at Nemisa, smacking her back. Nemisa then came in with another attack but Tuldon ducked down to avoid her attack and swung her leg out at Nemisa's, causing her to fall over. Nemisa quickly leaped back onto her feet and went in for another attack, but Tuldon quickly evaded each attack, and smacked away the halberd, before impacting her leg into Nemisa's side.

"Ack!" shouted Nemisa, thinking to herself as she stared at her opponent, 'Just what is this?! Am I seriously going to lose to someone using their fists and legs?!'

She looked around to see a few other Gerudo had come to watch the fight. She felt her nerves catching up to her, and she gulped.

"Don't mind them, focus from mind and body, and attack!" Tuldon said to her.

"Um... right..." Nemisa said a little weirded out that her opponent was giving her advice, She rushed at Tuldon, who was about to strike, but Nemisa in that moment quickly and instinctively did a slow twirl around the older woman to evade the punch, before impacting the blunt end of her halberd against Tuldon's back.

Tuldon's eyes widened, realizing Nemisa managed to hit her the way she did, "That dodge was... impressive, girl."

"W-What did I just do...?" Nemisa asked, surprised by her own actions.

"But now we end this!" with that, Tuldon swung her leg, Nemisa blocked it with her halberd, but Tuldon managed to kick the weapon away and thrust her fist inches from Nemisa's face, causing the younger woman to fall backwards in shock and land on her rear, while her weapon impacted some distance from the fight.

The people watching cheered and clapped from the match, while Nemisa sat there in complete shock at how fast and powerful Tuldon's technique was.

"You... defeated me with just your limbs...?" Nemisa exclaimed.

"It's the style of marital arts known as karate, an ancient technique of the Shiekah people." Tuldon said.

"The Shiekah... right... like Karkariko Village..." Nemisa muttered, only to find herself recalling what happened at the sushi restaurant, and she found herself trembling again, her hand reaching up and gripping the scarred wound on her wrist.

"...you seem as though you're in a lot of pain, and not physical pain." Tuldon said, looking down to her.

"I... went through a terrible experience last year... and it resurfaced even worse recently..." Nemisa muttered, surprising herself that she was so open to this woman she just met.

"...perhaps we should talk." Tuldon said.

* * *

Nemisa found herself at Tuldon's place, it was modeled into some sort of fighting dojo. It reminded her in some ways of the sushi restaurant's attire. As Nemsia looked around, she wondered more about just who this Tuldon person was.

"Here," Tuldon said, handing her a cup of tea, "This will work to cleanse your soul."

"We'll see." Nemisa said, taking and sipping the tea. It was bitter, but a nice taste she had to admit, "I don't know if it's soul-cleansing, but thank you..."

"I suppose it isn't my place to ask what's troubling you, but perhaps I have a way to assist you?" Tuldon proposed.

"Well..." Nemisa paused, "I am fascinated with that technique you were using before... what did you call it, kah-rah-tae?"

"Karate yes, the art of turning your body into a living weapon, founded by the Shiekah" Tuldon nodded.

"So you're connected with them?" Nemisa asked.

"My father was a Shiekah, before I came here to town I grew up and traveled with him, and he taught me all he knew, until the day he passed on, " Tuldon said, "Do you wish to know more of the technique?"

Nemisa paused, as she remembered back when she was attacked by Jayde, and how she lacked a weapon to fight him with, it didn't really matter though as she was never good with a halberd. This style of battle however...

"You can teach me that technique?" Nemisa asked.

"I can, but you must be ready for the worst!" Tuldon said, pumping her fist with a gruff but mighty tone, "And during this time you'll refer to me as 'senshi'!"

"Very well, I accept... Senshi." Nemisa said with a bow.

* * *

"Argh!" Nemisa shouted as she impacted onto the ground of the dojo in defeat. Tuldon stood over her frowning. It had been two months since Nemisa started training, and while she was getting the techniques of punching and kicking down right and quick, it wasn't until she had to challenge Tuldon in a battle itself that she hit a brick wall.

"No good." Tuldon said, "You're strong and agile, and you have the styles down, but you lack patience, you rush in recklessly and set yourself up for an easy counter."

"I can do this..." Nemisa said, getting up, she then charged in and swung a punch, before Tuldon grabbed her arm and threw her to the ground. She laid back and slamming her fist onto the floor, "Damnit!"

'That technique you used to evade my attack and hit me...' Tuldon thought to herself as she looked down at Nemisa, recalling their battle from when they met, particularity that moment when Nemisa dodged to the side and struck her, 'What was it that made you use it...?'

"You need to find a way to hold back this anger of yours. I understand you're in great pain from your past, but you need a way to focus or you'll just continue to fail in battle." Tuldon said out loud.

"Yes Senshi..." Nemisa said bowing, "I apologize."

"It's fine, just work on it. That ends today's lessons, Nemisa." Tuldon said, and the two did a bow of respect.

* * *

That night, Nemisa went into her home and fell back on the bed, exhausted from the training session and getting kicked around by Tuldon. She reached out and grabbed a Goron plushie she had bought the other day and held it in her arms.

"Damnit..." Nemisa said, "This is something I need to do... if I can master karate, maybe I'll be able to..."

She paused, reaching her hand up and looking at the scar on her wrist, she released the Goron plush from her other and arm, reached up and squeezed her scarred wrist a little, her thoughts wandered to think about the malicious look in Jayde's eyes, and she narrowed her own eyes coldly.

"Every time I think about him, or any man... and I just get more angry..." she muttered, then let out a sigh, "I really do need to find another way to focus myself..."

She then saw something on the small table beside her bed, it was the green jewel she salvaged from Erien's music box. She stared at it, and reached out to hold it in her hand. As she gripped the jewel, she closed her eyes and thought to herself. It was in that moment she thought she could hear a familiar melody, a gentle and soothing little tune. She opened an eye and looked around to see where it might have been coming from, but saw nothing. She closed her eye again and felt the melody continue to flow through her.

It was in that moment she remembered the days she danced with Erien in the basement of the mansion they had been in. She could never forget the feeling of bliss she had when she danced with Erien to the gentle tune of the music box, their bodies swayed in sync with the music, and they were both at peace with the world, even in what was the darkest moment of their lives.

Nemisa got up from her bed, and found herself starting to move her feet across the ground, her hips started to shift left and right, and her arms gracefully moved through the air, as she danced around her bedroom, as her memories of the music box, and it's owner, stayed with her. She twirled in circles, doing a graceful leap into the air, and landing down perfectly.

She paused in that position, opened her eyes, and had a faint smile on her lips.

"I think I know what I need to do..."

* * *

"Want to have another go already?" Tuldon asked the next morning, as Nemisa stood across from her in the dojo, "Are you sure about this?"

"More then sure." Nemisa nodded, going into a fighting pose.

"Very well then." Tuldon nodded, going into a pose herself, "Then begin!"

The two of them both charged into battle. Nemisa started off with a punch, but Tuldon blocked it with her leg and kicked her backwards, then came in with a punch of her own. Nemisa brought up her arms to block it, then immediately did a kick of her own, which Tuldon stepped back to dodge, before going in and punching Nemisa in the stomach, sending her back.

"You seem to be more focused then before, but you're still sloppy in your approach." Tuldon pointed out.

Nemisa took her word's into account and took a second to close her eyes, take a deep breath, and reach into her pocket, clutching at the green jewel. Her thoughts drifted to Erien and the melody of the music box, and the dancing they did together. She opened her eyes and smirked, surprising Tuldon.

"I'm just getting started." Nemisa said.

It was then that Nemisa started by throwing a punch, but Tuldon moved her head to the side to avoid it, and grabbed out at Nemisa's arm to throw her, but in that moment, Nemisa quickly brought herself back and did a twirl, catching Tuldon off guard and allowed Nemisa to swing her leg out at Tuldon's side, managing to impact into her. Nemisa spun back and did a leg sweep, but Tuldon leapt up to avoid it, swinging her leg at Nemisa, who quickly did a back flip to avoid it.

"...not bad..." Tuldon said, before lunging in and drawing her fist back for a punch. Nemisa attempted to start to sidestep the punch, but Tuldon turned out to have done a feint attack, allowing her to to impact her arm into Nemisa, knocking her back, before lunging in with a rapid series of punches.

Nemisa closed her eyes, and focused, her body moved slowly but surely, and managed to dodge each punch that came at her. Tuldon was shocked to see how Nemisa gracefully moved. The younger Gerudo then did a spin and swung out her leg, which Tuldon blocked. The older woman then took a deep breath, before lunging in with a rolling kick, but Nemisa squatted down and leaped into the air, doing a spin over the top of Tuldon, surprising her again. Tuldon attempted to catch her off guard with a back kick as she descended, but Nemisa landed to the ground with a low split of her legs so the kick went over her head, giving Nemisa an opening to do a speedy uppercut which impacted into Tuldon's chin, causing her to step back. Tuldon rubbed her chin, loking up to Nemsia, and then the two of them then rushed at each other, thrusting out their fists, both stopping inches from each other's faces. They paused in that position for a little, before stepping back.

"...that's enough." Tuldon said, with her head lowered in silence for a few seconds. Before she brought her head back and laughed wholeheartedly, "That was amazing! You've done well Nemisa! When I fought you that one day, I saw something in you that made me want to train you, and that was it!"

"Thank you, Senshi." Nemisa bowed, "This training is for my own resolve, so I can go through with what I need to do, to truly settle my anger."

"I see... if you keep that focus, them you won't lose to anyone!" laughed Tuldon.

Nemisa reflected on those words, squeezing her wrist, "Of course, Senshi, I will."

* * *

"So you're leaving then?" Nemisa asked Tuldon, who stood at the exit into town with a supply bag hanging off her shoulder. A small group of Gerudo were there as well to see Tuldon off.

"Yes, I realize even I have more training to do. I'm going to find new challenges of my own to conquer." Tuldon nodded, "Don't worry, with what I've seen from you over the past months I think you're ready for anything now!"

On that note, Tuldon thought to herself, and an idea occurred to her.

"There you go." she said, removing the black sash she wore and handing it to Nemisa.

"Y-Your sash?" Nemsia exclaimed, "But I can't take this!"

"Nonsense, I think you're earned it, as a symbol of your new strength." grinned Tuldon, "Wear it with pride!"

"Well, I mean I can't take it because it's what was holding your pants up." Nemsia said sweatdropping as Tuldon realized her pants fell down to her ankles.

"Oh."

Eventually the girls got Tuldon got a new sash to wear, and she was ready to set off.

"Thank you again, Senshi." Nemisa said, bowing to her with the black sash now on her own waist, "Good luck on your journey."

"And good luck with your own goals. Farewell, and may we meet again someday." Tuldon nodded, before turning and walking out of Gerudo Town, as the other Gerudo who had come to see her off waved.

Nemisa smiled ever so slightly, watching her master leave. She put her hand to her wrist and nodded to herself.

'With what you've taught me, I'll be ready for when the day finally comes.' Nemisa thought to herself, 'That will be the day I strike down the blue-haired monster for what he did to me...'

'And I vow to never lose to another man.'

* * *

_**And with that Nemisa's backstory comes to a close, the question now is to what end will see go to confront her past? Stay tuned to find out!**_

_**Like, follow, comment, etc.**_


	26. Infiltration and Confession

_**Now with the flashback over we finally get back to the main story.**_

* * *

Nemisa stared up at the ceiling in her dressing room at the Dank Salamander. It had been a little more then three years since the day she was kidnapped and sold into slavery, and a little less then two years since she learned the disturbing truth about the man she thought she loved.

Now she found herself in a dressing room, prepared to go out on stage to charm an audience with her exotic dance, and hopefully catch the eye of that man who changed her so much.

She gripped and squeezed the scar on her wrist, the scar created when the blue-haired Jayde revealed his true colors to her.

"It won't be long now..." Nemisa whispered to herself, "Soon I can finally..." she paused, blushing a little red, and bringing her hand to her chest.

"Please Link, wait for me..." 

* * *

At that moment, outside of the Dank Salamander, a group of guards stood, watching over the area. The tavern that day was originally just watched by one bouncer back when Nemisa arrived, but as the day grew later more came out to patrol the area. The original guard still stood in his place, watching the area.

It then he heard what sounded like a sneeze in the distance. He looked down in confusion, not seeing a soul in the area.

"What was that...?" the bouncer muttered.

"Uh... Wark! Wark!" called out a voice as a bird wing stuck out from behind an assortment of large sand rocks in the distance. It flapped a little before settling down.

"Oh, just a bird." the bouncer assumed, going back to watching over the more immediate area.

Meanwhile, over at the rocks Aviel let out a sigh of relief.

"That was close." she whispered.

"You birdbrain, be careful! We don't want to blow our hiding place!" Kesuta shouted as quietly as she could.

Behind the rock were a sizable number of armed Gerudo solders, among hem were Link, Nabooru, Aveil, Togau, Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta, Korume, and the reformed slaver boy Remo.

"So what's the plan Nabooru?" Link asked.

"If you ask me, I say we just barge in, beat the crud out of all the slavers and get Nemisa and the prisoners out of there right now!" Reirousa said, pounding her fist into her palm.

"Settle down you muscle head." Nabooru said, "We can't just go barging in. Don't forget our priority isn't to strike down the Wyvern Keepers, but to save the prisoners."

"Uh, right..." Reirousa said, rubbing the back of her head, "Why are we doin' it this way though? I'm sure we got them out-powered and out-numbered."

"Because the slavers are the ones in control of the prisoners." Nabooru explained, "If we just launch an attack, the slavers will take the prisoners and try to escape with them. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of information to go on, we don't know where all the secret exits out of the hideout are. We're not going to allow these monsters to escape with any of them, or worse, kill them to keep them from being saved..."

"You don't think they'd sink that low, do ya Nabooru?" Togau asked with a bit of sweat going down her head.

"It's not the first time it's happened..." Remo said sadly, as his prison guard and lover Usaulu was stroking the hair on his head, "During my briefings, I've been told by my superiors if we fear a slave getting free, to kill them first."

"That's awful..." Sarami gasped out.

"Then we won't leave anything to chance, so what do we need to do first?" Link asked Nabooru.

"Our first objective is to get a tally of all the prisoners that are in the Wyvern's Nest right now. Unfortunately, our spies couldn't get close to inside, so as much as I hate to say it, we'll have to send some of our team undercover. That's where you come in Remo." Nabooru said.

"Right." nodded Remo.

"Have you been inside this place before, Remo?" Aviel asked.

"No, when I wasn't doing fieldwork I was in the smaller bases." Remo said shaking his head, "I don't know what it's like in this place, I didn't even know this place was a front for the Nest, or I would had mentioned it sooner."

"Yes, Remo still has his identification as a Wyvern Keeper, but since he's been AWOL for so long, they might be suspicious of him, so what we're going to do is have him bring in some new 'slaves' to enter the Wyvern's Nest and get an idea of what we're up against." Nabooru said.

"So who is going in?" Link asked.

"I've given it some thought, and since tonight is the night of the black market auction, it'll be easier for Remo to get some of our team in if they're particularly high quality... I hesitate to use the word 'merchandise' to entice the buyers." Nabooru said, "Some that are physically fit and some beautiful and or young, to entice the slavers into letting them in. They also need to be capable of battle, in case they need to defend themselves, but the need for weapons is a bit of a concern, that's why I wanted Nemisa to help us..."

"How about me or Korume?" asked Kesuta raising her hand, "We wouldn't even need actual weapons, they wouldn't know that we can use magic."

"That won't be possible." Nabooru said, "My spies have told me that the entrances to the Nest are protected by magic detection seals. If any kind of magic or magic user tries to pass through those doors the whole place will know and our raid will fail, deactivating that seal is integral to my plan."

"How annoying." Korume muttered.

"They seem to have many resources at their disposal for this event." Korume observed, "They must not have much trust in the guests."

"That leads me to another matter, the clientele of the black market auction, many of them consist of noblemen and aristocrats from around the land, and from what my spies have told me some might even have connections to the Hylian Parliament. If they're harmed or killed in anyway by our hands it could lead to a declaration of war on us, so one of our major objectives tonight is to get them out of there before the raid, this is where the two of you will come into play." Nabooru said to Kesuta and Korume.

"Yes Lady Nabooru, we await your orders." they both said.

"So for now, I've decided to send in Aviel, Togau, Sarami... and you Link." the four of you should be able to get in without much fuss, and if anything does go wrong, you'll have a better chance to fight your way out compared to most of our troops. But don't fight unless you absolutely have to." Nabooru reminded them, "Remember out priority here."

"Wait, we're sending in Sarami?" Link asked, "I mean, she's a very beautiful woman, but wouldn't it be dangerous for her?"

"Oh Link, you're so sweet." Sarami said, embracing Link, pressing his head against her large breasts, resulting in Link turning bright red and some snickering coming from the other girls, "But you don't have to worry about a thing, I've been working on my chu jelly potions over the months, and have developed new mixtures to protect us." her glasses gleamed as she smirked a little, holding up two bottles of her potions, "The fools try so much as touch me and they'll regret it... FU-FU-fu-fu-fu..." she said with a sinister laugh.

"...she has a real scary side of her, huh?" Remo asked sweatdropping.

"One more thing... you mentioned before you want me to go in as well?" Link asked, "How will that work?"

"Simple, we just set you up with a disguise." Nabooru said with an amused grin.

"A... disguise...?" Link asked nervously, as he slowly turned to look at Aviel who was pulling a certain something out of a bag she was carrying.

"Ta-da!" Aviel said, pulling out familiar looking pieces of pink and light blue cloth, "Remember this outfit Link?"

"Oh is that it? What a cute outfit!" Sarami said cheerfully.

"Why... do you have something like that...?" Remo asked with his face paled.

"You, you can't be serious Nabooru." Link said flatly.

"I am." she smirked.

"Wait, is that the outfit you mentioned before?" Togau asked, trying to hold back her laughter, "The one that Link had to wear to get away from that assassin?"

"Yep!" Aviel said, "Come on Link, time for your makeover!"

"Uh, can we talk this over...?" Link asked, slowly backing up as Nabooru, Aviel, and some of the other girls all slowly approached him, holding the Gerudo outfit, some pads, some bandages and a long blond wig.

"Get him!" Togau said.

"GAAAHHH!" Link shouted out. 

* * *

"I.. I can't believe it worked so well..." Nabooru said, stepping back in shock and awe.

"He looks even better then last time..." Aviel said, "You guys did great on making him pretty!"

"Fu-fu-fufufu..." chuckled Sarami, "It's amazing what a little makeup and accessories can do for a man."

Link stood there before the girls, wearing the pink Gerudo hood, veil, breast top and sleeves, and the light blue pants and shoes. He hair was now long and flowing, sticking out from under the hood, his eyelashes were long and delicate, and had some blush on his cheeks. He was timidly looking to the side to avoid the looks from the girls.

"I didn't think it was possible for him to be this cute." Kesuta gasped, with her hands to her cheeks.

"..." Korume was doing her best to hold back her words, but she was making the slightest of giggles under her breath.

"Jees, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were really a lady all this time!" Togau said in surprise.

"Woah" Reirousa simply said.

"You uh... l-look really pretty King Link?" Remo spoke up.

"Gee, thanks." Link muttered, then speaking up, "What if I get caught?"

"Don't worry." giggled Sarami, "You have myself, Aviel and Togau watching over you, we'll protect you, sweetie."

"Alright team, your mission will be to infiltrate the Nest and do a head count of the amount of prisoners within the place."

"Course reckon!" Togau nodded, "I'll keep a tally of the prisoners, even in the heat of the raid, I've had plenty of experience with numbers over at the ranch."

"Also try to find the approximate locations of the secret exits so we can plan out where to ambush any escapees when the raid starts."

"No problem." Aviel nodded, "I used to be a lookout, so I can figure out that kind of thing."

"There's also the matter of the magic detection barrier, taking it down is important to my plan. According to my sources, this particular type of barrier is usually powered by a blue and red orb that anyone could deactivate with a good hit."

"We'll find and take care of the orb as soon as we find it." Sarami said.

"And of course track down Nemisa and if you can, convince her to drop whatever the HELL she's trying to do and help us with our raid." Nabooru said, with an air of annoyance in her tone.

"Okay." Link nodded.

"Remo, when you get in, you do what you can to supply Link and the girls with some concealed weapons, in case things go awry."

"Right!" Remo said, as he was quickly hugged by Usaulu.

"You be careful in there, okay my little man?" Usaulu asked him.

"O-Okay... and when this is all over we'll be able to be together for real." Remo said blushing and nodding.

Link couldn't help but smile at the two of them. In some ways, their relationship reminded him of his bonds with the girls. His thoughts trailed to Nemisa, and the concern he had for her while she was in such a dangerous place.

"Alright, let's go then!" Link said, pumping a fist up.

"Heh, it's funny to see you so determined when you're dressed so cute." Nabooru giggled, "You're making me want to see you wear that next time we spend the night together..."

The girls all laughed lightly, while Reirousa herself glanced to the side, blushing at that thought.

"...lets just concentrate on the mission for now." Link said annoyed. 

* * *

Remo slowly lead, Aviel, Sarami, Togau and Link, their arms all bond in ropes, up to a particular back entrance to the Wyvern's Nest behind the tavern. It was designed to look more like a storage basement to ward off suspicion, but standing at the entrance was four guards.

"Just follow my lead." Remo whispered to Link and the girls. He lead them up to the girls and one of the guards immediately put his spear into a guarding pose.

"Halt, who goes there?" the guard asked.

Remo nervously cleared his throat and spoke up, "M-My name is Remo, Wyvern slaver #471!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a membership card to show the guard.

"Huh, the Brown Gecko branch of slavers?" the guard said, reading the information on the card, "I heard you all were wiped out by those Gerudo bitches."

"Most were," Remo nodded, "But... the Gerudo captured me instead and held me in prison. I was... uh... able to break out and detain these four."

The four guards all looked to Aviel, Sarami, Togau and the mysterious pale-skinned lady in the back.

"Woah, that's pretty impressive kid!" one of the guards said, "And a nice haul at that!"

"What's going to happen to us?" Aviel said, trembling with fake tears going down her cheeks, "I'm scared..."

"I do not know..." Sarami muttered in a dower tone.

"Grrr... how dare ya do this ta us! I'll kick yer asses!" shouted Togau in a fury.

"H-Hey, shut up you bitch... b-before I make you shut up! You don't want to end up like last time do you?!" Remo shouted, causing the three Gerudo to all cower, Togau in particular looked worried and gulped nervously.

"I-I'm sorry master!" shouted Togau, bowing her head, "It won't happen again!"

"Woah, he really put them in line." whispered one guard to another.

"I brought them here because I think these four would be fine specimens for the auction." Remo said.

"Yeah, the two in the back look pretty physically fit..." observed one guard looking them over, "And other two will definitely turn the heads of those horny stuff-shirts at the auction.."

"Say, what are these?" asked another one of the guards, looking at the potion bottles lining Sarami's belt sash.

"Oh, these?" Sarami asked, looking down to her chu jelly bottles, "This is medicine. I suffer from a case of lower back pain... it can be difficult carrying around certain heavy things all the time." she said, subtly gesturing down to her chest as she swayed her body a little, causing them to wobble.

Three of the four guards all turned bright red as they gazed at her bountiful bosom's movements. They seemed to keep moving even after the rest of Sarami's body stopped.

"A-Alright, I'm sure the boss will be fine letting them in!" said a guard, trying to not to look directly at Sarami's chest, as they started escorting Remo and the four 'slaves' inside.

"Looks like we made it..." Aviel whispered to Remo.

"Yeah, I'll see to getting you guys hidden weapons after we get inside. Hopefully the magic seal orb isn't too hard to fin-" Remo's words were cut off by one guard speaking up.

"Hang on, what's with this one?" spoke up one guard, looking at Link in particular. Remo, Aviel, Sarami and Togau all tensed up as they saw the guard staring right at Link. "This doesn't look like a Gerudo..."

"T-That's cause she's..." Remo paused, "She's a half-blood. She was exiled to Gerudo Valley after the war like the others, but she's no less capable then any of them!"

"Oh, yes!" Sarami spoke up, "She's the quiet type, but she's a hard worker with great physical capabilities, and she's a total sweetie!"

The guard just leaned forward and looked closely at Link, who just continued looking to the side. It was a tense moment, and enough for even Link to get nervous about it.

"...very well then." the guard nodded with a hint of redness on his face, "Bring them in."

Aviel and the others let out sighs of relief as Remo led them all into the Wyvern's Nest. Nabooru and Usaulu meanwhile were peeking out behind a sand dune watching them all go in, and sighed with relief themselves.

"Nice, they made it in." Nabooru grinned, "Good luck, Link..."

"Oh wow, seeing Remo being so authoritative like that is getting me excited! When I get him home tonight I'm going to dominate his tiny little body all night long!" Usaulu said licking her lips.

"You worry me." Nabooru said sweatdropping. 

* * *

One of the guards led Remo, Link, Aviel, Togau and Sarami through the Wyvern's Nest, an underground cave filled with many slavers, all either partying, drinking, practicing with their weapons, or hauling around supplies.

"Hey check out the new merchandise!" shouted one of the slavers, gesturing to the group.

"Woah, four Gerudo? That kid's good!" laughed one of them.

"Ugh, these guys creep me out." Aviel whispered to Link.

"Keep a level head," Link said, "And try to keep an eye out for anything useful we can use against these guys in the raid."

"Right." Aviel said nodding, taking her time to look around carefully.

Eventually the guard lead Remo, Link and the others to a door near the back, inside was a hallway with several rooms in it. He then lead the group to one of the rooms, which had eight beds lied against the walls, each with a small dresser, a fountain at the back used for water and cleaning, and even small bowls of fruit available. There was three other women in the room at their own beds.

"Alright prisoners, you'll be staying here until the auction." the guard said, "You can pick any free bed you choose to rest up."

"This... actually ain't too bad." Togau pointed out.

"Yeah, I was expecting it to be more... dungeon-like." Aviel said looking around.

"That's what we used to do, until the new boss took over our gang." the guard said, "He insists we keep our prisoners in good shape and hearty to prepare for the auction. 'You wouldn't sell a man a bruised apple.' he tells us." he explained, "You're free to walk around the hallways and other prison rooms and speak to the other prisoners, but try anything funny and you'll be in deep, so be appreciative of the bosses' generosity." he looked down at Remo, "Well let's go kid, we need to discuss your pay for this haul."

"Yeah, just give me a minute." Remo said, starting to remove the ropes on Link and the girls' arms, "I uh, need to make sure these girls are in line before I leave them."

"Alight, just give me the word if you need help with them." the guard nodded before leaving out of the room.

As soon as the door shut, the group got into a huddle.

"Okay, we're in, and it looks like this might be easier then I thought." Link said.

"I'll say, I kinda wanna ask the boss if he offers lodging here." Togau said, looking at how clean and comfy the living quarters looked.

"I call this bed!" Avirl shouted, now bouncing on one of the beds, leaving everyone sweatdropping.

"I'll head out and see what information I can get about possible exits and the location of the magic detector orb." Remo said.

"Thank you again for all this." Sarami said, taking Remo and hugging him into her bosom, "You're a sweet boy, I hope you make Usaulu a good husband."

"Uh, t-thank you..." Remo said, stepping back, "I'll be going now, good luck, guys."

Link nodded, "Take care."

After Remo left the room and got the guard to leave as well, the group decided to start going to the other rooms to see the other prisoners. While some of the prisoners were relatively okay with their current living situation all things considered, some were generally scared of what would happen at the auction. The group were careful not to mention anything about a raid, so as to not excite or worry them and potentially throw off the plan. Among the prisoners were indeed some Gerudo, who they were a little more open to speaking to about the raid, and they agreed to do whatever they could to help with the escape when the opportunity came.

"Well it looks like we got twenty four women and seven men, not including us. Two of the women and men are Zoras, and there's one Goron." Togau said, "Honestly I was surprised they were capturin' guys as well."

"I heard from a few of the prisoners about where there might be emergency exits around this place." Aviel said, pulling out a scrap piece of paper and showing a crude drawing of the Wyvern's Nest, it lacked any real detail, but it was mostly a way to give the others an idea of where the exits might be.

"One of out sisters came across information that the magic detector orb is in the head guard's living quarters." Sarami said.

"Fine by me." Link nodded, "Now we just need to track down Nemisa."

"Yeah, I hope she's okay..." Aviel said worriedly.

"Me too Aviel..." Link sighed. 

* * *

Meanwhile, in another part of the Wyvern's Nest, a slaver went into a room where a large burly man sat back on a large chair, he was kicking back with his legs up on a footstool and he was eating from a bowl of fruit beside his chair.

"Master Rassan, we have good news," the slaver said, "One of the members of the Brown Gecko group has shown up alive, and he brought us four fine Gerudo specimens for the auction."

The man at the chair took a large bite into an apple he was holding and sporting a big grin, showing off pearly white teeth and one tooth that was gold, "Waahaahaah, is that so? Good for him! See that he's paid well for his work!"

The man was known as Master Rassan, the leader of the Wyvern Keepers slaver organization. He wore a large turban with a jewel on the center, and a feather sticking out from it. His skin was tanned from the sun, and he had a large burly beard with braided strands. His body was fit and heavily muscular, with some battle scars lining his chest. He wore a vest that showed off his muscular chest and arms, as well as baggy pants. Strapped to his side was a whip with strange metal attachments to it on one side, and a skull shaped key on the other side.

"I also wanted to let you know Madame Scarlet has arrived for this evening's entertainment." the slaver said.

"Hmm, yes... I've heard good things about her.." Rassan pondered, scratching at his beard, "I can't wait for her show! Well for now, just start preparing the treasures and artifacts we've acquired for the black market auction, we have some wealthy clients looking to get their hands on them for a load of rupees!"

"Right boss." the saver replied.

"….oh, and make sure that one item I mentioned before is ready to ship," Rassan said, "After what they've done for us, we can't afford to let anything happen to it!"

"Right, Master Rassan." the slaver said and went off on his way.

Rassan leaned back against his chair and crunched into another apple,

"Just what is it you plan to do with something of that power..?" Rassan muttered to the air in that moment. 

* * *

"..but me and my friends were overwhelmed by the slavers, we were completely powerless..." sighed a female Hylian prisoner, sitting across from Aviel who was listening to her story intently, "...so I surrendered myself in exchange for letting the others go... I should be happy that they're all safe now, but I can't help myself, I miss them and my mother so much..."

"Separated from your loved ones, huh...?" Aviel said with a pained look in her eyes, before putting her hand on the prisoner's own hand, "Don't worry, you did a great thing for them, and I just know you're going to see them again. When you do, you can all make up for the lost time!"

"Thank you..." sniffled the girl, "But I don't know how that could ever happen, this situation is hopeless... it seems like I was fated to be here..."

"It'll be fine, you'd be surprised how fate can change." Aviel said grinning.

Link sat at his own bed, overhearing the conversation with the two, before standing up and walking out of the room to go see to investigating.

"We can't let these bastards keep this place going..." Link muttered, "We need to take action... I just need to find the magic detector orb first..."

Link walked down the hallway towards the entrance of the prisoner's chambers, taking some time to glance around and make sure no guards were watching.

"If I can knock out a guard and steal his clothes, I could disguise myself as a slaver and get around here no problem..." Link muttered to himself, "But who could I-"

"Hey, it's you, what are you doing?" called out a voice, causing Link to freeze up and look behind him.

Standing there was one of the slaver guards, specifically the one that had stared at him so intently over at the entrance to the Wyvern's Nest that Remo led them into.

"Oh... I..." Link said, speaking in a shy and feminine tone, "I was... um... looking for one of my friends..."

The slaver paused, thinking to himself, making Link feel a little uneasy in that moment.

"Well, I think I can help you with that." he grinned, walking up to Link and putting his hand on the wall just over Link's shoulder, the slaver gazed up and down at the person he thought was a half-Gerudo lady; 'her' long blond hair, blue eyes, a slim but toned figure with slight hips, "The name is Burao, and you are...?"

"Um, my name is Lifeaf..." Link said, recalling the name Aviel gave him the last time he wore the outfit.

"Lifeaf, that's a nice name..." Burao grinned, "Has anyone told you how pretty your eyes are...?"

'Oh, for all that is holy, no.' Link thought to himself, realizing what the slaver was doing.

"I... um..." Link muttered.

"You're quite a shy one too, that's cute." Burao said, "I like that in a girl."

'Then keep looking.' Link thought to himself, it was then an idea occurred to him, 'Wait, I was looking for a guard to steal the clothes from, this could actually work out!'

Link closed his eyes, before slowly opening them with a sensual look, mimicking the looks he'd get from some of the girls around Gerudo Town, especially his lovers Nabooru, Ruto, Kesuta and Korume.

"Why, do... you fancy me, Mr. Burao...?" Link asked, battling his eyes at him.

"Maybe I do, should we talk in another place?" Burao asked, a little surprised to see her speak like that.

"Perhaps we should..." Link whispered, as Burao left with him out the prisoner's chambers... 

* * *

Meanwhile, Nemisa was on her way to the washroom to prepare for her dance that night. When she arrived, she saw the door was sealed off and a guard was at the door.

"S-Sorry, madame, one of the guests got sick in this washroom." the guard said, trying his best not to gawk at Madame Scarlet, "Use the one over there by the guardroom." he said, gesturing in the directions of it, "It's down that hall and make a left, third door down."

"Thank you." nodded Nemisa, strolling off in the direction she was given.

When she turned the corner, she came across the sight of one of the guards walking down the hall towards her with a woman beside him, it seemed they were off to have some... 'fun' together she presumed. She looked to be wearing a traditional Gerudo outfit, and she had light skin and long blonde hair, she was indeed quite a beautiful lady...

But that's when she recognized the outfit, one from a long time ago, and then looked at the woman's face, and despite the hood and veil, realized who the person wearing it was, as the two entered a certain room.

Nemisa stood there blankly, but before saying one word.

"WHAT." 

* * *

Link slowly walked into the room with Burao, who closed the door behind them and locked it, putting the key away, while Link noticed in the corner of Burao's room was a strange blue crystal orb.

'That must be the orb to turn off the magic detection seal.' Link thought to himself, 'So this guy must be the head guard then... Well this worked out better then I thought.'

Link lowered his head, doing his best to look as shy as possible, as Burao walked up to him and put his hands on Link's shoulders.

"Are you nervous?" Burao asked.

"I'm not sure..." Link whispered, "I've never done something like this before..."

"All the better then." grinned Burao, "I'll make sure you enjoy yourself the whole night, and perhaps I can save you from the auction and let you live a comfortable and happy life."

"I'd... like that..." Link said softly, preparing himself for a chance to knock the man out cold and steal his clothes.

That was when the door was kicked open by a certain angry dancer in red silk garments.

"What?!" Burao exclaimed, turning to the invader, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I was about to ask that one the same question!" Nemisa shouted, looking at Link in particular.

"Nemi- uh, you're Madame Scarlet, right?" Link asked nervously, "I've heard much about you!"

"Don't give me that crap!" Nemisa shouted in annoyance at Link's attempt to disguise himself.

"Hey lady, we're busy here!" Burao shouted, "Take a hike before I call my guards to deal with-!"

It was then that Nemisa threw out her leg, kicking Burao in the face, sending him flying backwards and bashing his head into the wall, falling onto his bed unconscious.

Link just stood there, staring at Nemisa, relieved she was okay, but another feeling was brewing in him at that moment. He paused and then looked downward, as Nemisa closed the door behind her.

"You... what the hell are you doing here, your highness?!" shouted Nemisa, "You're going to ruin my plan! After everything I've worked for, I'm not about have you butt in and screw everything u-!"

"Nemisa." Link muttered, cutting her off.

"What is it?!" Nemisa shouted, still in a fury.

It was then that Link brought back his fist, and punched Nemisa across the face.

The dancer and martial artist was in shock of what her king had just done. She stood there frozen for a second, before turning to him.

"H-How dare you strike m-" her words were cut off by Link gripping onto her shoulders, and his head lowered, he then slowly rose his head up and Nemisa saw the look on his face.

He was definitely angry, but his body was trembling. His face was flushed bright red from being so upset, and there are tears forming in his eyes.

"Do you know... how worried I was about you, you idiot?!" Link shouted to her, "I was afraid you would had been captured, or worse!"

"Your highness..." Nemisa whispered in shock.

"You think I was just going to let you risk your life coming into the slaver's hideout to do whatever the hell you're trying to, alone?! I was worried as hell about you, and you could have ruined Nabooru's plan!"

"Slaver's... hideout?!" Nemisa exclaimed with wide eyes, "This is the slaver's hideout?"

"So you didn't know." Link confirmed to himself with some relief that she was unaware, "Yeah, this is the Wyvern's Nest, they do black market auctions for slaves they've captured! Me and the girls went in here undercover to prepare for the raid tonight before the auction itself, and you could have ruined everything!"

"I didn't realize," Nemisa said, "I was just focused on my mission..."

"For crying out loud, I thought I told you not to rush into situations like this! Remember what happened with the slave camp at the canyon?! I know you're not that thick!"

Having been too used to Link being the goofy and caring person he was, Nemisa stood there alarmed at how angry Link was being towards her, but then she narrowed her eyes and shouted back.

"...well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? What about that time you let yourself get swallowed by a Molderm, or that time you got careless fighting against Twinrova?!" shouted Nemisa back.

"At least I was trying to help people!" shouted Link, "What the hell are you trying to prove here?!"

"I need to take down the man that hurt me all those years ago!" Nemisa shouted, holding up her arm to show him the scar, and then telling Link what had happened to her with Jayde and Monsieur Adulph.

Link was in shock at her words, though they made more and more sense the more he thought about it, thinking back to her aggressive attitude, her actions back at the canyon, and her general hatred of men.

"That was the pain you've been suffering from all this time..." Link whispered, he should had been furious at her still, but all he could feel was bad for her in that moment.

"So you understand why I need to do this?! I need to take down that Jayde bastard so I can finally..." she cut herself off, realizing what she was about to say.

"So you can finally what...?" Link asked, looking at her intently.

"So..." Nemisa said looking down, reaching over and clutching at her wrist.

"So I can finally be the person I want to be."

"What do you mean?" Link asked.

"I've changed greatly over the past three years, from everything that happened to me... and frankly, the more time has gone on, I've gotten worse and worse... all I ever do is yell and be condescending to people, I beat you up over stupid little things, and I keep rushing into situations like this recklessly, I hate what I've become..." she muttered. "And the source of it all, was that man, Jayde."

"Nemisa..." Link muttered, "I'm still not sure what you mean. Exactly what kind of person do you want to be then?"

"...Madame Scarlet." Nemisa said.

"Huh? But aren't you already-"

"She's not just an alter ego I take on when I dance," Nemisa clarified, "She's the person I want to be... I mean fully want to be. When I dance, I can feel my worries and pain just go away... and I feel truly happy with life, but eventually I keep getting pulled back into that pain... That's why I need to kill that man for what he did to me, so I can finally end my suffering and be at peace."

Nemisa paused and took a deep breath, putting a hand to her chest, and looking directly into Link's eyes, her face flushed.

"...and I can finally become the woman you can truly love."

Link found himself blushing. While the other Gerudo tend to tease the two on becoming an inevitable couple, he never would had thought Nemisa would be the one to take the first step, "N-Nemisa, you're serious about this...?"

"Of course," Nemisa muttered, her body startled trembling, tears were forming in her eyes, as she went forward and put her arms on his shoulders, pressing herself against him, and leaning her head against his, "I want to not just be your protector and friend, but your lover and wife as well... Link, I love you!"

"Nemisa, I..." Link whispered.

"Let me finish!" she suddenly said, her face was bright red as tears starting falling down her cheeks, "I mean everything I said, I want you to hold me in your arms.. I want to feel your bare chest against my own, I want you to kiss me as you embrace me, I want you to take me in bed like you have Lady Nabooru and the others!"

Her tears continued to pour down her face, "I want to marry you along with the other girls... I want you to impregnate me with your children, I want to feel my belly swell with your babies as you hold me against your chest, I want to have a family with you..."

She then looked at him eye-to-eye.

"...and I want to be yours, forever."

Link was speechless to hear Nemisa confess all this to him, the stern, aggressive bodyguard speaking like a love struck young girl. She then in that moment closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Link's.

Link was caught off guard by Nemisa's forwardness, but he couldn't deny how much he enjoyed it. Nemisa's arms wrapped around his neck, as his arms wrapped around her waist, and the two held the kiss for what seemed like forever.

Nemisa soon broke the kiss, breathing heavily, "I finally did it, I finally said what I wanted to say..."

"Nemisa..." Link said, "A-Are you sure revenge is the answer to this? Do you really think it will make you happy?"

"No, it's merely the first step to that." Nemisa said.

"You don't have to do this to make me love you Nemisa," Link said, "I already do..."

"I know Link..." Nemisa said, "But this is something I must do, so I can finally love myself as well."

"I can't make you reconsider?" Link asked.

"No, but thank you..." Nemisa said smiling gently, which warmed Link's heart to see, "Just wait for me, and I'll return to your arms soon enough..."

"...alright then, but be careful." Link nodded.

"I will." she gave him another kiss, before leaving out the door of the room. Link just stood there motionless, thinking to himself about Nemisa's goal and the confession they made to each other. He wanted to help her, or even talk her out of doing it, but it was clear she didn't want it...

"Nemisa..." he muttered, then shook his head, "No time for that now, I have to deactivate the orb."

He stared down at the orb for a second, before giving it a swift kick, he heard a strange sound somewhere, as the orb changed to red.

"There, time to get going!" he nodded, he took a look over at the head guard's woozy self and decided leaving him alone wasn't a good idea.

After binding and gagging Burao's unconscious body in rope to ensure he didn't try to interfere, he took Burao's keys and left, locking the door behind him.

"Lileaf, I didn't think you were so dominating!" Burao muffled from his gag, while still in a daze.

* * *

_**Well that's it for now, Nemisa has finally confessed to Link, and both of their missions are underway, but will things work on both sides? Wait until next chapter to find out!**_

_**Like, follow, review, yadda yadda yadda.**_


	27. Assault on The Nest

_**Chapter 27 is here! This time Nemisa begins her plan to assassinate Jayde, but just how will it go down, and what weight will Link's words from the last chapter have on her...?**_

* * *

"Greetings to our esteemed guests!" shouted a slaver, standing on the theater stage of the Dark Salamander tavern, "Tonight we have an amazing show for you! The alluring exotic beauty, the red goddess of the dance, Madame Scarlet!"

The patrons of the black market auction all whispered and murmured to each other, having never heard someone like her before.

Meanwhile, Nemisa was standing behind the curtain. While dancing before an audience as Madame Scarlet wasn't out of the ordinary for her, this time it was before a crowd of mostly men. She had been able to practice her dance pretty easily by listening to the musicians rehearsal, but that wasn't the problem. The only man she had ever danced for before in the past was Link, and the idea of these men all looking at her was unnerving, she also knew among them her target was going to be watching as well. Nemisa gulped, she couldn't afford to screw this up...

It was then the curtain started to rise up, and she took a deep breath, getting into position.

As the curtain exposed her, the crowd gasped out.

"She's beautiful!" exclaimed one man.

"What a looker!"

"My, she's got some nice hips..." muttered one of the women in the crowd.

Nemisa closed her eyes and spread her arms out slowly, as the musicians started their melody, and she started to dance. Her hips swayed slowly, her arms moving up and down with the fluidity of water, her legs moved slowly with the pace of the music, and as she heard high notes her legs rose and swung out. The crowd said nothing, but sat in awe of her performance.

Nemisa took a curious glance out at the crowd, and in the near back she saw where the man she hated more then anyone, Jayde, was sitting. He was with about four other men, judging from the way they stood around him they seemed to be bodyguards, though for some odd reason all four of them wore thick scarves, perhaps a mark of their status?

She saw Jayde himself looked very much the same as before, the same handsome but despicable man she knew; the mature and calm demeanor, the clothing, the long blue hair, the thin-rimmed glasses, and the jewels that were no doubt hiding his sais. Through her graceful dance, she couldn't help but stare at Jayde, it was a grueling test for her to maintain the grace of her dance while knowing the one she hated was sitting back watching.

However, it was then she noticed Jayde looking at her intently, leaning forward and adjusting his glasses. Perhaps he was captivated by her, or did he recognize her as Nemisa? The latter seemed unlikely, as it had been about two years, and there was no way he'd think of her become a dancer, right?

As she continued on with her dance, she went noticed by one particular aristocrat in the crowd, who watched her carefully, and a small smirk formed on his lips...

Soon Nemisa could hear the music approaching it's end, and she decided to end it with a marvelous bound into the air, flipping into a somersault, making the crowd gasp out in awe, as she landed with a perfect poise on the final note.

With that, the crowd erupted into applause and whistling.

As she opened her eyes in that moment, she noted one particular man towards the back, a large burly one with an apple on his table who was giving her a standing ovation, sporting a wide grin. But she disregarded his praise, as her focus was instead on Jayde, who was clapping lightly with a small smile on his face, he gestured to one of his guards and whispered something to him. She wasn't sure what it was, but she hoped that Jayde would take the bait and allow her to meet him after the show.

* * *

"N-Nice work out there, Madame Scarlet." one of the slaver workers said, captivated by her beauty as he handed her a towel and some water.

"Thank you so much." Nemisa said, putting the towel on her shoulders to absorb the sweat from her dancing, and taking a sip of the water.

"One other thing, my boss, Mr. Jayde asked for you to meet with him in private in a bit, in order to discuss payment for your show tonight." the slaver said.

'Perfect. It won't be long now.' Nemisa thought to herself, glad her target saved her the trouble of having to ask, she then spoke up, "But of course, just notify me when he's ready to see me."

With that, she went off to her dressing room and gathered what she needed, she attached the steel bands to her wrists and legs, with the red silk of her dancer's garb hiding them underneath. She then took the gray chu capsules Sarami had provided and put one in her pocket.

"With this... I will finally have my revenge..." Nemisa whispered, she paused on that note, remembering what Link asked her earlier, but shook her head and went on her way.

* * *

"Here she is boss, Madame Scarlet." a slaver said, leading Nemisa into a backroom where Jayde was lounging on a chair, beside him was a single guard, who also wore a scarf like the others he had been with earlier. There was a single table between them, and some glasses of wine to drink from on it.

'That'll do nicely.' thought Nemisa, as much as she wanted to just attack him on the spot, she knew how dangerous he could be, and she had to wait for her chance. 'All I have to do is slip a gray chu capsule into the wine and make sure he drinks it. I can easily take out that guard right after, and then finish off Jayde himself.'

"My, a pleasure to meet the red goddess herself, Madame Scarlet." Jayde said, getting up from his seat and strolling over to her, taking her hand and giving it a gentle kiss, "The rumors of your reputation don't quite do you justice, my dear."

"The pleasure is all mine." Nemisa said in a pleasant tone, while in reality she was outright disgusted with his attempt to charm her.

"Well then, let's have a seat and we'll discuss the matter of your payment for the wonderful show you put on tonight." Jayde said.

Maybe it was just the lighting of the room, but as she sat down at the table, Nemisa couldn't help but think Jayde's hair seemed lighter then before, maybe whiter, but she put it out of her mind.

"You did an exquisite show tonight, and the patrons loved your performance, I suppose we couldn't trouble you to stay around? A lady of your beauty and grace will do nicely around here."

"I'm flattered," Nemisa said, "But this will be a one-night only show. I have other plans..."

"I suppose you will have an important future ahead of you." nodded Jayde, "Very well then, we were proposing the idea of two-hundred and fifty rupees for your show tonight, would that suffice?"

"Two-hundred and fifty? That seems off, I'm sure with the people you bring in that you could surely afford a larger sum?" Nemisa said, bating her eyelashes at him.

"Yes, I suppose." chuckled Jayde, "You drive a hard bargain, four hundred it is."

"Sounds good." Nemisa nodded.

As Jayde turned to the guard to notion them to get the payment, Nemisa took that as her chance, she pulled out the gray chu capsule she had and placed it into Jayde's wine, seconds before he turned back to her with the bag of rupees in hand. By the time he looked back, the capsule had quickly dissolved.

'Dr. Sarami, you're a miracle worker.' she thought to herself, happy to be able to trust the good doctor to produce something so helpful for her plan. Though at the same time, Nemisa felt a little guilty knowing this wasn't what Sarami had developed the capsule to use it for. Nemisa just tried to keep that out of her mind.

"I believe this will suffice?" he asked.

"Greatly." Nemsia nodded, "Now how about a toast then?" she asked, holding up her drink, "A toast to a great night, where anything can happen..."

"Sounds splendid." Jayde said smiling, holding up his wine glass.

They clinked their glasses together, and Nemisa watched intently as Jayde slowly brought the wine up to his lips...

...and then he swung it over his shoulder, causing the wine to fly out and splash to the ground harmlessly.

"Did you really think I would fall for something like that, red goddess?" Jayde asked with a smirk.

'What?' Nemisa thought with wide eyes, then spoke out loud, "I'm not sure what you mean..."

"You really thought you could lace my drink with something so obvious?" he smirked, shocking Nemisa.

"B-But how did you know I had done that...?" she asked baffled.

"Because my dear, you just told me." Jayde replied with a chuckle.

Nemisa froze up, a cold sweat trickled down her head. She was about to get up from her seat, but was forced back down by two men pushing down on her shoulders.

"Now then..." Jayde said, "It's time for my actual reason to call you here. I'm sure you're aware now of what this place really is, correct?"

"The Wyvern Keepers hideout..." Nemisa said coldly.

"Correct, and normally we sell off our slaves during the auction, but I've been asked by a certain clientele for an... off the record purchase."

Nemisa tried to get up again, but was forced back down, as she felt an odd but familiar feeling encase itself around her neck... a feeling very reminiscent of three years ago...

"No..." whispered Nemisa, realizing she had a slave collar around her neck again.

"We gladly accepted the rupees, such a large amount for a beautiful and exotic dancer like yourself. Makes me wonder what he has planned for you..." smirked Jayde.

"You.. bastard..."

Nemisa wasn't going to take this sitting down though, and in a surge of adrenaline, she flipped into the air off her chair. The guards couldn't even react in time as she kicked them both across their heads, knocking them to the ground. The other guard tried to grab her, but she swung around and punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and sending him to the ground. She then turned to Jayde who was still sitting calmly.

"My, such deadly fangs for a lovely one such as yourself." Jayde said, "You almost remind me of someone from long ago..." he sipped a fresh cup of wine given to him by a guard, "But I wouldn't try fighting back anymore if I were you, or..."

"Or what? You're electrocute me?" Nemisa asked, gesturing to the collar, "I'm stronger then you think, I can deal with a mild shock."

"Whoever said the collar did that?" Jayde asked, "That particular collar you wear was built from ancient Bombchu technology." he held out his hand as the guard handed him another collar like it, he then tossed it behind him and activated a small orb he had similar to the one that was used by Monsieur Adulph to keep her in line.

Only instead of causing an electric discharge, the collar exploded, causing Nemisa to gasp and freeze up.

"If you so much as try to defy me, forget a mild zap, you'll no longer have a head." Jayde chuckled, "Now prepare her to be taken away."

"No... NO!" screamed Nemisa, as she was taken by the guards and carried off, "YOU MONSTER!"

"Oh that reminds me, if you know what's good for you you'll stay quiet, so as not to attract attention. I can't have the other patrons know I'm doing special deals behind their backs." Jayde said, waving his hand dismissively..

Nemisa was in stunned silence, as she hung her head down, tears running down her face as a guard wrapped her up in a cloth, much like back when she was captured three years ago, and he carried her off over his shoulder.

'No... not again...' Nemisa thought to herself, 'He tricked me once again...'

In that moment, Nemsia wasn't even aware of where they were going exactly due to being wrapped up in the cloth, she could only hear voices around her.

"Hey, if you go that way she'll be seen by the patrons on the way out!" she could hear one of the guards say, "Take her through the prison chambers and down that one hall to the secret passage!"

"Oh, right. Sorry." the guard carrying her said.

Nemisa was carried down the halls of the prisoner's barracks towards her destination, she was too afraid to shout or even struggle with the bomb collar secured around her neck. As the guard carried her down the hallways, she could hear voices from other rooms.

"What are we going to do...? It's almost time for the auction..."

"I wish I had never met that man!"

"What use would they have for someone like me...?"

"We're doomed... we're doomed!"

"I wonder where my team is now...?"

"Mommy, I'm scared... what's going to happen to us?"

"I don't know honey..."

"Hey shut up in there!" she heard a guard shout, making the prisoners silent.

As Nemisa was carried down the hallway, she absorbed every word from who she assumed were the prisoners, soon to be slaves, that the Wyvern Keepers captured. Everything she heard felt like a blade plunged into her heart.

It was then she heard one woman shout out.

"You men are all bastards!"

Nemisa started to tremble, as horrible memories from her past flashed through her mind, her thoughts drifted to certain people she knew from years ago, her friend Erien, the other slaves in Monsieur Adulph's basement, and the sushi restaurant waitress who had been taken away by Jayde...

She couldn't even grip her wrist in that moment to collect her thoughts like she usually did. Tears ran down her eyes uncontrollably, as she recollected of all the mistakes she made that day, unwittingly sneaking into the slave hideout, attempting and failing to drug Jayde, her reckless attitude that Link called her out on...

And it was in that moment Link's words from before ran through her mind.

_"Are you sure revenge is the answer to this? Do you really think it will make you happy?"_

Nemisa hung her head down, and wept softly, at the realization of her greatest mistake.

'What have I done...?' she thought to herself, 'Link... I'm sorry...'

* * *

Meanwhile, Link manged to sneak back into the prisoner chambers without being caught by any guards, and arrived at the room where Aviel, Togau and Nemisa all sat, waiting for the moment to strike.

"Well good news." Link said, "I found the magic detection seal. It's been deactivated, and as far as I know, no one's the wiser."

"Alright, nice work!" Togau said.

"How about Nemisa? Did you find her yet?" Aviel asked worriedly.

"Yeah..." Link sighed, he had a light blush on his cheeks as he thought of her, and all the things she said and did to him, "She has an important mission here, but hopefully she can help us soon."

Sarami in particular didn't miss his reaction. She had a small guess as to what went down with the two earlier, and she gave a near silent giggle.

"So we ready to start then?" Togau asked grinning.

"Yeah, we just need to sneak out of here and report to Lady Nabooru before the auction starts." Link nodded.

"Link!" shouted Remo, barging into the room, carrying some things on his back wrapped in a thick cloth. Whatever they were, they were making clanging sounds.

"Remo, what's wrong?!" Link asked.

"It's bad..." gasped Remo, "Ms. Nemisa's been captured!"

"WHAT?" Link exclaimed in his normal voice as opposed to fake woman's voice, surprising some of the other prisoners there.

"No... Nemisa..." Aviel said sadly.

"Please, you must tell us what happened!" Sarami pleaded.

"One of the slaver bosses captured her and she's been sold to some rich guy! She's being taken to one of the secret exits as we speak!" Remo explained.

"Where in tarnation is this exit?!" Togau demanded.

"I just found out about it, it's down the hallway, hang a right at the end, then make an immediate left, down the hall, then make the second right you come to, you'll find a dead end, but just pull on the third torch from the left!" Remo said, "That'll open a door that leads to the secret exit!"

Link paused, he clenched his fists as he thought about the woman who just confessed to him and kissed him not too long ago, the one who promised she'd be fine, "Nemisa... we made a promise... I can't let this happen, I won't lose her!"

"Here," Remo said, setting down the bag, "I managed to get this." he opened the cloth and revealed a sword, a shield, a crossbow and an ax, "It's not much, but it's the best I could do with the weapon types you asked for."

"Nah, these will do nicely." Link said, picking up the sword and shield, "Thank you so much Remo."

"This isn't as nice as mine, but I can get the hang of it." Aviel said, aiming the crossbow upwards.

"Yeah, soon those bastards will get what's comin' to them!" Togau said.

This didn't go unnoticed by the prisoners, who were shocked to see them all with weapons.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" asked one in confusion.

"This is a prison break!" grinned Aviel, "The Gerudo are all stationed outside ready to save you all!"

"The... Gerudo?" exclaimed a Hylian, "Why would they help us?"

"Do we need a reason?" Togau asked, swinging her ax with a grin, "We ain't gonna let you folks get sold away like these bastards want, just hang on until we start the action!"

The prisoners were in awe of the Gerudo girls determination and kindness, and they all nodded to them.

"Okay, I'm going to go save Nemisa," Link said, "Remo, you get outside and tell Nabooru we need to begin the raid!"

Aviel handed Remo the crude map she drew of the Nest, "Show this to Lady Nabooru, she can probably figure it out where the other secret exits are from this."

"Alright!" Remo nodded, as he ran off.

"You girls keep low, I'll try to make it back before the guards go after the prisoners." Link told Aviel, Togau and Sarami.

"Fu-fu-fufufu... Don't worry." Sarami said, adjusting her glasses, "I'll see to it they'll pay if they try to so much as lay a hand on any of them. Just promise me when the two of you reunite that you and Nemisa will kiss and make up."

"R-Right..." Link said, wondering if Sarami somehow already knew what he and Nemisa had talked about.

With that, he turned and ran out the door with the directions Remo told him, hurrying to save Nemisa.

* * *

"Lady Nabooru!" shouted Remo, frantically running across the desert towards the Gerudo's hiding spot behind the sand dunes, "It's time! We need to launch the raid now!"

"So Link and the others did it?" Nabooru exclaimed, "Is the magic detection orb dealt with?"

"Yes!" Remo said, gasping out as a Gerudo handed him water to drink, "They also made this map for us to find the secret exits!" he pulled out the map and showed it to the Gerudo leader.

"Hmm... not much to work with..." Nabooru muttered, "There isn't much detail to it... we still don't know where the prisoners could be evacuated from..."

"Hang on, lemme see it." Reirousa said, taking the map from Nabooru and examining it closely. She then observed a more detailed map the spies had made of the exterior of the area. The muscular solider took a look up at the building, and the hills around them, before nodding to herself.

"Alright, the exits should be around here, here, here..." Reirousa said, drawing Xs on the spies' map, with everyone gathered around and observing "... here... and right here!"

"I'm... genuinely impressed!" Nabooru said wide eyed, "Nice work!"

"Uh, thanks." Reirousa said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly as the other Gerudo women complemented her, "S-So can we start smashing stuff then already...?"

"Not yet, first we have some pompous rich folk to deal with." Nabooru said, as she turned to Kesuta and Korume, "Okay, now with the magic detector seal gone, you can do just like we planned!"

"Goody!" Kesuta said, rubbing her hands together, generating some flames, "It's time those rich fools get a taste of our technique!"

"Then we'll go in and find the poor innocent souls that we seek." giggled Korume with a rhyme.

* * *

In the tavern, the noblemen and aristocrats were sitting around, sipping wine and eating some imported food the tavern had prepared for that night, patiently awaiting the slaves to be shown off for the auction.

"I wonder what slaves they'll have for us this time?" spoke one nobleman.

"I don't know, I kind of wanted that alluring dancer, myself!"

"Hopefully their supply tonight will be up to par with her."

"Yes, of course, I'm not leaving until I see something that really surprises me!" laughed one of them.

"...hey, do you all suddenly feel a chill...?" asked one aristocrat, rubbing his arms.

"No, but I do feel heated." gasped another, wiping his brow with a handkerchief, "This accursed desert weather is so unpredictable!"

"Hey, what's that?" asked one of the patrons, pointing out something over at the theater.

Everyone looked to see an orange and a blue wisp appear in the air and float around.

"W-What are they?" asked one patron.

"I don't know... they're kinda pretty though..." said his wife, leaning a little forward to get a good look at them.

"Maybe this is another show?" asked another nobleman.

They all sat and watched as the wisps started flying around, and more started to appear over time.

"Hey, what's going on here?" asked a slaver guard to another.

"Beats me, didn't know there was another show tonight." whispered the other.

As the wisps grew in number, they all stopped in motion, before floating downwards to get close to the crowd...

"Huh...?"

And then all the wisps let out a horrifyingly loud wail, as they all grew hollow-looking eyes and gaping mouths, giving off a deadly aura to them all.

The patrons sat there for a few seconds, before all yelling out in panic.

"G-Ghosts!" shouted one nobleman.

"I'm scared honey, save me!" screamed one of the aristocrats' wives as the wisps flew around them.

"Everyone calm down!" shouted a slaver, though he was just as shaken and nervous as they were, "We have this under contro-"

It was then an orange wisp floated down and wailed at the slaver, before breathing fire in his face, causing him to fall to the ground burnt and out cold.

"We gotta get out of here!" shouted a patron, as they all scrambled out of the tavern, all afraid for their lives, until all that was left was the slavers and the wisps, but once all the patrons had retreated, the wisps seemed to all vanish.

"W-What the hell just happened here?!" asked a slaver, "Master Rassan and Jayde aren't going to be happy to find out our patrons ran away!"

"What are we going to tell them?" shouted another, "That a bunch of spooks just scared them out?!"

"Hey there boys, losing business?" spoke up a voice, as the slavers turned to see Nabooru, Reirousa, Kesuta, Korume, Remo, Usaulu and a large group of other Gerudo all at the door. Nabooru held her twin scimitars with a smug grin on her face.

"It's... it's the Gerudo! What do you all want?!" shouted a slaver.

"We're here to take back our sisters." Reirousa said, holding her warhammer on her shoulders.

"And the other prisoners as well." Kesuta said, snapping her fingers and making a small ember.

"We'll give you two choices, either scurry away like dirty little cockroaches... or battle us and die." Korume said, conjuring ice spears in her hands.

"Um, please?" Remo asked timidly.

"H-Hey, it's that Brown Geckos kid, the one that brought the new slaves!" pointed out one of the slavers, "Did he get captured by those bitches?"

"S-sorry guys." Remo said, hiding behind Usaulu, "I'm working with the Gerudo now."

"The little traitorous bastard..." fumed one of the slavers.

"So what is it going to be, you going to give up, or do we need to do this the hard way?" Nabooru smirked.

"That's it, kill them all!" shouted a slaver, as they charged into battle.

"Sisters, strike them down!" shouted Nabooru, as the Gerudo charged in as well.

"Bout damn time!" shouted Reirousa, swinging out her hammer and smashing it into a slaver, before bringing down her weapon with such force that it repelled several more away.

"Die you giant bitch!" shouted a hysterical slaver, running at Reirousa with a sword, only to suddenly be scorched by a surge of fire erupting from under him, leaving him covered in soot and collapsing to the ground.

"I won't have you hurting my dear sister." Kesuta said with a grin. She looked up at Reirousa and the two nodded, before charging into more battles.

"This is insane!" shouted one slaver, "We gotta go warn the bosses!" he was about to turn when he saw a ghostly ice wisp floating there, which wailed out and exploded on him, freezing him completely over.

"Too late." Korume said to the frozen man, before going off to aide her friends.

* * *

While that was going on, the guard escorting Nemisa had just arrived outside in a guarded exit behind the Wyvern's Nest. At the exit was a few more guards and a secluded road with a fancy horse carriage stationed there, and standing by the carriage was a rich nobleman from the theater, the same one that had his eye on Madame Scarlet intently.

"Here she is." the guard said, setting down the cloth and removing it, showing off Nemisa, who was hugging herself in fear as the bomb collar was secured on her neck. She looked around for any chance to escape, but the exit was closed off in all directions except the path, and she couldn't even harm a guard without risking the collar getting activated and blowing her up.

"Very nice! She's even more a beauty from up close!" the rich nobleman said, leaning forward and getting a good look at her, as one of the guards handed him the activation orb for the bomb collar.

Nemisa shivered, he reminded her too much of Monsieur Adulph, only this time if she didn't fall into line, the punishment would be even worse then electrocution... and it only made her worry more about what he would do to her...

"Well let's get going then!" the nobleman said with a smirk, "I have big plans for you tonight!"

Nemisa shut her eyes tightly, as she started to take the first step towards her new life...

"NEMISA!"

It was then she heard a loud voice shout, snapping her out of her trance.

"L-Link?!" Nemisa exclaimed, turning to see Link sprinting right at the group, holding a sword and shield.

A guard unsheathed his sword, "Hey, what do you think you're doin-" but the guard was stricken down by Link impaling him in the throat with his sword.

"That's it, you're dead!" another guard said to Link, alongside another guard. The two were was about to cut down Link, but the Hylian swordsman lunged up and slashed them both down in single blows as well.

"H-Hey, keep back you crazy woman!" shouted the nobleman to Link in a panic, unaware of him being a guy thanks to his disguise, "I'll blow up her collar! I mean i-"

It was then that Link turned to the nobleman and glared at him, between his hood and veil were a pair of blank white angry eyes, and some blood splattered on his clothes from the dead guards.

"Give me the orb and her key, and leave, now." Link muttered in a cold voice.

The nobleman paled white and started to shake, he nervously nodded and handed Link the orb and key, hastily turned and ran for his carriage and hopping in, as it rode off in a hurry.

"Link," whispered Nemisa, the two of them now alone, "You came for me..."

"Of course I did!" Link said, he used the key to unlock her bomb collar, and then hugged her once she was free, "Damn it... I told you to be careful..."

"I'm so sorry, I was a fool..." whispered Nemisa, hugging him back.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're safe now." Link said sporting his goofy grin from under his veil. Nemisa couldn't help but smile seeing his light-hearted attitude once again.

"Listen, we're about to start the plan." Link then said, "Nabooru's going to be launching her assault on the Wyvern's Nest anytime now, and we'll need your help to fight."

Nemisa closed her eyes, thinking to herself, then giving a nod.

"Very well, but I still need to go after that man first." Nemisa said, "I can't let him escape."

"Nemisa... I really don't think-" Link started, but was cut off by Nemisa removing his veil and kissing him on the lips.

"Don't worry." Nemisa said with a gentle smile and a light blush, placing her hand on Link's chest, "I know what I have to do now."

Link was hesitant to allow her to do it at first, but it was then he saw the look in her eyes. She was no longer hesitant or worried as she was last time he saw her, now she had a look of determination and confidence, the Nemisa he knew and loved, and he felt in that moment he understood what she was doing and why.

"...all right." Link said smiling, "But for now, we'll go together."

Nemisa nodded with a smirk. She removed her dancer's hood and veil and rolled her hair up into a makeshift bun, before the two of them went running back into the Wyvern's Nest, to confront the masterminds behind the Wyvern Keepers organization...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter! With her new resolve, Nemisa is ready to take down Jayde for real, but does she stand a chance? Find out next time!**_

_**Thanks again for all your guy's support. Please take the time to leave likes, follows or reviews, as those have been a major motivation for me to continue this story as long as it's been.**_


	28. The Final Curtain

_**And now we finally get to the confrontation between Nemisa and Jayde. Will this be an easy victory for the Gerudo, or does her target have something up his sleeve...?**_

* * *

"What the hell is going on here?!" shouted a slaver, running up to some others in the caves of the Wyvern's Nest.

"I-It's the Gerudo, they're attacking the Nest!" shouted his comrade.

"They scared off our patrons, and they said they're here to save the prisoners!" said another.

"What?! Well get the prisoners out of here through the secret exits then!" shouted the first slaver.

"We tried, but each exit is being blocked off by more Gerudo, they have us surrounded!" explained another.

"Damnit..." grimaced the slaver, hanging his head down, "This organization is finished..."

* * *

The Gerudo were on an all-out assault on the Wyvern's Nest, some slavers were forced to retreat, while those who battled were stricken down by the overwhelming power of the desert tribe.

"Keep away from me!" screamed a Hylian woman as she was escaping from a slaver who chased after her amid all the chaos going on. The slaver grabbed her by her wrist and was about to kill her with his sword, but he was suddenly shot In the forehead by an arrow and impacted to the ground. The lady gasped out, and looked over to see Aviel was lowering her crossbow with her goggles on.

"Told you fate can change!" Aviel grinned. The woman stood in shock, before her eyes teared up, and she went running over hugging Aviel in gratitude.

Meanwhile Sarami stood calmly as she found herself surrounded by slavers, she was holding two of the prisoners protectively in her arms.

"Heh, I hate having to kill a pair of hooters like you, but you crossed the line tonight, lady!" said one of the slavers, slowly approaching her and the prisoners with his sword along with his comrades.

"Fu-fu-fufufu..." Sarami giggled, her glasses giving off a mischievous gleam, "You're the ones who all just crossed a line you'll regret..."

"Huh?" asked the slaver, looking down to see a large circle of yellow goop on the ground, "What's this?"

"Yellow chu jelly, in it's basic form. Yellow chuchus are capable of releasing static discharge at will, but when removed from the nucleus gland, the composition itself can randomly release excess electricity over time..." she explained.

"Huh...?" asked one of the slavers.

"Take care of yourselves..." she whispered to the slavers, pulling the prisoners themselves closer to her for protection, "And thank you in advance for the payment of your medical bills."

With that, the yellow chu jelly released a powerful electric shock, zapping the whole lot of slavers that had surrounded Sarami and the prisoners, and they all fell to the ground unconscious.

"Oh my, this is going to take a while." Sarami sighed, putting a hand to her cheek, as she knelt down and started working on treating the slavers' shock wounds, taking time to help herself to their money as well.

* * *

In another area of the Nest, some slavers were frantically trying to get all the black market items they were going to sell at the auction together to escape with, it ranged from weapons and equipment to strange mystical items and treasures.

"Hurry up!" shouted a slaver, "Before those Gerudo bitches show up!"

"What do we do with this thing?" asked another slaver, holding up what was some kind of headdress with a hairy mane and horns sticking out of it.

"Dunno, we swiped it from some weird guy, just put it with the other stuff before they get h-"

"Howdy!" spoke up a voice, causing the slavers to freeze up and look over to see Togau standing at the door with a cheeky wave, and accompanied by other Gerudo soldiers, "You boys need a hand with that stuff?"

"Kill them!" shouted the slaver, rushing at Togau with their weapons, but the rancher and her team took them down with little effort.

"Sister Togau, what should we do with all this?" asked a Gerudo, looking around at the black market items.

"What else?" grinned Togau "We'll take the lot of it! I'll have to organize what's worth selling and what we should get rid of later on." she said, her merchant instincts kicking in.

As the Gerudo went to work gathering everything, Togau took a look around the room herself and saw a strangely empty spot of the room where it looked like a long container used to be. Judging from the look of that area something pretty big had just been moved just before they got there.

"Huh, wonder what that was?" Togau muttered, as her foot kicked something on the ground. She picked it up to see it was the horned headdress one of the slavers had.

"And what the bahooty is this...?"

* * *

In another area, Link and Nemisa were battling against the slavers. Link struck one down with his sword, while Nemisa smashed another away with a sweeping kick. Some more slavers came to ambush them, but Link and Nemisa stood back-to-back and nodded to each other, before switching places and taking down the opposite slaver. More came at them but the two clashed with their sword and fists, Nemisa flipped over Link's back and kicked a man, while Link brought up his sword and slashed another. It was almost balladic how they moved in sync with each other, like a dance of battle.

Soon the slavers were all taken down, one particular man laid against the wall, groaning out in a daze, as Nemisa knelt down and grabbed him by his shirt.

"Where is your boss, Jayde?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

The slaver was in a panic at the Gerudo's strength, and told them exactly where Jayde was, even blurting out the location of the lead boss, Master Rassan out of fear for his life.

"Very well." Nemisa said, standing and turning to Link, "I need to confront Jayde and settle matters with him."

"Alright." Link nodded, "Then I'll go take on the big boss, and we'll bring an end to all this."

But just before they split ways, a new voice spoke out.

"Lifeaf! There you are!"

"Oh no." Link said pale faced, as they saw the head guard Burao running up to them.

"I've been looking all over for you! Fear not, I'll protect you from this vile woman, and we'll escape this place and run off together!" he said valiantly, holding his sword out at Nemisa, "Then we can finally run off together and be wed!"

"Uh, I hate to break this to you..." Link said rubbing the back of his head, "But the truth is, I'm a guy."

Burao stood there without a word, as Link and Nemisa both watched and waited for his reaction.

"Ha... haahahaha!" Burao laughed hysterically, "I know you're nervous, but you don't have to make up things like that, my love!"

"No, he really is a guy." Nemisa said flatly.

"Rubbish!" Burao shouted, "I refuse to believe a lie like that! Just look at that perfect slender body, those hips, that long blond hair, those sapphire eyes, that silky feminine voice, there's no way she could possibly be a-!"

That was when Nemisa rolled her eyes and pulled down Link's pants, showing Burao what laid between Link's legs. Link himself was a little mortified at what she did in that moment.

Burao meanwhile stood there blankly, his eyes widened like dinner plates, looking as if his head was lost to the cosmos of space itself.

There was silence in that moment, as Burao chuckled a little, then laughed a bit more...

Before he impacted onto the ground with an audible thud, and fell unconscious in the crater he had created from the impact of his collapse.

Link pulled up his pants as he and Nemisa both stared down at the man. Link thought to himself for a second, before deciding to remove his hood, veil, wig, and chest top, to avoid anymore confusion.

"I... need to go now... and confront Jayde..." Nemisa muttered, blushing red as she tried to avoid staring at Link's body.

"O-Okay.." Link said.

"And, when this is all over..." Nemisa then took a deep breath, and boldly turned to him, gently throwing her arms around his shoulders, "The two of us shall return home, and I'll show you just how strong my love for you is now... all night long, and forever after that..."

"...I'm looking forward to it." Link said with a smile, "Now let's go take down those bosses and finish this!" he added with his fist pumped.

"Right, good luck Link!" Nemisa nodded with a smirk.

"You too Nemisa." Link nodded back to her, and with that the two parted ways.

* * *

"Boss, the Gerudo are overwhelming us!" shouted a slaver, bursting into Master Rassan's room, "We tried to evacuate the prisoners, but they got the drop on us there too!"

"Is that so?" Master Rassan asked, looking up from his apple, "Waahahaha!, these girls are something else!" he laughed.

"Boss, this is serious! What should we do?" asked the slaver.

Master Rassan just took a large bite of the apple and paused, before calmly saying "Get as many as our boys out of here as possible, your lives aren't worth losing here."

"But-"

"Go on, get the ones still living out of here..." he repeated, "And collect whatever resources you can, to find a new way to live." Rassan then said in an unusually serious tone for him.

"What about you, boss...?" the slaver asked worriedly.

"I'll wait here for whoever shows up, and fight to the end.." Rassan said with his eyes closed, "As of now, the Wyvern Keepers are finished..."

"...o-okay boss..." the slaver said, he grimaced a bit, before falling to his hands and knees, "Thank you... for everything you've done for us!"

"...waahahahaha, just get out of here." Rassan chuckled, as the slaver left.

The burly man finished his apple and laid backwards onto a chair, as he gripped the handle of his strange whip, and looked upwards, not so much at the ceiling of his room, but beyond it into the skies,

"I hope I've done you proud up until now, sir..."

* * *

In another room, the second-in-command slave leader Jayde was calmly gathering his possessions, packing them up into bags. His room was rather large compared to most areas of the cave, as he liked his space. Among everything in his room the thing that stood out the most was a large wooden platform in the center that was slightly elevated a couple feet above the cave floor, his bed and dining table both set up on it.

He had just been notified of the raid on the Wyvern's Nest, and knowing not even he could fight off so many Gerudo, that it was time to escape through his own private hidden passage.

"I don't know if I have time to get that particular thing..." Jayde pondered to himself, "I'll just have to make due with what I can, and if those guards know what's good for them, they'll come with me..."

"Sir!" shouted one of Jayde's scarf-wearing bodyguards, running into Jayde's room, he was badly injured and bruised. "The... the dancer Gerudo... she struck down all of your men... she's on her wa-"

But the guards' words were cut off permanently by Nemisa coming up from behind and kicking him across the back of the head, sickeningly cracking his neck as he fell to the side dead. Nemisa ran past the guard's body and stood on the wooden platform, staring coldly at the blue-haired handsome man.

"Jayde..." Nemisa muttered.

"Ah, the lovely Madame Scarlet..." Jayde smirked, standing up from gathering his things and whisking a hand through his hair, "So you've come back to me."

"I'm here to end this." Nemisa said coldly, going into a battle pose, "You're going to die here tonight."

"My such a temperament, but with such heated passion." Jayde observed, "You remind me of someone long ago... but I can't quite remember them exactly..."

"Then I'll make you remember." Nemisa said, "...what you did to me those years ago."

"Very well." Jayde said, he pulled off the sais from his outfit and brandished them, doing into a pose himself, "Then let us dance a duel of death on this beautiful night!"

With that, Nemisa and Jayde ran at each other into battle. Jayde swung his sai at Nemisa, but she leaned right to dodge, before throwing a punch straight at his face, but he ducked down and swiped at her stomach, but she managed to dodge by doing a backflip away.

"You dare try to harm my beautiful face?" Jayde said with a smirk, then swung his sais out at her to impale her, but she dodged left and right, before going into a twirl and swinging her leg at him, but he leaped upwards to avoid it. He then swung his sais downwards at her, but Nemisa brought up her wrists and blocked the sais with them, repelling Jayde backwards.

"W-What?" Jayde exclaimed, before Nemisa rushed in and swung at him, but he dodged to the side, "How on earth did you block that without...?"

That was when he saw the sais had ripped at the sashes on her wrists, revealing the steel bands under them.

"Oh... so that's how you do it..." smirked Jayde.

"With these steel bands I can battle any opponent, weapon or not." Nemisa said.

"In that case, I suppose I'll have to deal with that." Jayde said, pulling a small orb out from his pocket and clicking it.

All of a sudden, Nemisa could feel her arms and legs getting heavy, as she was forced down onto the wooden platform, and found her wrists and shins were stuck to the floor.

"W-What is this?!" exclaimed Nemisa, attempting to pull her limbs up, only to see they were immobilized, "My limbs feel attached to the ground..."

"That my dear is the Magnetic Orb beneath this floor." Jayde explained, tapping his foot on the wooden platform, "It creates a force that attracts any iron or steel object and forces it down, just a sample of the treasures we've acquired with our connections to the black market." he spun his sais in his hands and slowly walked towards her.

"Wait... how come your weapons aren't being affected?" Nemisa asked, staring at the sais as she was trying to pull up her limbs.

"These sais are crafted from one-hundred percent pure sapphire and emerald jewels, beautiful but effective and deadly, and not affected by magnetism." smirked Jayde.

"You're got to be kidding me..." Nemisa muttered, and started dragging her wrist across the floor towards her other wrist, as Jayde slowly walked closer and closer to her.

"Now it's time to bring an end to this..." Jayde said standing over her, he brought his sai up into the air, aiming it at her head.

"Shit!" Nemisa panicked, finally getting her hand close enough to her other wrist to undo the steel band, then undid the other one, just as Jayde brought down his sai. Nemisa quickly sat up to avoid the sai coming down, before undoing the bands on her shins and back-flipping to get some distance from him.

'This is bad...' thought Nemisa, 'I could fight him easily before with my bands... but without them I have no way to defend myself...'

Jayde stood and stared at her, noticing something unusual on her now exposed wrist, specifically the red scar on it.

"My, that's quite a nasty wound you have there..." Jayde pondered, "...you said we've met before this...?"

Nemisa didn't say a word but glared at him.

"Wait... now I remember you..." Jayde realized with a smirk, "You're the graceful shining jewel from three years ago... the one I captured back at that old tavern in Hyrule..." he then narrowed his eyes coldly, "Nemisa, the one who caused our great organization to fall apart all that time ago..."

"I'm glad you finally remember..." Nemisa said, glaring back at him as well, "And I intend to finish the job tonight."

"Is that so...? Just try it." Jayde said with a smirk.

With that, Nemisa rushed at Jayde and the two went into battle again. Nemisa found it harder to fight though without her steel bands. She couldn't defend herself and relied fully on dodging his sais. He managed to fake her out and get a swipe at her arm, but she took a breath before bringing up her leg and kneeing him in the stomach, causing him to stagger back, though he quickly shook it off.

"There's one question I need answered from you..." Nemisa said, backing up a bit, planning her next move as she spoke, "Back when I was captured by that slaver three years ago, I could hear you calling out for me. You sounded so concerned and scared for me... even though you were the one that set all that up. Why was that?"

"Heh, it's simple, my dear." Jayde said, spinning his sai, "This beautiful face of mine, is a blessing from the goddess, but also carries a curse; you wouldn't believe how many women practically throw themselves at me just from a kind glance. At first it was problematic, but over time I understood what I could do with my looks and charm, and I became a powerful part of the Wyvern Keepers. The more women I charmed, the more I took a liking to it, and I ultimately realized that I could charm just about any woman's heart."

Nemisa took a breath, and the two rushed at each other, she threw punches while Jayde thrust his sais. Both sides were quick to dodge each attack, though came dangerously close to hitting each other.

Jayde continued as he attacked, "When I enslave a woman, I don't just capture her, I imprison her heart. I tell her words that make her believe even after they're captured and sold into slavery, that I love her to the bitter end. The thought that she's longing for me, the thought that she's hoping for the day we reunite and come together again..." he let a relieved sigh, "It fills me with pure ecstasy."

"You're insane..." Nemisa said in shock of his attitude, dodging an attack, then managing to get a jab on him, but he recovered quickly.

"Perhaps I am, my dear Nemisa." smirked Jayde, swinging his sai and getting a good slash across Nemisa's side, making her scream out and fall to her knee, "But knowing there's so many slave women are out there pining for me... wanting to be free and become one with me... I just savor the thought."

He started slowly waking up to her, "And you my dear are just the same, I've captivated your heart more then any other. You would go to this length to confront me, and for what? Petty revenge? Do you really think that's all it will take to relieve you of your obsession with me? Say you hate me as much as you want, but I own you."

"...no... you don't own me..." Nemisa said, swinging her leg up and kicking him in the chest, sending him backwards in surprise. She got up and glared at Jayde, "The man who my heart belongs to is the one who truly cares for me, who I protect with all my strength... the one who treats me with kindness despite how badly I've treated him... and the one who will become the great King of The Gerudo... that man's name is Link."

"Link...?" muttered Jayde, "Where have I heard that name before...?"

"I have to admit, in some small ways, Link reminds me much of you... one in particular is he has a way with women... but the difference between him and you in that way is he doesn't lie to them or play with their hearts for personal gain. He won their hearts with his kindness and valor, and that includes myself. Some day I intend to marry him and bear his children, alongside the others that he's forged such close bonds with in their own special ways, and defeating you is part of my resolve to do so!"

"You're kidding me..." Jayde said, but then smirked lightly and stood up straight, "And again, you truly think revenge against me will allow you to achieve this resolve? Will that truly relieve you of your melancholic pain?"

"No..." Nemisa said, she was about to reach down to squeeze her scarred wrist, but stopped herself and looked up at him, "This isn't about revenge, at least not anymore. You hurt me greatly in the past... you scarred me in ways I thought could never heal, but I've come to remember I'm not the only one you've hurt with your ways."

Her mind went back to the three girls captured at the canyon, the one who managed to escape and cry out for help, the girls she overheard in the prisoner chambers in the Wyvern's Nest earlier... then her mind flashed back to the far past, the slaves held in Monsieur Adulph's control, the poor waitress that Jayde had taken away at Kakariko Village.

And most importantly, Erien, the girl who helped her find happiness even in the worst times, and recalled the words she told her...

"_Nemisa... someday you'll know what it feels to truly be happy..."_

"This isn't about revenge, this is about defeating you, and putting an end to the Wyvern Keepers. So that no other person has to suffer like me or any of them did. That is my resolve, and that's what will help me truly become who I want to be, and find that happiness I sought!" Nemisa shouted, "And that happiness is to be with my beloved Link!"

Nemisa then lunged at Jayde with a punch, but he ducked and swiped at her, to which she back-flipped. Jayde's sai managed to swipe at her hair though, which caused the hair-bun she made to loosen and unravel, causing her beautiful long hair she typically kept concealed to flow out. She then lunged forward and punched him hard in the stomach, causing him to stagger backwards.

"So... that's it then... huh...?" Jayde muttered, hanging his head low, Nemisa stared at him for a brief moment, and it was then that the blue-haired handsome man brought his head up and glared coldly at her.

"I... will not... allow it." Jayde thrust out his sai and pointed it at her, "Your heart is one of my most beautiful trophies, and that man shall never claim my property! When this is over, I'll slay this Link person myself!"

"Hmph, you can never harm him, he's too strong for the likes of you." Nemisa said, she then sported a smirk, "And for that matter he's not a coward."

"What.. did you just imply...?" Jayde asked, his eye twitching ever so slightly.

"Something had been bothering me for a while about you..." she said, "But I've come to realize you're afraid, paranoid even. When you threatened me at the sushi restaurant you said you had half the restaurant full of your men... and even earlier today you threw away your wine without even knowing whether it was tainted or not."

"Is that all you have to say to assume that?" shrugged Jayde, "I'm just cautious."

"Maybe if that was all it was to it, but then I realized something else." as Nemisa reached back and pulled out the slave bomb collar that he had put on her earlier, "The reason your guards wear those scarves is because they all have slave collars like this on them as well." she then removed the scarf from the body of the dead guard, showing that indeed the scarf had been covering a bomb collar, "And you have this magnetic orb underneath your own personal bedroom. You didn't have it here with me in mind, since you didn't know I had my steel bands until just a moment ago. You had this here for anyone that happens to come in to try to attack you."

"Hmph... the observant type, are we...?" Jayde muttered.

"The truth is, you've become afraid of everything, more then likely after what happened to the Wyvern Keepers three years ago. You can't trust anyone anymore, not even your own bodyguards." Nemisa accused.

"I don't need trust, I just need complacency," Jayde scowled, "All others do is backstab and hurt you."

"That's how I used to think, because of what you did to me... but Link showed me otherwise. Unlike you with your own bodyguards, Link completely trusts his life to me, and I feel the same with him. It's that mutual trust that keeps us together, and whenever I tried to break that trust, I would only end up getting hurt... "

Her mind thought back to times like those, such as the slaver battle in the canyon, and when she was captured a little while ago by Jayde himself, and Link saving her each time.

"...but then Link would just come right back and protect me. I can't help but love him, and I want to be by his side forever. So I plan to seal our bond of trust together permanently, by becoming his beloved wife, now and forever!" Nemisa said firmly with her arms folded..

Jayde paused and stood, not saying a word in reaction to Nemisa for the longest time. It was then at that moment his smirk seemed to creep upwards, and become much more chilling and sinister.

"This Link... so he truly has taken your heart..." Jayde chuckled darkly, "Once I've killed the both of you and split apart that 'bond of trust' you rant on so much about... I'll come back here and claim it for myself..."

He then reached into the bag he was stuffing with possessions earlier and held up a sealed bottle. What Nemisa saw in the bottle outright shocked and repulsed her.

"As any other woman that dared defy me... I shall take your heart as my reward... just like this one..." he said with a slow and eerie voice.

"You truly are insane..." Nemisa muttered, stepping back.

"Now die, my graceful shining jewel!" Jyade exclaimed lunging at her, he brought up his sais to slash her, and Nemisa impulsively tried to block with her arms, but remembered her steel bands were undone, so she tried to dodge out of the way, but got slashed across her arms. She staggered back as Jayde came at her again, this time aiming his sais at her chest.

In that moment Nemisa closed her eyes, and thought about what her karate master Tuldon told her, about maintaining a calm mind and a calm body. Her thoughts drifted to Link, and everyone else she was fighting for, remembering the dancing she practiced with her friend Erien back at the mansion, and when she danced with Link at the night club, and in that moment, she could hear the gentle tune of the music box, without even holding the green jewel.

She took a deep breath, and gracefully swayed her body to the side to avoid it, catching Jayde off guard, as she kicked him across the back. He turned and swiped at her again, but she leaped up and kicked him backwards, before running forward and landing a powerful punch to Jayde's face, sending him flailing back.

Jayde was in shock, his glasses were damaged by the punch, with one lens cracked, obscuring his eyesight. He slowly drew his hand to his face and saw blood coming from it.

"You... blemished my... beautiful face..." he whispered, as he slowly licked at the blood on his fingers, and it was then the normally calm and collected man looked at her with outright fury, "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

Jayde rushed at her with his saus and swung them wildly, but Nemisa ducked and dodged each one with her graceful dancing moves, before bring up her fist and punching him, causing him to fall back into a daze, before she ran forward and started pummeling him with rapid but perfectly placed kicks and punches. He couldn't even begin to fight back, but held up his sais in defense of his face. Nemisa responded however by delivering one powerful punch through the sais, causing them to break apart into shards and impaling into Jayde's face, before her fist connected right into it, making him scream out in pain before falling backwards to the ground.

"No... this can't be happening..." muttered Jayde, blood pouring out from the shard wounds, "How could I lose to... a weak-hearted woman like you...?"

Nemisa simply ignored his words, took the small orb that had activated the magnetic device which was holding her steel bands down, and deactivated it, causing the magnetism field around the room to go away, allowing Nemisa to walk over and start to pick her bands up.

It was then that Jayde smirked, forcing himself up, and rushed at her with his broken sais, intending to impale her with what was left of them. Nemisa saw Jayde out of the corner of her eye, and then saw the bomb collar she had dropped beside her. Nemisa then grabbed it, and second before Jayde could stab her, threw it around his neck, clamping it on and surprising him, giving her the chance to thrust her head up and headbutt Jayde in the nose, breaking it and causing him to fall backwards to the ground once more.

"And stay down." Nemisa said. She clamped the steel bands back on to her limbs and stood up.

"Give... back that orb..." hissed Jayde weakly, referring to the magnetism orb, "If I don't have that... they'll kill me... they'll all kill me!" he shouted out, affirming Nemisa's belief of how truly paranoid he was now.

"You mean this orb?" Nemisa asked lightly as she instead held up the bomb collar activation orb for the collar he was now wearing, "With pleasure." and tossed it into the air.

Jayde's face paled white at the sight of the orb she tossed, recognizing it, and his eyes widened while his pupils shrank down, as he saw the collar orb fall and impact to the ground, activating it's mechanism.

Nemisa slowly walked away, her long flowing hair swayed left and right while she moved, as a powerful explosion went off behind her. She stopped in her tracks and sported a small smirk, not even bothering to take a look behind her, before she left out of the room of the late blue-haired handsome slaver leader.

"Thank you for the dance, Jayde." Nemisa said, closing the door behind her.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, while Jayde may be dealt with, things aren't over. Next chapter, Link takes on the slaver leader himself, Master Rassan. Stay tuned for chapter 29!**_

_**Ees, 29 chapters so far, this is easily the longest story I've ever written, and it's been a lot of fun to do! As usual, leave a like, follow or review if you enjoyed it!**_


	29. Fall of The Wyvern

_**Time for Chapter 29, Link is set to take on the leader of the Wyvern Keepers, and bring down their organization once and for all.**_

* * *

While Nemisa was in the middle of her battle with Jayde, Link burst in through the door of the slaver leader Master Rassan's room, his sword and shield both equipped and ready to battle with. Upon entering, he saw his opponent just sitting back on a chair, finishing an apple he was eating.

"Waahahaha, so someone finally showed up?" laughed Rassan, "I take it you'll be the one aiming to take me down, boy?"

"That's right." Link nodded, and pointed to him, "The name is Link, the future Gerudo King. I'm here to put an end to your operation, and get that key."

He referring to the skull shaped key hanging off of Rassan's belt, as Link recalled what Remo told him earlier before he set off to save Nemisa...

"_The slaver leader, Master Rassan has a master skeleton key for all the slave collars made by the Wyvern Keepers. If you can get that we can free any and all slaves in Hyrule!"_

"The Gerudo King, eh? It's an honor to meet you, friend, the name's Master Rassan!" chuckled the slaver leader, "Well here, before we start our battle, how about you sit for a spell?" With that, Rassan reached into the basket of apples by his side and picked out a shiny red one, which he threw to Link.

Link reached up with his shield hand and caught the apple, looking at it curiously.

"What is this about?" Link asked.

"Waahahaha, nothing to worry about!" Rassan said, "I didn't poison it or anything, I wouldn't taint a perfectly good apple! Now have a seat and relax!"

Deciding he was at least trustworthy about that, Link nodded and sat down, taking a bite of the apple, "It's uh... good." he admitted.

"Only the best for my guest!" said Rassan, amused at his own rhyming, as he took another apple and crunched into it, "Aah, and this one is particularly sweet! Nothing like this before a battle!"

"You're... a lot different then I would have expected." Link said, taking another small bite.

"Waahahaha! I'll take that as a compliment, friend!" Rassan laughed, "As a slaver, I don't expect you to think well of me, but I try to maintain a positive attitude."

Link took another bite of his own apple, "So why is someone like you the leader of the Wyvern Keepers then?"

"Well, in some ways I'm kind of like your new little friend Remo." Rassan said calmly, making Link's eyes widen. "Don't look surprised, I know he's the reason you guys were able to infiltrate the Wyvern's Nest. I don't hold it against him though, I know exactly what he went through."

Rassan took a drink of water and sighed, "When I was a boy, I had nothing going in life. I grew up without parents, or any real wisdom or skills, and I was just doing whatever I could to keep myself alive. Eventually I was met by the former leader of the Wyvern Keepers, he took a shine to me, and employed me into his organization. I didn't initially like kidnapping people, but I did what had to be done, I suppose doing it just got easier with time..."

"Huh, I guess you are like Remo in that sense." Link nodded.

"Three years ago, the Hylian army came to find some important information about us after one of our clients was murdered. My boss was captured, and the Wyvern Keepers had fallen apart. Those of us that escaped like me tried to rebuild, but it was difficult. My comrade Jayde seemed to have taken it harder then anyone." Rassan explained.

"And you rebuilt your group about a year ago?" Link asked.

"Yep, it seemed out of nowhere, I was met by a benefactor who supplied me with the funds and resources we needed to rebuild the organization, in exchange for thirty percent of our profits... well that and we get them a certain item using our connections to the black market." Rassan said.

'A benefactor... wonder who that is...?' Link thought to himself, he was tempted to ask Rassan, but he had a feeling the man wouldn't tell him.

"These slaver guys, they were all like me once, grew up with nothing to call heir own, lacking in skills and wisdom to succeed like normal folk. This business of ours, as despicable as it is, it's all we have, so I've worked hard to keep it, for the sake of my men, my old boss and what he did for me all that time ago..." Rassan lamented.

Link was pretty surprised to learn all this from the slaver leader, to find out how hard they had it, and the code the leader himself followed. In a small way, he felt a similar connection to Rassan, how Nabooru and the Gerudo have worked hard to rebuild their society after the war, and what he himself was doing to help them after his own personal role in the war. Despite being on very different sides of morality, in some odd ways, they weren't too different.

Rassan then finished his apple, took a deep breath and stood up.

"This skeleton key is the only thing we have left now, to keep the Wyvern Keepers alive. If you really want it, then you'll have to fight me for it." Rassan grinned.

Link stood up himself and nodded, "Alright then, put em up." he unsheathed his sword and stood ready for battle.

"Waahahaha!" Let's go then, boy!" Rassan laughed, taking the whip from his belt and lashing it out, as small strange blades lining it stuck out. Rassan swung it to the right, slicing clean through a nearby chair, causing it to split in half.

With that, Rassan swung his whip at Link, who took a step and leapt over it, bring his sword down at Rassan, who swung the whip upwards, knocking Link away and to his feet. Rassan shot the whip forward at Link, who blocked it with his Hylian shield, then darted left and right to evade the whip's attacks, before ducking down and bringing up his sword, slashing it across Rassan.

"Gaaah!" Rassan shouted, he staggered back, then swung his whip all around him, forcing Link to duck down, but Rassan swung the whip upwards and brought it down on Link, who quickly rolled out of the way. Link got to his feet and went at Rassan again, who countered by suddenly swinging his whip to the side, striking Link and sending him flying into a wall. Link forced himself up and gasped.

"You're good Gerudo King, but my strength surpasses yours!" Rassan said, flexing an arm.

"He's right... this guy's really strong..." Link muttered, "Time for a little more strategy."

Rassan swung his whip at Link from the side once again, but this time Link pulled out his Longshot and aimed it at a wooden plank supporting the ceiling of Rassan's room, causing him to shoot up and evade the whip's attack, before coming down and slashing Rassan again.

"Graaaahhhh!" Rassan exclaimed, "That was... the Longshot?"

"A gift from my fiance." Link grinned, thinking of Ruto, "If strength won't win this for me, I have to mix things up a bit!"

"Well played, friend!" Rassan snickered, swinging his whip at Link, who fired his Longshot into a wooden wall plank, and used it to fly out of range of the whip. Rassan started to turn towards Link, but he charged in and bashed into him with his shield, making Rassan stagger back.

Rassan paused, taking a deep breath, then chuckled and laughed out, "Waaahahaha! This is fun! You're indeed a strong one!"

"You're pretty tough too." Link said, with the hint of a grin on his face.

"Now take this!" Rassan said, spinning his whip to the side like a windmill, before going into a fury of lashes at Link.

The young king ran at the slaver leader, dodging and evading each swing as best as he could. A few lashes managed to cut at him, but Link did his best to resist the pain, jumping and sidestepping through the rapid attacks. He then squatted down and leaped up into the air, avoiding the whip entirely. Rassan looked up as Link brought down his sword. In that moment, Rassan simply grinned and closed his eyes, realizing it was over, as Link cut him across the chest.

"G-Graaahhaaah!" Rassan shouted out in pain, before falling backwards and impacting onto the ground.

Link landed down to the ground safely, breathing heavily from the battle. Upon realizing Rassan was defeated, he spun his sword in his hand and sheathed it back into place.

Rassan laid back on the ground, staring up the ceiling, or perhaps at something beyond that ceiling, as he chuckled a little, then burst out laughing.

"WAAHAAHAAHAA! That was great stuff!" Rassan shouted, "You're a true warrior, friend!"

"You're not bad yourself." Link said nodding, "It's just a shame you had to pick this path in life."

"Yes.. I suppose so..." chuckled Rassan weakly, "So what are you waiting for, going to finish me off?"

Link paused, looking down to Rassan. He contemplated it just for a while, before shaking his head.

"No, I'm not going to."

Rassan was a little shocked at that, "Wait, seriously?"

"The battle's over, there's no need to take it any further." Link said, "I'm just here for the key."

"Heh... you're an interesting one, I see you're much different then the Gerudo King before you..." chucked Rassan, who took the skeleton key off of his belt and tossed it to Link, "There you are, that master key should open all the slave collars in Hyrule."

"Thanks for that." Link said, holding the key and then pocketing it, "So what will you do now?"

"Well, if you're going to make me live with my defeat and the fall of the Wyvern Keepers... I suppose I'll just have to find a new path in life..." Rassan said, "But there is one more thing..."

"What's that?"

"Open the dresser on the right over here." Rassan said, gesturing to a small dresser beside his bed. Link went over and opened the drawer, pulling out a long sheet of paper.

"What this...?" Link asked, looking at a list of names.

"I keep a list of all the folk who buy slaves from us, just in case any of them try to betray our deals." Rassan explained, "Go on and use that list for what you believe in, it's the least I can do for you after what me and my gang have done."

"...thank you for this." Link nodded, "You know, for a slaver, you're not as bad as you think you are. I think you're a lot more like Remo then you thought."

"Waahaahahaa..." laughed Rassan, "Just get going, I should be fine here for a while."

Link nodded with a small grin. He paused for a second in thought, before he walked up to Rassan and placed something down in his hand, surprising the man, and left Master Rassan's room. The now former slaver leader just laid back, looking up beyond his ceiling.

"Well boss, if you really are watching me from the world of spirits, sorry about this... but when I recover, I'm going to go on a new path now... but thanks a bunch for everything..."

Rassan then lifted up the apple Link placed in his hand and munched into it, savoring the taste of the fruit, and his own defeat.

* * *

Link started on his way back to meet up with the girls, despite his numerous injuries from battling Rassan, he was feeling pretty good in that moment. Maybe we was stronger now then ever, or maybe it was due to how high he spirits were from the success of the mission, or maybe it was even the thought of...

"Link!"

He turned to see Nemisa standing there before him, still wearing her dancer's garb, though it was a pretty torn up form her battle with Jayde. She had injuries as well, but seemed just as hearty and in high spirits as the Hylian male. He also noted her lovely long hair was untied from the bun she had put in earlier.

"So did you pull it off?" Link asked smiling, really a pointless question just taking a look at the confidence in her eyes.

"Yes." smirked Nemisa, "That man will never take another innocent again."

"...I'm glad to hear that." Link said with a nod, "Now come on, let's go meet up with everyone."

"Of course."

* * *

The Dank Salamander tavern's door burst open, and out poured many slavers, hurrying away from the building. Some were in good condition, but others staggered with multiple injuries, some of their team helped carry them off, and they all ran for their lives into the desert.

"And don't come back ya bastards, this tavern is Gerudo territory now!" Reirousa shouted out to them from the entrance to he tavern, alongside the Sandstorm Viper and a large group of their Gerudo sisters.

It wasn't long after that the Gerudo who participated in the raid all arrived in the tavern itself, along with the former prisoners. The Gerudo prisoners were overjoyed to be reunited with their sisters naturally, while the Hylian, Zora and Goron prisoners all stood around at a loss of what to say.

"All the prisoners are accounted for Lady Nabooru!" Togau said to the Gerudo leader.

"Very good, this has been a great victory for us!" Nabooru stated, "You should all be proud of what you're done today!"

"Hey guys!" Link called out, as everyone turned to see him come out from the underground Nest itself.

"Link! We did it!" Aviel exclaimed, as she, Togau, Kesuta, Korume and a number of the raid soldiers all gathered around Link and group-hugged him.

"Hey girls, it's great to see you all!" Link smiled.

"You look as if you were in an intense battle..." Sarami said, walking up and inspecting his wounds, "You really need to avoid pushing yourself so much." She smiled lightly, before joining in the group hug, "But I'm so happy you're okay."

"Thanks..." Link smiled, blushing lightly at the feeling of togetherness between everyone.

It was then at that moment the girls noticed a certain Gerudo woman walking up awkwardly from the door to the underground area and standing beside Link. Everyone looked to see her long flowing hair and torn dancers' clothes.

"Wait, what's Madame Scarlet doing here?" Kesuta asked, "And why does she look... so..."

That was when everyone took a close look at the woman they knew as Madame Scarlet, and suddenly realized who she was.

"NEMISA?!" shouted a good deal of the Gerudo in the tavern.

"Yer tellin' me you're Madame Scarlet?!" exclaimed Togau

"Umm... surprise?" Nemisa asked sheepishly.

Aviel then immediately lunged right at Nemisa and hugged her tightly, "Nemisaaa!" she sobbed, "I'm so happy to see you agaaain!"

"Dangit Nemisa!" Togau then shouted in anger, punching Nemisa on the arm, "You know how worried we all were for ya?! I outta pop you one!"

"Sister Nemisa, you damn bitch!" Reirousa said, her tone both angry and sad and relieved all at once, "I would've been pissed off if you got yerself killed, I'd go march right into the world of spirits and kick yer ass for it!"

"Yes, you have a lot of explaining to do, Nemisa." Nabooru said crossly with Nemisa, walking up to her, but then gave her a relieved smile, "But regardless, I'm glad you're safe."

"Thank you everyone." smiled Nemisa, as she was hugging a sobbing Aviel, "I'm sorry for causing you all so much trouble."

It was then she was suddenly dog-piled by three more Gerudo girls, knocking Aviel away.

"Nemisa!" they all shouted, one in particular speaking up, "We're so glad you're okay!"

"Wait, Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi?!" Nemisa exclaimed, recognizing her friends, "You three all came too?"

"Of course, we came here as soon as we heard what you did!" Sumof said, "We couldn't let our friend get hurt!"

"We were worried when we heard you got captured, but King Link promised he'd get you back!" Ifemi said happily.

"You guys..." Nemisa said, trying to hold back shedding tears in that moment.

"And I can't believe you turned out to be Madame Scarlet!" Otuko said, "I had no idea you had talent like that!"

"We're going to have to see more of your dancing!" Sumof nodded.

It was in that moment that Nemisa just broke down and took her friends, hugging them all at once. Link himself smiled, seeing his newest fiance so happy after all she had went through.

'She's definitely earned this.' Link thought to himself.

"Um... excuse me..." said one meek voice. Everyone turned to see the former prisoners, the Hylians, Zoras and the Goron, all standing together, feeling awkward and nervous before the desert warriors.

"You... saved us all... " said the woman at the front of the group, the same one Aviel had consulted earlier, "But why did you help us?"

"You're not planning to enslave us yourselves are you...?" asked a worried female Zora.

"Not in the slightest." Nabooru shrugged, simply saying, "You're all free now."

"You're kidding me..." muttered one of the group, "You all set us free, just like that?!"

"Of course!" Aviel chirped, "And we've seen to it that you won't have to worry about the Wyvern Keepers any longer!"

"They're nothing like what I've heard..." said another former captive to another.

"Yeah, Father always told me they were nothing but thieving murdering bandits..." one of the male Hylian said.

"We used to be like that..." Nabooru said distantly, then smiled warmly, "But things have changed, and we're simply working to rebuild and reform our civilization. This is just another step towards that goal."

"She's right." Link said, "No one deserves a life like what was brought on you all, and we're going to do whatever we can to track down and save the other slaves as well, so no one has to go through this again."

Nemisa turned to Link when he spoke those words, who glanced at her and smiled.

'Did... he really figure out back then what my new goal was...?' Nemisa thought, bringing her hand to her chest and smiling warmly, 'It's strange... it's almost like he could read right into me...'

"Wow Nemisa... I've never seen you smile like that before..." Aviel said, making Nemisa turn a little nervous, "Link really does bring out the best in you!"

"T-That's..." Nemisa folded her arms and turned her head, muttering incoherently to herself, "Shut up..."

Aviel just giggled.

"I can't believe you all did so much for us...thank you everyone..." the Hylian woman said, followed by the other former prisoners all thanking and crying out in happiness for their freedom.

"Well, now that that's all done..." Togau said proudly, "I think we all need to celebrate!"

"Hell yeah!" Reirousa shouted, flexing her arm, "Time to party!"

"Sounds like a good idea!" Nabooru said, "We've earned this, so let's go all out tonight!"

Everyone in the tavern let out a collective cheer, as well as the former captives of the Wyvern Keepers.

It wasn't long before everything in the tavern had been arranged, and everyone were all gathered around celebrating the downfall of the slavers, and the freedom of the people. Drinks and food were handed out to everyone, unwilling compliments of the slavers who once ran the place, there was much laughter, singing and dancing among everyone there that night.

* * *

"Nemisa... I'm so sorry..." sniffled Sumof as she, Nemisa, Ifemi and Otuko all sat around a table, "You wouldn't had ever gotten mixed up with that bastard Jayde if I hadn't pushed you into going with us..."

"We're all sorry, I can't believe that man would have turned out to be such scum..." sighed Ifemi.

"It's fine, it's fine!" Nemisa said frantically, trying to comfort her friends, "You all were just earnestly trying to help me meet a guy, I don't hold it against any of you, and I never did!"

"But... you suffered for three years because of it..." Otuko said with tears streaming down her face.

"I... won't deny it was a difficult time... but maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I had asked for help from you all..." Nemisa said regretfully, "I was too afraid to trust any of you to help me... so I just allowed myself to wallow in despair..."

"Well you don't have to worry about that ever again!" Sumof said, "Anytime you need help, please ask us!"

"Yes, we're going to be working with Reirousa to make ourselves stronger so we can help you in anyway you need!" Ifemi said.

With that, Nemisa ad her three friends shared a group hug, all of them unable to hold back their tears.

"Thank you... you're all my beloved friends..." Nemisa whispered happily, "And I'll relay on you all more from now on then..." she then added as a half joke "With a king like Link to look after, I may need more help down the road dealing with him alone."

"Sooo, on that note... when are you gonna marry King Link?" Sumof grinned to Nemisa.

"What? Are they really that close?" Otuko exclaimed with a red face.

"Hey, quit teasing her!" Ifemi said, "Shes probably not ready just yet!"

Nemisa thought about that, as she took a glance over to Link, and knew what she had to do, she was tired of hiding her feelings to everyone...

"I have something I'd like to announce!" Nemisa then spoke up, standing and tapping a drinking glass to get everyone's attention, surprising her friends.

"As of today, me and King Link have, um... decided to... to..." Nemisa stumbled over her words, a little nervous of what to say as she was seeing everyone in front of her.

Link looked to Nemisa, seeing her trying to speak out, and decided to support her by finishing her statement, walking over to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"We'd like to say that the two of us have now fallen in love, and I'll be taking her as my next marriage candidate!" he stated.

Everyone sat at the tables in stunned silence of Link's words for what seemed like the longest time.

"You're kidding..." Togau muttered, before slapping her knee , almost falling backwards on her seat as she did, and shouting out, "Well gosh dangit, it's about time!"

The entire group seem to agree, and cheered out loudly for Link and Nemisa, who were met with many hugs and compliments. The former prisoners were shocked at this themselves, mostly unaware that the Gerudo had a new king after the old one was captured.

Sumof, Iferi and Otuko were especially ecstatic, finally getting to see Nemisa have the boyfriend she wanted, all three of them took to hugging both Nemisa and Link tightly. It was a comforting hug, though Link could have shown one of the three squeezed his butt as they did.

"Congratulations you two." smiled Sarami, "I wish the best for you both, and when you're ready to have children, I'll see to it they're all born happy and healthy!"

"T-Thank you Dr. Sarami..." Nemisa said with a blush.

Nemisa and Link were suddenly both hugged by Aviel and her bird wings, "I'm so happy for you two! I've been waiting for so long for you to admit your feelings, Nemisa!"

"Jees... even Aviel could see through me, huh...?" sighed Nemisa.

"Even a moron like me could." snickered Link.

Nemisa just rolled her eyes in annoyance, but chuckled a little under he breath, as she returned Aviel's soft hug to thank her.

"Nice work there, you two." piped up Nabooru, walking up to them, "I only hope for the brightest future for you both."

"I'm honored to hear that from you, Lady Nabooru." Nemisa said with a bow.

"Haha, no need for formalities with me now Nemisa. After all, someday when Link takes the Gerudo throne, you'll be his queen."

Nemisa blushed at that thought, "I-I still intend to hold you in the upmost respect regardless, Lady Nabooru..." she cleared her throat and spoke sternly.

"Still a hard-ass for professionalism, huh?" snickered Togau.

"...quiet you." Nemisa said, looking to the side annoyed.

"Some things never really change." Aviel said, "Then again, she wouldn't be Nemisa if she did."

"Don't make me crush the two of you." Nemisa scowled angerly.

"Uh oh, we got her angry again, run!" Aviel exclaimed, as she and Togau escaped.

The party went ahead and continued throughout the night, Link and Nemisa's announcement only served to make the celebration even more festive and joyous.

* * *

"I'm so sorry for everything..." Remo said to a small group of the former prisoners, standing behind the bartender's counter as he served them all some drinks he prepared from the bottles on the shelves, "I may not have been involved in your abductions, but I was still with the Wyvern Keepers at one point, and I intend to do anything I can to atone for what I've done..."

"Heh, don't worry about it." said one of the Zora, "We would probably have been auctioned off by now if not for your help."

"He's right, you did us all a great service, thank you!" said a Hylian.

Remo blushed lightly, looking down, before his girlfriend Usaulu hugged him tightly from behind.

"They're right my little man." Usaulu said, "It's your kindness that helped to save them all, I couldn't be more proud of you!" she then whispered into his ear suggestively, "And tonight I'd going to show you just how proud I am..."

Remo blushed lightly, as the others all laughed out at how close the two were.

"This drink is great stuff!" said another Gerudo to Remo, taking a long drink of her glass, "How long have you been making stuff like this?"

"W-Well when I was member of the slavers." Remo explained, "I used to supply drinks to my team, and a lot of it was a self-learning experience..."

"Well these are good results!" said another Gerudo, "Have you considered doing this professionally?"

"Maybe..." Remo said, "I don't really drink myself, but they're fun to make..." as he spoke that, he took a look around the tavern.

"You know, it'd be kind of a shame to let this tavern go to waste..." Usaulu said with a grin, seeing the look in her boyfriend's eyes.

"Yeah..." nodded Remo.

* * *

"Ooow, Dr. Saramiii!" whined one of the Gerudo in line to have her wounds treated by Sarami and her medical staff, "My arm hurts... how much longer before it's my turn...?"

"Everyone please wait in line!" Sarami stated, as she wiped the sweat from her forehead, "We need to ensure accuracy, not haste, and everyone needs to be fully treated of their wounds, please give us time."

"Um, can I help?" spoke up a Hylian lady, "I'm well educated in medical knowledge."

"I'd like to supply some aide as well." a male Hylian said walking up to them.

"..I'd like that, thank you." smiled Sarami, and with that the two took to aiding the doctor and her team in their medical work.

* * *

"Those wings are fascinating, miss." one of the former slaves, a Hylian man spoke to Aviel. He had glasses and short blond hair pulled backwards, with a single slim lock of hair hanging down over his forehead. He also had a compass strapped to his vest, "What are they called?"

"Oh, these?" Aviel asked, holding up the sleeves made of red feathers that covered her arms, "I found them years and years ago, they're called the Roc's Wings." She unfurled the feathers, causing her arms to transform into full red and yellow feathered bird wings, "I'm glad to be wearing them again, I had to take them off when I went undercover as a slave, and I feel naked without them!"

"That's fascinating... and you said they were 'Roc's Wings' specifically?" he asked as he quickly jolted down notes on a paper pad.

"Uh huh, why do you ask, Mr...?" Aviel asked for his name.

"Oh, apologies for my lack of manners, I'm Professor Bradson." he said bowing his head, "I'm a traveling researcher."

"I see." Aviel nodded.

"As for what I was saying, I think I might have heard legends of a 'Roc' in my travels as a researcher..." he pondered, "In fact, I recall hearing something like that may have been spotted somewhere in Hyrule..."

"Really?!" exclaimed Aviel, putting her hands on the table, "Can you tell me where exactly?!"

"...I-I'm sorry, but I don't quite recall the information on it..." the researcher said, a bit surprised by Aviel's outburst before she sighed upon hearing those disappointing words.

"Rocks? Aren't they're everywhere?" the Goron of the former prisoners asked passing by, "If you want to know, the tastiest ones are the top sirloin ones in Dodongo's Cavern!"

Aviel and Bradson both looked at the Goron walk by with drops of sweat going down their heads.

"Well as soon as I get back to my home, I'll look up what I wrote in my notes, and if you'd like, I can mail it to you." Bradson clarified.

"I'd like that a lot, thank you!" Aviel then said, smiling and nodding her head to Bradson so vigorously that she accidentally bonked her head on the table, she fell back in her chair, rubbing the large bump on her head, before her chair fall backwards, her legs sticking upwards.

'What an energetic young lady...' the researcher thought with an amused smile.

* * *

"Nabs, I think you had too much to drink." Sarami said, having done with her treatment to the injured and going to check on her friend, "You blood alcohol level is going to be dangerously high at this rate."

"Nah, I didntnot!" Nabooru said with a groggy laugh, "I only haad about three glasseses... ess."

Sarami looked down at the eleven glasses laying around Nabooru's table and rose an eyebrow.

"...give or take sheventy two..." Nabooru said.

"...I think we better get you to bed, sweetie." Sarami said, helping Nabooru up.

"Ugh, why do yours havva be so much bigger then mine...?" Nabooru muttered as her head was lowering down against Sarami's chest. She poked one of Sarami's breasts causing her to squeak.

"Please Nabs, don't make me have to get sister Reirousa to carry you off instead." Sarami said. She took a look over to see Reirousa and the her Sandstorm Viper gang all passed out at one table with numerous bottles of alcohol laying around, "...never mind."

She turned to Link who was with Nemisa, busy getting acquainted to her three friends, "I'm taking Nabs to bed now." she called out getting their attention.

"Oh sure," Link nodded, "Did you need help with her?"

"No thank you, I'll be fine. I've been working to get stronger myself." Sarami said smiling, attempting to flex her arm, even though they lacked any real muscle definition compared to most Gerudo.

With that, Sarami worked to escort the staggering Nabooru off to a personal bedroom in the tavern. Setting Nabooru down on the bed, she pulled the sheets over her friend and gave her a simple kiss on the forehead.

"Sleep tight Nabs." Sarami said.

"Golnite..." Nabooru muttered, and fell asleep soon after.

Sarami stood there for a few minutes to make sure she was sleeping soundly, then turned and began to leave the bedroom. As she did though, she heard Nabooru mutter something in her sleep.

"No... please... don't go away..."

Sarami paused, she turned and went back over to Nabooru's side, but saw she was reaching upwards in her sleep for some reason. It was then she realized Nabooru wasn't talking to her in particular. Sarami looked sadly down at Nabooru and placed a hand on her forehead.

"...does it really still hurt you after so long...?" Sarami whispered to her old friend.

* * *

Back in the tavern, everyone was just about ready for bed, some went downstairs to the prisoner quarters to sleep, while some of the more battle-worn went to the tavern suites.

"Well, guess we better turn in for the night." Link said stretching out his limbs.

"Yeah, I'm beat, good night all!" Aviel said, waving her hand, "I'm going to get on those comfy beds downstairs, good night Professor Birdsun!" she added.

"It's... Bradson."

Link meanwhile looked over to Reirousa, who was still passed out on a chair snoring loudly.

"Looks like she'll be fine." Link said, "How about you Nemisa?"

Nemisa looked to her king, she fidgeted a little, and almost looked like she wanted to ask him something, but just then...

"Our king, if you'd like, we can relieve you of your battle-worn pain..." Kesuta said, putting her hands on his shoulders.

"We promise to treat you as gentle as a light and brisk rain." Korume whispered, standing beside him.

Link pondered on that note and looked over to Nemisa, and saw her bandaged wounds in particular.

"Uh, not tonight girls." Link said, giving them both a kiss on the cheek, "The battle I had was pretty rough, and I'd just like to rest for tonight."

"Aw jees." Kesuta said with her cheeks puffed out, then smiled, "Well we'll get to you later then, have a good night!"

"Yes, good night my love." Korume said, returning his kiss with a bit of a cool air to it from her breath.

As Nemisa got herself up from her seat, she felt a slight bit of pain, and in that moment realized that she herself was pretty worn out from her fight with Jayde, perhaps Link understood how tired and sore she was from the battle, and didn't want to sleep with Kesuta and Korume so she wouldn't feel left out tonight just after their confession...?

It was then that Link confirmed her theory for her, "You rest up too Nemisa, don't strain yourself too hard, okay? Good night." and he gave her a kiss as well.

'He really does understand me so much...' Nemisa thought smiling to herself, before getting up and going off to bed.

* * *

_**And that ends chapter 29, just one more chapter before the Nemisa arc is over, next time some more resolutions to the story will be concluded, and some new facts will be made known, with a special surprise coming at the end!**_

_**I really do love doing these little celebrations at the end of the arcs, they relieve a lot of the pain and sadness that happened throughout the arc, and allows me to flesh out the characters further.**_

_**Thank you all for your support, and for those new to the story, leave likes, follows and reviews if you enjoyed it!**_


	30. A Dance of Repressed Desire

_**And we finally come to the conclusion of the Nemisa arc, and something that she and Link have been long overdue for...**_

* * *

The next day after the Gerudo's successful raid on the Wyvern Keeper's hideout, everyone was up and out of bed. Nabooru herself groggily stood up in the middle of the tavern with a massive hangover, yet apparently ready to make an announcement.

"Alright everyone, stop talking, I have something to say..." Nabooru paused, "I said... hey, quiet... I... I'm trying to tell you guys... HEY, I SAID SHUT UP!" she suddenly shouted to everyone.

"Uh, no one was talking just now Nabooru." Link pointed out.

"...oh." Nabooru said, coughing out and clearing her throat, before placing a light blue chu jelly capsule into a glass of water. The jelly capsule melted away and caused the water to fizzle before she downed the glass in one gulp, which miraculously perked herself right back up.

"Hello and good morning everyone!"

'What the hell kind of chu capsule did she take just now...?' Link thought to himself sweatdropping, wondering what limits there were to Sarami's chu jelly research.

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you all again for the success in our mission the other day! The bodies of the bastard slavers have been thrown out to the desert beasts, and the survivors have long fled. It seems their leader Master Rassan had also survived and fled at some point last night, but he left a note saying he wasn't coming back." she said.

Link couldn't help but feel a bit of relief hearing those words. While Rassan had done some truly terrible things, he had some sort of odd respect for him after their talk, and wondered if the two would ever meet again.

"Anyway, as for you Remo." Nabooru said, turning to the boy, who as being held tightly by Usaulu, "As far as I'm concerned, you've earned your freedom as of today. You and Usaulu have my blessing to live your lives together and happily."

"T-Thank you Lady Nabooru!" Remo said, putting his hands to the table he was at and bowing his head, "I promise I'll make Usaulu a good husband!"

The whole tavern was met with collective awws and cheers at Remo's words, even from the former prisoners.

"There... is one last thing I want to ask you though." Remo said with a nervous gulp, "If it would please you... I'd... I'd like to work on reopening and running the Dark Salamander tavern myself!"

"Woah, seriously?!" Togau exclaimed.

"Yeah... I'm going to run this place legitimately, and serve to travelers and Gerudo alike." Remo said.

"Yes, it might even be an ideal place for Gerudo to meet with men if you catch my drift." Usaulu added with a grin.

Nemisa had to laugh a little in that moment at the irony that the place owned by the man who she hoped to have as a husband, only to be sold into slavery, would now be used for Gerudo to meet men. She felt so much lighter and happier after everything was over, and she found herself looking back on all the pain she went through like it meant so little to her now.

Nemisa sighed happily, feeling in that moment that she had finally made peace with herself.

"Well, I have no problem with it." Nabooru nodded, "But can the two of you really keep a big place like this going by just yourselves?"

"Well..." Remo muttered, uncertain of Nabooru's question.

"I'll help them!" a Gerudo said, raising her arm.

"So will I!" said another.

"I used to work for an inn. Are you looking for someone to handle keeping the suite rooms clean?" asked a former Hylian captive.

"Well gosh, if you wouldn't mind the help, I'd like to volunteer to handle the maintenance around here." the Goron prisoner said.

Remo looked around to see not just the Gerudo, but some of the people who were going to be slaves before, all in support of him, and his eyes started to tear up.

"Thanks everyone..." he sobbed as Usaulu gave him a comforting hug.

"Well then, with that resolved, why don't we start getting our new friends here back to their homes in Hyrule?" Nabooru proposed.

* * *

"W-What's gong on here...?" asked the Hylian knight and border guard Lieutenant Ernoldus, as he saw before him was a large group of Gerudo, along with some Hylian and Zora civilians at the border between Gerudo Valley and Hyrule Field, "What are you all here for?"

"As leader of the Gerudo, I'm here to announce that as of yesterday the Wyvern Keepers have been eradicated." Nabooru said, handing him the note Rassan had wrote telling them the slavers were officially disbanded.

Link meanwhile stayed in the back with Aviel and Nemisa, back to wearing his Gerudo woman disguise, to ensure the knights didn't ask any awkward questions about who he was. The Hylians, Zoras and Goron had all promised to not tell anyone in Hyrule about him being the king as well, understanding what risk it could pose on the Gerudo at this point.

"T-The Wyvern Keepers?! We've been trying to deal with those guys for months..." said one knight to another.

"And the Gerudo took them down just like that?" asked another knight.

"And just who are these folks?" Lieutenant Ernoldus demanded, referring to the Hylian people beside Nabooru and the Gerudo

"These are former prisoners who were captured by the Wyvern Keepers to sell into slavery, and we simply wish to have them returned back to their homes." Nabooru explained.

"They can't be serious... how do we know the Gerudo didn't kidnap them all themselves?!" one knight asked Lieutenant Ernoldus, who seemed skeptic himself.

"We can assure you that wasn't the case." a Zora said with his arms folded, "We were all captives of those fiends."

"That's right, the Gerudo saved us all!" a Hylian spoke up.

"This... can't be happening..." said another knight.

"There's also the matter of this while we're at it." Nabooru added, pulling out a list and handing it to Lieutenant Ernoldus.

"W-What is this...?" Ernoldus asked, staring at the list's contents.

"These are the clients the Keepers sold slaves off to, originally written by their boss Rassan. I'm certain if you track down these people they should either still have the slaves or at least proof of their ownership." Nabooru said.

Lieutenant Ernoldus stared at the note, with a cold sweat running out from his helmet.

He paused and gulped a bit, before speaking to Nabooru, "T-Thank you for this... and thank you for your services to the land of Hyrule. The king will be happy to hear this news."

Nabooru smirked a little and nodded, "You're most welcome." she then turned to the former captives and spoke out, "Go on, the knights will keep you safe, and take care!"

"Thank you again, so much, Lady Nabooru, all of you..." a Hylian woman said bowing, along with the others.

"We'll be fine to make it back to Zora's Domain ourselves, farewell!" one of the Zoras stated, as the four jumped into the river and swam off.

With that Lieutenant Ernoldus escorted the Hylians off with a handful of his men back to Hyrule Castle Town, and the Gerudo all waving goodbye to their new friends as they did.

"Aw, they were fun to be around." Aviel sighed, "I wish they could have stayed with us longer."

"I know, but they have their lives to get back to, as do us." Nemisa said sternly.

"Yeah, you're right..." Aviel said with a sad smile, "I do want to see them all again some day..."

Link paused, reflecting on Aviel's words, as they group went off on their way back to Gerudo Town.

* * *

"Hey sir, what should we do with this...?"

As the Hylian knights escorted the former prisoners back to Hyrule Market Town, Lieutenant Ernoldus just looked down at the list. Many of the names on the list consisted of rich nobleman, aristocrats and politicians, some even having connections to the Hylian Parliament itself.

"There's only one thing we should do with this." Lieutenant Ernoldus said. He made sure the former captives weren't watching, and he crumbled the paper up into a ball, stuffing it into the mouth of a nearby knight, and pushing on his cheeks to make him chew it up and swallow it.

"What?! But Lieutenant, slaves are being held captive by the people that were on that list!" protested a knight.

"And the ones keeping those slaves are very important people." Lieutenant Ernoldus said, "If word got out about this kind of thing, it could cause massive unrest with the citizens. Best to keep it hush-hush, got it?!"

"Y-Yes sir..." the knight said reluctantly.

"Speaking of keeping things hush-hush..." Lieutenant Ernoldus said, he turned around and spoke up to the civilians they were escorting, "Everyone, may I have you attention. We'll be approaching Hyrule Castle Town soon, and you'll all soon be relocated back with your loved ones!"

There was many cheers from the group, including some from the knights themselves. Ernoldus motioned his hand to make them all quiet down.

"However, there is a matter that we need to discuss before we arrive. You all stated that the Gerudo were responsible for your rescue, however, I feel it's within your best interests if the people of Hyrule aren't made aware of this."

"What?!" exclaimed a Hylian, "But why not? They're heroes!"

"Can they do that...?"

"Hmph, I don't exactly approve of this..." muttered Professor Bradson.

"Settle down, as you all know, there is a great amount of justified animosity towards the Gerudo after the war, and attempting to claim they had an involvement in your rescue could lead to the people doubting you and soiling your reputation in town, as well as causing unrest with the people in general. Therefore, when we arrive at the town, you will tell your loved ones that it was we Hylian knights who rescued you from the Wyvern Keepers and brought you all home!"

The crowd was in shock of hearing this, and murmured to each other about the Lieutenant's command.

"But Lieutenant, that doesn't seem right..." said a knight.

"If you even one of you tries to claim the Gerudo 'saved' you, then we'll see to it you'll be seen a traitor and punished appropriately. That is all." Lieutenant Ernoldus stated.

"But... that's not right..."

"Lady Nabooru and her people did help us..."

"Yeah, but I don't want to get exiled or..."

"What should we do...?"

"Settle down, all of you or I'll have you detained!" shouted Lieutenant Ernoldus, shutting them up, "Now let's go!"

And with that, the knights and the uneasy civilians continued on...

* * *

Sometime after that the people were finally brought to Hyrule Castle Town, and it didn't take long before they were recognized going down the street and soon greeted by many of their family and friends.

"You're home! Thank the goddesses, we thought we lost you!"

"Honey, you're back!"

"Professor! We thought you had been killed!"

"You're both back..."

"Papa!"

One of the former prisoners, specifically the one Aviel spoke to back in the sleeping quarters was being embraced by her mother who asked, "By Nayru's name, where have you been all this time, pudding?"

"I... was kidnapped by the Wyvern Keepers..." the girl said.

"The Wyvern Keepers?! Those bastards?!" shouted a villager.

"I say we go tan their damn hides!" shouted another.

"No, it's fine." the girl said, "The Keepers were defeated, and won't cause trouble anymore."

"Well that's great!" the mother said brightly, looking up to Lieutenant Ernoldus, "And I presume it was these fine young men who went and saved you?"

"Of course." smirked Lieutenant Ernoldus with a bow, "All in a day's work, maam!"

The former prisoners all looked to each other, unsure of what to say, mostly out of fear of their lives.

"They're heroes!" cheered a villager.

"Goddesses bless the Hylian royal knights!"

"I want to join them when I grow up!"

But the girl just hung her head down, before looking up to her mother and speaking out.

"No! It wasn't these knights who did it, they merely escorted us home! The ones who really saved us were-"

"Wait!" exclaimed one of the other former prisoners, putting his hand on her shoulder and whispering, "Don't say it or they'll-"

"I don't care!" the girl said, thinking back what Aviel told her about changing fate, "The truth is we were saved by the Gerudo people and their leader Lady Nabooru!"

"W-What?!" exclaimed her mother.

"Wait, the Gerudo saved her...?"

"That's impossible, they're just lowdown thieves and killers..."

"Uh... hahaha!" laughed Lieutenant Ernoldus, "Clearly she's delirious from everything she went through to make such an absurd claim! Truly she doesn't mean something like-"

"No, I mean every word of it! The Gerudo saved us all, and struck down the Wyvern Keepers so they'll never bother anyone again!" the girl stated.

"Grrr..." Lieutenant Ernoldus muttered, he turned to his men and said, "Detain her befor-"

"She's right!" shouted one of the former captives, "The Gerudo did save us, they were brave and strong and faced them all down!"

"That's correct." Professor Bradson said smiling, mentally thanking the girl for speaking up, "We met them all firsthand and befriended them. They've changed greatly since the war, they're a truly kind tribe of people, and Lady Nabooru has worked to help them all reform into outstanding people of Hyrule."

Soon all the former prisoners of the Wyvern Keepers were telling the stories of their rescues, making sure to leave out the information that Link was to be the new Gerudo King.

"Damnit..." Lieutenant Ernoldus muttered, "We need to make them quiet, arrest them for treason!"

"But sir, we can't really arrest them all..." said one of the knights.

Lieutenant Ernoldus simply gulped and broke into a cold sweat, "The Parliament isn't going to like hearing this..."

Despite the knights effort to silence it, the stories of the Gerudo taking down the Wyvern Keepers and saving the captives was the talk of the town for quite some time, and many people were taking more of an interest in who the Gerudo were now, and the Gerudo Banishment Law...

* * *

Meanwhile, in Gerudo Town itself, everyone had gone back to their homes to rest after all that happened with the raid, with Link, Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa all returning to the palace. Time past by quickly and they eventually ended the night with a light dinner together.

"Well everyone, we made a great accomplishment." Nabooru said proudly, "The Wyvern Keepers are no more, we saved our dear sisters, and even helped ones from the other tribes as well!"

"Plus Remo is going to be reopening the Dank Salamander for us to all go to, and Link and Nemisa are finally a couple!" Aviel said cheerfully.

"Yeah..." Link smiled, "It was rough sometimes, but I'm glad it all worked out in the end."

"There's just one thing that's bothering me..." Nemisa muttered with her arms folded, "Was it necessary to give those Hylian knights the list of the slave owners?"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Aviel asked, "They can just track down all of the slave owners and arrest them, then the slaves will be free!"

"You don't think they would destroy that information to cover for their own? The list had some rather high ranking people on it from what it read, and I'm certain those Hylian royals wouldn't want to have them exposed for who they are!" Nemisa said angerly.

"I don't like thinking the royals being corrupt or anything, but it does kind of bother me I suppose." agreed Link, reflecting on the cruel knights they dealt with in the past, and then his thoughts drifted to Princess Zelda in that moment, wondering how his friend was doing amid all that was going on.

"Well it's a good thing I didn't give them the original list then." smirked Nabooru, holding up the real one that Rassan had made in her hands, "That other one was just a copy I had one of our expert writers forge this morning. She was able to replicate the slaver leader's handwriting down perfectly."

"Oh you sly girl." smirked Nemisa.

"That's the Nabooru we know and love." snickered Link.

"And we still have the master key as well, so I plan to get to work sending spies out to investigate into the slave owners on this list and seeing how many slaves we can rescue from their slimy hands." Nabooru grinned.

"Way to go Nabooru!" Aviel cheered.

"Well in that case, I think I'm going to be heading to the bedroom to kick back for a while, have a good night girls." Link said, getting up from his seat as the servants took his empty plate.

The girls all waved Link off, though Nemisa in particular watched him carefully.

* * *

As Link was heading down the hallway to the bedroom to relax, he felt a small tug on the back of his vest.

"Huh?"

He turned to see Nemisa holding the back of his vest tightly, she had her head lowered and a light blush on her cheeks.

"Link..." she whispered, "I'm not tired or sore tonight..."

"Nemisa... are you sure?" Link asked, blushing himself as he quickly caught on to what she was getting at.

"Yes..." she nodded, looking up at him and smiling warmly, "I'm ready."

As Nabooru went down the hall towards her and Link's bedroom, she stopped and saw with surprise that Link was leading Nemisa into their room. She smirked lightly, and walked over to softly close the door behind the two.

Aviel had shown up, wanting to play with Link, but Nabooru put a finger to her lips to tell her he didn't want to be disturbed. Aviel got the hint quickly and grinned widely, and the two went off on their way.

* * *

"It's good to be home again." Link said to Nemisa, walking forward and stretching his limbs out, he turned to his bodyguard and fiance, who seemed a little nervous, "Are... you positive you're ready for this?"

"...yes," Nemisa said blushing, "This is something I've wanted for so long..."

"I can't stop thinking about the things you told me before..." Link said sheepishly, scratching the side of his cheek, "This that kind of thing really what you want?"

It was then that Nemisa sported a light smirk, giving him a good shove and knocking him onto the bed of pillows.

"Woah, Nemisa...?" Link asked, turning and sitting up on the pillows, only for her to lean forward and place a finger to his lips to silence him.

"Shhh..." she said, "Sit back, I have a private show for you... and some things I've wanted to say afterword..."

With that, she took some steps back, and started to dance in front of him. Link just laid back against the pillows and stared in awe of her movements, much unlike what he was used to seeing from her, her movements were much more aggressive... and provocative. She put so much effort into each step and movement, it was quite simulating to see, and he was amazed at how bold she was being now. It truly seemed like Nemisa the mighty bodyguard and Madame Scarlet the exotic dancer had become one.

Nemisa then smirked slightly as she slowly and sensually removed the sashes from her arms, she rose her legs and slipped off her shoes, and eventually the rest of her clothes. She then slowly turned around and gazed at Link with desire in her eyes. Link just stared at her beautiful form, as she strolled up and knelt down over him, straddling him around the waist. She slowly moved her hand through his hair and her golden eyes stared deeply into his own blue ones.

Nemisa then whispered passionately to him, "When I was younger, my mother introduced me to a friend of hers, who was expecting a child a month from then... I was in awe of her; her belly was so round, and she was positively glowing with the aura of motherhood., she described it as such a wonderful experience. I knew even then it was my fantasy to someday meet a man like she did and have a child of my own... so I could feel that same sensation and glow... to feel my belly grow with life just as hers did, to give birth and love that child my whole life..." she paused for a second, "...and continue to feel that sensation as I bless my daughter with many little sisters..."

Link's face was flushed hearing Nemisa talking like that, there was no doubt now she had a true desire to become a mother. He couldn't deny how much he loved the idea of having her for a wife and a mother of his children. He felt that way of Ruto, Kesuta and Korume as well naturally, but Nemisa's desires seemed even deeper then the three of them.

"So how big of a family are we talking about then...?" Link asked raising an eyebrow.

"I don't want a big family..." Nemisa said, pausing for a second, "...I want a huge family, for as long as we're capable, we'll keep our family growing, and I'll love them all with my heart as a mother should."

"...I think I'd like that." Link admitted, "And I intend to love them all as a father."

She smiled at that and ran her hand along his cheek, while her other hand ran across his chest.

"...you know, when I met Jayde, I thought I had found that opportunity to fulfill my fantasy... he had been a kind man who I hoped would make me happy... until I learned of who he truly was,"

It felt awkward for Nemisa to bring up the man she had despised so much in this moment, but felt it was necessary for what she wanted to tell Link.

"Then I came to meet you, at first I thought you were just a scummy male like he was... but then I saw your kindness, your compassion and your heart. I saw how you drew people towards you, and I admit I started to fall for you myself... but I held myself back, out of fear of you betraying me... but you never did. You treated me with utmost kindness and respect, and I can't help but love you for it... and I know you'll be a fine father for my daughters someday."

She ran her hands along his bare chest gently and slowly, causing Link to shutter, as she leaned forward and gave him a deep kiss on the lips.

"Please..." she whispered, "Allow me to live my fantasy with you, my beloved Link."

"... of course Nemisa, I'd be honored to." Link said smiling, and the two kissed again.

Soon their kissing got deeper and more forceful, their hands moved slowly and passionately around their bodies, exploring just about every bit of each other. Link's vest and pants soon went flying off and onto the floor...

And the two of them danced the whole night away...

* * *

Meanwhile, outside of the gate to Gerudo Town's entrance, was a lone person, on their knees, shouting out at the top of his lungs in sorrow.

"Liiifeeeaf!" shouted Burao, the former head guard of the Wyvern's Keepers, in hopes of his words reaching out, "Please take me back! I've done what I need so we may bind our two hearts as one!" as he spoke, he spread his arms out and showed that he was wearing a maiden's dress he was clearly too big for, a wig that was sloped to the side, and poorly-applied makeup.

Meanwhile, the two Gerudo guards standing at the gate just looked at the man before them.

"Should we notify Lady Nabooru about this?'" asked one guard.

"Eh, he's not doing any harm." said the other, "Plus it's amusing to watch."

* * *

That same night, in the grand kingdom of Hyrule Castle, a strong, full-blooded Shiekah woman walked down a hall. She was known as Impa, an elite guard of Hyrule Castle and the nanny of Princess Zelda. Over the last seven years since Ganondorf's capture, she had changed very little, aside from her growing her hair out and braided it into a ponytail, and a single lock of hair hanging down in front of her face.

She went up a certain door and knocked on it, hearing a bright feminine voice say "Come in, Impa!" and she did so.

"Greetings, my princess." Impa said, getting on a knee and bowing down.

"At ease Impa." giggled the woman, "No need for formalities."

This was Princess Zelda Harkinian Hyrule. She stood as a truly beautiful woman, with sapphire blue eyes and long golden hair. While typically royalty like her would keep her hair straight and down, Zelda in particular wore hers much more freely flowing and wavy. Her eyes had a bright and playful look in them, and her smile lit up anyone who looked at it. At the moment she was wearing a silk light blue nightgown that shined from the moonlight coming into the room, and only added to her beauty.

"As you wish, Zelda." Impa said, standing upright, "I've come to inform you of good news. As of today, the Wyvern Keepers have been taken down, and it seems they'll be doing no more harm to Hyrule. We've also learned the slaves at their main hideout have been freed and brought back to their homes."

"That's splendid!" Zelda with an enthusiastic tone, putting her hands together, while it was customary for a princess like her to maintain an air of calmness and dignity, Zelda preferred to show off a more energetic side, hoping those mannerisms would catch on in the royal family as a whole, "I'm so happy to hear that. Have they started on searching for the other slaves?"

"Our knights are looking into that as we speak." Impa nodded, "They're detained many slavers after they were defeated who tried to cross the border to Hyrule, and they're currently being interrogated for information."

"Very good." nodded Zelda, "So which knights do we have to thank for striking down the slavers? I'd like to honor them personally for their hard work."

"The official report from the knights says it was Lieutenant Ernoldus and his men of the Hylian border guards..." Impa paused and smirked lightly, "...but according to the freed captives themselves and a few of my sources, it would seem more likely that it was the Gerudo who raided the Keepers' hideout and took them down."

Zelda's eyes lit up in that moment, as she remembered what Impa told her before about what happened at Lake Hylia.

"The Gerudo, huh? I'm glad to hear that, they've come a long way from what they used to be, it sounds like Lady Nabooru has gone through a lot of work to change things for them." she said, tapping her cheek in thought.

"Unfortunately, I do have a bit of bad news, it would seem that one item you asked about before had disappeared from the Wyvern Keepers' hideout, it doesn't seem that the Gerudo are in possession of it, so it's likely it had already been shipped off to it's destination well before the raid." Impa said.

"I see..." Zelda sighed, "I had a bad feeling that would happen. Just keep me posted on that..."

"Of course." nodded Impa, he paused, then smiled lightly, "In an off-the-record note... it would seem a certain blond haired Hylian was sighted with the Gerudo during the raid, according to my sources, and that he was integral to the Gerudo's success at the slaver hideout."

Zelda smiled warmly and knowingly, putting a hand to her heart, Impa could hear her whisper a certain name ever so lightly.

Impa couldn't help but see the happiness radiating from her princess' face in that moment. If she didn't know any better, she'd say Zelda may very well be the ancient goddess Hylia herself, as the princess thought of the young man who helped her save Hyrule from Ganondorf seven years ago.

But then Impa frowned a bit.

"Are... you sure you're ready for what's to come, Zelda?" Impa asked, "It's only going to be a couple months from now... the wedding of you and the Prince of Fargent."

Zelda seemed to pause for a few seconds, then spoke up.

"Yes, of course," Zelda nodded, "I'm excited for it to come. I know you were concerned about me before, as this wedding was originally just supposed to be to establish relations with the land of Fargent, but he turned out to be a truly kind man that I've fallen in love with, and I'm sure he'll make me happy!"

"Of course, my apologizes Zelda." Impa said, "I'll be taking my leave now."

"Alright then," Zelda nodded, "Go on and rest up tonight, you've earned it for your hard work."

"Thank you, Princess Zelda." Impa said, bowing to her. The Shiekah was about to go off on her way when Zelda spoke up again.

"Oh Impa, one last thing, would you be willing to have another training session tomorrow morning?" Zelda asked.

Impa paused, then turned her head to Zelda and smiled, "Of course my princess, I'm glad to see even with your marriage coming up you still want to do that, even if your father disapproves of it."

"I can't help myself. " grinned Zelda in an almost cheeky way, "After all these years it's a habit I don't think I'll ever break."

"Well I'll see you early tomorrow morning then, Princess." Impa said smiling back.

After Impa left, Zelda turned to a dresser beside her bed, and above it, in a glass case was a gleaming rapier sword. The handle was plated in gold and with a shining blade. Chained to the end of the rapier's handle was a small locket that was blue on one side and green on the other, with gold bindings and a lock holding it together, the lock itself was in the shape of an insect cocoon.

Zelda stood, looking at the locket in particular, and smiled warmly to herself.

"I hope we can see each other again soon..."

* * *

_**And that brings this arc to a close. I know some people in the past have given some criticism over the way I depicted Nemisa's character, especially after how I handled her way back in Chapter 2, and I hope this story arc at least alleviated some of it, and she'll continues to grow as a person over time.**_

_**Next time, Link goes on a quest to help an old but cherished friend of his... **_

_**Leave a like, follow or review if you're liking my story, and thank you all for your continued support!**_


	31. Friends of The Forest

_**Well it's time for the next new arc, this time around an old friend Link debuts, but what situation will they end up in? Also, how boring and vague could these introductions of mine get?**_

* * *

"Help! The Deku Babas are back!"

In the middle of a secluded village deep in the forests of Hyrule, a group of small people were fleeing for their lives, away from some plant creatures with snapping mouths.

This was Kokiri Village, home to the child-like forest folk known as, fittingly enough, the Kokiri. Normally the Kokiri lived peaceful lives, but lately they had been falling under attack by strange plant monsters, ranging from the flytrap-like Deku Babas or the nut-spitting creatures known as Deku Scrubs.

The Kokiri, not normally ones for combat, were reduced to either running away or throwing rocks and sticks at the monsters, in the hopes of fending them off. But while they took down a few, the creatures kept showing up.

"Dang it!" shouted a particularity angry Kokiri, he was the leader of the village, Mido. Usually known for being a bit of a control freak and bully around the village, he held a great deal of authority with everyone, but now he was in a situation out of his hands, "Quit running and fight back!"

"But Mido, there's too many of them!" said another Kokiri, gasping out from running, "We need help!"

"Mido, look out!" shouted another Kokiri looking out from the top of a tall stump, Mido looked behind him only to see a particularly big Deku Baba screech out, looking down at him hungerly.

"Uh oh." Mido muttered with his eyes shrunk down. The Deku Baba lunged out at him, ready to make Mido it's next meal...

Until someone jumped out from out of nowhere and smacked the Deku Baba backwards with some kind of long and narrow wooden staff-like weapon, before landing to the ground in front of Mido.

"Are you okay, Mido?" asked the person.

"I-It's you!" Mido exclaimed looking up at them.

It was a Kokiri, much like the others. She wore a teal sweater under the usual green tunic that the Kokiri were known to wear, and had short light green hair with a green hairband, and contrasting from all the green she wore was her eyes which were a gentle blue. In her hands she wielded a type of wooden staff that had vines and some kind of plant pods circling around it, as well as leaves and twigs sticking out form the sides. Despite it's odd appearance, the staff seemed to prove a powerful weapon.

"Saria's here!" cheered one of the Kokiri while coming over to help Mido up.

"You guys, get out of here!" Saria shouted, wielding the strange staff in her hands. The Deku Baba attacked her, but she leaped up and brought her rod down on it once more, smashing it to the ground and killing it.

"Kyyyaaa!" Saria then heard some Kokiri scream, and she turned to go help them as well.

She stopped in front of the pack of Deku Babas and Scrubs, who were getting more aggressive in attacking the Kokiri.

"Time to put an end to this!" Saria said, she closed her eyes and concentrated as she held her battle staff, when large spiked plant nuts grew out from the ends of the staff, attached to vines, she opened her eyes and swung the staff out, the spiked nuts swinging around, and she rushed right at the monsters.

* * *

Meanwhile far away in Gerudo Town, Link was laying back in his bedroom, on the bed of pillows he had taken to sleep on since the day he arrived there. He took a glance down beside him to see a beautiful Gerudo woman laying beside her, blushing softly as she was slowly rubbing his chest with her eyes closed.

"How was it for you, Nemisa?" Link asked.

"Amazing as usual," Nemisa opened her eyes slightly and gave a small smirk, "I'll have to thank Lady Nabooru for tutoring you so well in this."

Link chuckled, giving his bodyguard and lover a gentle kiss. It had been two days since the raid on the Wyvern Keeper's hideout and the freeing of the slaves, as well as Nemisa admitting her love for Link. The two had been spending the past days making up for lots of repressed desires they had for each other; they would either spend time talking about their lives before they met, going out and walking the streets of the town together, strengthening themselves at the training grounds, or in this case, making sweet, passionate love together.

Her leg was raised up over Link's own legs, and he took that time to rub her smooth thigh, causing her to swoon a bit. It felt like just about all the pain and suffering Nemisa had experienced over the years just melted away during these past couple of days. She was having a great time with Link; not just as a lover, but as a close friend, and sometimes wondered if she always felt that way over the months, but was just too stubborn to admit to herself that she was truly enjoying her time with him.

Nemisa stood up to her feet and stretched, allowing Link to take a gaze at her rear end, which despite all the training and exercise she did throughout her life, managed to stay quite large, round and soft, and her wide hips did a good job complimenting it. He was always catching himself taking note of her curvy figure more and more when he saw her dances, and he had a hard time taking his eyes off her even now after all that. Nabooru and Sarami would tease him that Nemisa's figure would be ideal for birthing children someday, and he had an especially hard time getting that off his mind since then.

This didn't go unnoticed by Nemisa, who turned her head to him and smirked lightly, "Pervert." she simply called him, but in a good-natured tone.

"Hey, that coming from the girl who can't keep her hands off my chest?" Link teased.

"Hmph, point taken." she said, somewhat annoyed at how quickly he was able to make a comeback. Nemisa then went over to where she discarded her clothes earlier and pulled out a small bottle from the pocket, filled with small black colored capsules, she took one out and ate it.

"What you got there?" Link asked, getting up and starting to put his red vest and green pants on.

"Black chu jelly capsules, I had Dr. Sarami make them for me this morning." she said swallowing it, "They're a form of birth control medication, if I eat one within seventy two hours of intercourse, it'll prevent me from getting pregnant."

Link was baffled hearing this, not so much how chu jelly could be used to prevent pregnancy, as he came to know how much of a medical genius Sarami was, but rather why Nemisa would take one.

"You don't want to have kids after all?" Link asked, tilting his head, after everything she had told him about the desire t have a family, it was odd to see her change her mind like that.

"No, it''s not that." Nemisa said shaking her head, "It's... just there's still a lot going on in our lives, even with the slavers taken down. There's matters like the rebels and the banishment law, and I still vow to be your bodyguard. I just think with all that in mind I'm... just not ready to have a daughter right now."

"I guess you have a point." Link nodded after some thought. He knew despite how much she had changed that she was very assertive about her duties, and he could respect her diligence.

"Though that said, I do look forward to the day that we get started." Nemisa said, looking down at her herself, running her hand along her bare slim stomach with a warm smile, as thoughts of her future with him were going through her mind, "You know I want a huge family, and by the time we finally start we'll have to make up for how long it took."

"Yeah..." Link said, thinking fondly about it himself while he was tying his vest together. "Those chu jelly things do explain why Nabooru hasn't gotten pregnant yet in all the months we've been at it." he realized, "I thought there was just a problem with me or something."

Nemisa laughed, "Believe me, there's nothing wrong with you." she strolled up to him and tickled his chin, before stopping his hands from typing his vest together, reminding him that she wanted him to leave it open to show off his chest not just for her, but the other Gerudo as well, "You know, aside from the more obvious things."

Link smiled at his newest fiance, it seemed she really had changed in many ways since the incident with Jayde and the slavers. Granted she still had her short-tempered moments, even going so far as to whack him for doing something stupid at times, but she'd react right after with hugs and kisses to make up for it. He was proud to have her as not just his bodyguard and friend, but his lover and fiance as well.

"Well I'm going to head off to work on writing my next dance, I plan to put on a performance over at the Dank Salamander tavern next week." Nemsia said, as she was putting on her typical red Gerudo outfit. She didn't bother putting her hair into a bun anymore, aside from when she was training or in battle. Link didn't complain, as he loved seeing her long hair out like that. "Have a good rest of the day, my love."

"You too Nemisa." nodded Link as she left.

Link's mind drifted to what kind of music Nemisa was going to write for her next song, when an thought occurred to him.

"Hmm.. maybe I should contact Saria, and tell her the good news about us." Link smiled, thinking of his childhood friend from Kokiri Forest.

He went to retrieve his Fairy Ocarina from his belongings. He took a deep breath, putting his lips to the instrument, then started playing a whimsical bouncy tune from it. The music was known fittingly as Saria's Song, a tune that carried magical power which allowed him to communicate with Saria when played in just the right tone. In fact, the ocarina itself was a gift from Saria just before Link went on his quest to save Hyrule, and he held onto it all this time.

After he completed the notes, he paused, waiting to see if she would pick up.

"_Link... Link, is this Saria, can you hear me?"_ Link heard a voice coming from the ocarina, this was the power of Saria's Song, allowing him to speak to her no matter where he was in Hyrule.

"Loud and clear." Link said happily, "How have you been?"

"_Um... quite well!"_ Saria said, _"Things are... uh, very peaceful here as usual!"_

"You okay there?" Link asked, "You sound a little worried."

"_Hee-hee, I'm fine!"_ Saria giggled, _"Just umm, Mido's been really ordering everyone around a lot."_

"Sounds like him." Link said in a friendly tone, though he couldn't help but feel something was off about her.

"_But enough about me, how about you?"_ Saria asked, _"It's been a while since we talked!"_

"Yeah, sorry about that, but we've been pretty busy around here lately. We just took down the slaver organization I told you about before." Link said.

"_Oh yeah, those... what did you call them, Wyvern Keepers?"_ Saria realized, _"Those sounded like really bad people... and you all took them down? You'll have to tell me more about it!"_

The two spent the next hour or so talking about the raid on the slaver hideout, including what happened between him and Nemisa. Saria listened to everything intently, and was shocked to hear that Nemisa had become Link's newest fiance.

"_Really?"_ Saria exclaimed, _"Ms. Nemisa is going to be part of your family? That's so great!"_ she said cheerfully, _"I'm glad things worked out with her! I wasn't gong to say anything but from the stories you've told me, but I could tell there was really something between you two!"_

"Yeah, it's not going to be immediate, but Nemisa even said she wants to someday have children with me, like Ruto and the twins do." Link nodded.

"_W-Wow..."_ Saria said, with a hint of uneasiness in her tone, _"I'm glad to see you've made so many friends who are so close to you... even the Zora princess."_ she paused, _"Someday I'd really like the chance to meet them, especially that Lady Nabooru you mentioned."_

"I'm sure you'd get along with them well." Link nodded, "Maybe we can arrange to have you come and meet up with us once Nabooru is done creating the trade route with the Zoras I mentioned before."

"_M-Maybe..." _Saria paused, _"Hey, so uh, I gotta go! Have a good rest of your day, okay?!"_

"Okay, you too." Link said.

"_And don't forget to call me!"_ Saria added.

"Haha, no problem." Link chuckled, "Have a good day, Saria."

With that, the communication between the two stopped, and Link smiled lightly, even though he didn't always have the time or the thought to call her as much as much he wanted, when he did it was always a pleasant experience. He'd felt the need to try and take the time to contact her more often.

"Well for now I better go see if Nabooru needs me to do any work." Link said to himself, and left out his bedroom.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Saria's house in Kokiri Village, the green-haired girl set down her own ocarina and let out a gentle sigh. She laid back on her bed and turned her head to look our her window, thinking to herself about her conversation with Link. She could have told her friend about what was going in Kokiri Forest with the monster attacks, but she knew Link had a lot going on in his own life, and didn't need to trouble himself with hers.

"His own life..." she muttered out loud.

"Hey Saria, you okay there?" asked a small voice, Saria glanced up and smiled lightly at what appeared to be a small ball of light with wings, but was actually a forest fairy, her companion of which like what all Kokiri had.

"Yeah... I'm fine Faete." Saria said, smiling at her fairy friend.

Though impossible for any normal person to see due to her small size and brightly glowing form, Faete frowned, She and Saria had known each other for many years, hundreds in fact, Kokiri having unusually long life spans compared to Hylians, and the fairy could tell Saria wasn't telling her the absolute truth.

"Is this about Link?" Faete asked, flying around Saria's head.

"...hee hee, can't keep anything from you, can I?" Saria giggled lightly and sat up, "I dunno, I guess I just miss him a lot. It's always great when I talk to him, and I'm happy to hear him enjoying his life so much with the Gerudo..."

"Yeah, you're always telling me about it after you talk with him." Faete said.

Saria nodded, "I mean, he's even said he's going to become their king someday, that he'll eventually get married to a bunch of the girls he's befriended since he came there, and even have children with all of them. It's weird to think of the idea that he's going to be not just a king, but a father someday... he's really grown up!"

Saria paused on that note, and looked down at her own body. Despite having such long life spans, Kokiri remained the size of children for the entirety of their lives. She remembered seven years ago when Link was the same size as her, how she'd hug him and protect him from Mido's bullying, and then how shocked she was when he returned from his seven-year journey to see him as a tall strong adult.

"Saria...?" Faete muttered.

"...I was worried about him back when he was on that seven year journey, I couldn't even get in contact with him using my song... and even though he's back in Hyrule, we barely get the chance to talk. With everything that's been going on in his life, it's makes me wonder if he really has any time for me anymore..." she said with a sad smile.

"Don't say that!" Faete scolded Saria in a fussy tone, "You two are best friends, and he'd never forget about you!"

Saria was surprised to see Faete raise her voice like that, which was a rarity for her. Saria sighed and placed a hand to her heart, then looked up at Faete and smiled.

"Y-You're right Faete, I'm just being mopey, sorry about that."

"It's fine, just chin up! Who knows, maybe someday Link will come here soon and the two of you can make up for lost time!" Faete spoke.

"...yeah, I'll look forward to that day Faete, thanks!" Saria smiled, she then stood up and straightened out her tunic, "Well come on, I need to go do some training so I can be ready for the next monster attack." reaching over and taking the staff she had used to fight off the monsters earlier.

"You've really stepped up when you found that thing by the Great Deku Tree's remnants." Faete said, referring to the late guardian of Kokiri Forest, who had been killed by Ganondorf and kickstarted Link's quest to defeat the evil Gerudo King.

Saria nodded, "The Great Deku Sprout says it was likely a gift from the tree, that he had chosen me to help protect everyone from the monsters." referring to the recently born successor of the forest that replaced the Deku Tree some time after Link had gotten Ganondorf imprisoned.

"I still wonder why these creatures are so rampant lately?" Faete pondered, "They didn't use to typically come into the village itself."

"We'll figure it out eventually." Saria said, "Now come on, I need to work on my battle skills!"

Saria stepped out from her house, taking a deep breath of the tranquil forest air. She heard a bit of struggling nearby, and turned to see one of the Kokiri boys pulling on a rock outside of her house.

"Eldow?" Saria asked the boy, "Don't tell me Mido's got you doing others' chores again."

"He... says it's... my duty..." Eldow gasped from exhaustion, "...since you're busy... protecting our village..."

Saria just patted Eldow's head, causing him to react with a deep red blush.

"Don't worry about Mido, you just go on your way, okay?" Saria smiled happily.

"Um, I-If you're sure... thanks Saria..." Eldow said, walking off embarrassingly.

Saria then made her way to the training yard of the forest, where she got to work and started to smack at a wooden training dummy with her staff. She performed some powerful horizontal and vertical swings of her staff, quickly sidestepped as if she was dodging some attacks, and then backflipped a few times, before sprinting forward and impacting the staff into the dummy.

"She's really getting stronger..." Faete said to herself as she watched Saria train. She couldn't help but feel it was Link and the tales he told Saria of his adventures who helped influence her to work so hard.

"Oh, there you are!" spoke out a new, irritated voice. Saria turned to see it as the Kokiri village leader Mido, standing along side a blonde Kokiri girl holding a pad of paper that she was writing things on. The girl also had some plant roots arranged on her face to look like a thin pair of reading glasses for some odd reason Saria could never understand.

"What's this I heard from Eldow about you saying to not worry about the rocks in your yard?" Mido spoke up.

"Ah come on Mido, cut Eldow a break, you work him too hard." Saria spun around and folded her arms behind her back, smiling to Mido.

"W-Well it's just that you work yourself too hard... and um..." he turned his head away to avoid looking directly at her, "S-Say something Vekai!" he shouted to the girl beside him.

Vekai, the girl beside him, adjusted her root glasses and spoke in a monotone voice, "Mr. Mido's just concerned for your well-being Ms. Saria."

"Not that kind of something!" Mido exclaimed, he turned back to Saria and fumed, "Look, j-just don't go stepping on my words, got it?"

"Hee hee, whatever you say Mido." Saria giggled, making Mido fume.

"Yeah, that's right, don't forget I'm the boss around here! As the most mature of the Kokiri, I have to maintain a strong influence with the people in this village!" Mido said proudly.

"By the way Mr. Mido," Vekai spoke up, "Your scheduled milk break is in approximately four minutes and fifty three seconds."

"Dang it! I told you not to say that in public!" Mido shouted at her, as he saw Saria was watching, "Why'd I hire you on as my adviser anyway?!"

"Because otherwise you'd lose track of everything." Vekai said calmly.

"Grrr..." Mido said, "Listen, I have... something to do, just don't go around acting like you're in charge or anything, got it?" he told Saria, he turned his head away, "And... um... you know, take it easy on yourself..."

"Okay, thanks Mido." Saria said smiling brightly, before going back to her training.

"Yeah yeah..." Mido grumbled as he started shuffling off to his house.

"Would you like me to prepare a napkin for you to wear in case you dribble again, Mr. Mido?" Vekai asked following him.

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

A few weeks past after that, and life for the future king Link continued as normal in Gerudo Town. While he tried his best to contact Saria as often as he could, he'd frequently get caught up in other matters, whether it be Nabooru helping him learn things about his up-coming position as king, spending time with the girls, and battling bandits, rebels or monsters that attacked the town.

And then of course there was his Gerudo fiances in particular, Kesuta, Korume and Nemisa, who couldn't keep themselves off him at times. Nabooru always made an effort to get in some time with him as well, so he had his hands full often, in more ways then one. Not that Link was complaining much about that, he found himself getting more into making love with them each time.

Nabooru's nights with him were mostly educational ones, teaching him all kinds of techniques to use and places on a woman's body to pleasure them, even going so far as to tutor him on various types of women's bodies; whether they be petite, large, muscular, pregnant, etc. He was quite frankly learning a lot from her.

She even dropped a bombshell that he'll likely take some other Gerudo into bed with him who won't necessarily become his royal wives, but would bear his children anyway to ensure the population grows. He recalled Sarami was originally a child-bearer of Ganondorf, so he admitted it made some sense. He did know regardless of the circumstances, he would love his future daughters all the same.

As for the others, Kesuta was just a flat-out wild woman in bed, while Korume mostly enjoyed close cuddle-style love making with him, the contrast made every night the three had varied and fun. When the two fused together into Duelsera though, it was a whole other experience; she took charge most of the time, and she was completely unpredictable with what she would do; as Kesuta and Korume's clashing personalities would create bizarre scenarios with him some nights when they united.

As for Nemisa, nights with her just seemed to be about pure unbridled passion. She would often start their nights with a slow and exotic dance, stripping off her clothes as she did, before pulling Link into a whole night of pleasure. She'd often whisper in his ear after their love-making about how she couldn't wait to start a family with him, and how much her body was craving to be pregnant. She even seemed to have decided on names for at least five of the children they were going to have and wanted to hear a few ideas from him for the rest. Link couldn't help but enjoy thinking of those possibilities himself as she spoke...

* * *

One night, Link was on his way to his bedroom. He still felt a little guilty about not contacting Saria very much as of late, and wanted to speak with her at that moment. When he arrived at his bedroom, he took the ocarina and put it to his lips. He was about to play it and contact Saria when he felt someone put their hands on his shoulders.

"Hello there, Link." whispered a voice into his ear.

"Nemisa, what's up?" Link asked, looking to her and smiling.

"I was just practicing the dance I'm going to perform at the night club tomorrow, do you want an early preview...?" she asked.

Link paused, he wanted to speak with Saria, but he had to admit he wanted to see Nemisa's newest dance. He weighed his options and decided to go with Nemisa while she was still in the mood.

'It's fine,' Link thought to himself, 'I'll contact Saria afterwards.' he then set down the ocarina and nodded to Nemisa, "Sure thing."

Nemisa smirked and pulled Link off to show him the dance she had been working on...

...with the intention of giving him a different show of affection afterwords...

* * *

At the far end of the Lost Woods of Kokiri Forest, there was a place known as the Sacred Forest Meadow, a calm and serene location that was home to the Forest Temple. While the origins of the temple were shrouded in mystery, the area itself served as a location for Saria to spend her time and relax, of which she was doing right at that moment.

She sat on a tree stump as Faete floated around her head, and she was playing her usual song on her ocarina. The music seemed to echo throughout the Lost Woods, and in the past it provided Link with a way to get through the woods easily and meet with her.

Today however, Saria seemed to keep slipping up with her notes, eventually making a particularly loud whistle from it that sent Faete falling over and hitting the ground. Saria eventually came to a stop and sighed.

"You alright there Saria? Never heard you mess up like that before." Faete asked flying back up to her.

"Sorry..." Saria said, "I guess I'm just still thinking about my situation with Link, I had a weird dream last night and I can't get my mind off of it."

"What kind of dream? Something like the ones you used to have seven years ago?" Faete asked with concern.

"Not... really I guess?" Saria pondered, putting a finger to her mouth, "I barely remember anything about those other dreams, mostly just that the Forest Temple and Link were involved in them..." she looked up at the entrance to the temple which was inaccessible for her since the stairs had broken away eons ago, "I haven't even had those dreams since around the time Link left for his seven-year journey."

"Then what is it?" Faete asked.

"I'm not sure, but these dreams are different, like Link may be in danger..." she closed her eyes and put her ocarina to her chest, "I feel like I need to do something for him..."

"Well you're being supportive of his new life, so there's that." Faete pointed out.

"Maybe, but I'm thinking more and more now that, maybe it's not enough. I missed him so much during his journey. When he returned I was happy to see him again, but he had changed as a person so much; not in a negative way mind you. He's become bigger, stronger, wiser and in some ways a lot kinder and more sensitive to others..." Saria said, "I feel like sometimes, I want to change more like he did as well."

"You think that's why the Great Deku Tree gave you the Deku Staff?" Faete suggested, gesturing to the wooden staff that Saria had beside her that she was using to fight off the monsters.

"Yeah, that's what I like to think, I've definitively gotten stronger thanks to it. The Deku Sprout believes this was given to me so that I can protect the village from the monsters, and I've been happy to become their guardian in place of the Great Deku Tree."

She paused, and Faete looked curiously at her.

"But... I feel like those dreams are trying to tell me something... that I need to do something for Link as well..." Saria said, "I'm worried about him, and... I..."

"Maybe you should just go visit him?" Faete asked, having a feeling she knew what Saria really wanted, recalling how excited Saria was at the possibility of it when Link brought it up earlier. However, Saria's reaction to that was now a lot different.

"No, I don't think that could ever happen, I have an obligation here to protect the village, I think it's what the Great Deku Tree would want from me." she continued, "Besides, we're too different now... I'm just a child compared to him, and Link has grown so big and strong, on his way to becoming the Gerudo King, and is even going to marry those friends of his and become a father..." Her voice sounded noticeably strained from saying that.

"...sometimes I wonder if we're just meant to be in two different worlds from each other. I know we'll always be best friends, even when we're separated like this, but is that all we can ever be...?"

"Saria..." whispered Faete.

It was then however, that Faete felt a strange presence and turned to see something coming up behind them. Faete tried to shout out to warn her friend, but was cut off by something smacking her away.

"Huh, did you say something Faete?" Saria asked, it was then she realized a large shadow was looming over her, something big was blocking off the glow of the moon above, and she turned up to see what it was. Her eyes widened in shock, as the shadow reached out at her with long creepy arms.

Saria screamed out, but it went unheard by anyone in the isolated area of the Sacred Forest Meadow.

* * *

Back in Gerudo Town's palace, Link had just watched Nemisa's dance, which ended with the two making out, then falling into passionate love making. Afterwards Link had decided to take a bit of a cat nap and drifted to sleep.

As he did though, he had a series of dreams, very vivid dreams that felt all too familiar to him...

"_Link... ...please help me! I'm scared!"_

"_I just knew... we could never be in the same world together..."_

"_Remember Link, I'll always be your friend..."_

"_So... Saria's not ever coming back, huh?"_

"_Because Saria really... liked..."_

As Link dreamed, he grimaced and shifted around in his sleep, bumping into Nemisa who was laying beside him reading a book, and almost causing her to spill the drink she had.

"Hey, watch where you're moving you idiot!" Nemisa shouted in frustration as she turned and brought up her fist to clobber him. Even though she had changed greatly over time after they had put an end to Jayde and the Wyvern Keepers, she still had tendencies to snap at people, though it was much more constrained now. While she felt she would never completely grow out of it, she had at least accepted it was still a part of her, and besides that, Link seemed happy to see she still had that side of her as well.

When she looked down at Link to punish him though, she gazed in shock at his expression.

She saw a look of pain and sorrow on his face, he was tossing and turning in his sleep, and she could have sworn she heard him saying some things under his breath like, "No... you're not... I won't... allow it to... you'll never have to... I swear I'll...!"

"Link?" she asked with concern in her tone, "Link wake up!" she shouted, shaking him awake. Link quickly got up and gasped out, drenched in a cold sweat.

"Link, what's the matter?!" Nemisa pleaded, putting a hand to his shoulder.

"I-I gotta talk to her, right now!" Link said, scrambling and reaching over to grab his ocarina, and he started playing Saria's Song.

"What are you doing...?" Nemisa asked in confusion, only to then hear a familiar tune playing, her worry about him went away quickly as her dancer instincts were kicking in, "Ah, I remember this from the caravan trip!" she stood up and started tapping her foot in tune to the music, doing a light dance in the hopes he'd look to her.

Only instead Nemisa saw that Link was concentrating on playing his music, and seemed to be listening for something as he did. Eventually he stopped and lowered the ocarina, and she looked to see there was a blank stare on his face.

"Link, what's the matter...?" Nemisa repeated to him worriedly.

"I think... she's in trouble..." Link said with a painful look in his eyes.

* * *

"Wait, you need to go where?!" exclaimed Nabooru, looking up from some work she was doing as Link had come to speak to her.

"I'm sorry, but I need to leave for Kokiri Forest as soon as possible." Link said bowing, "I'm... afraid a close friend of mine might be in danger, and I have to help her!"

"Well I suppose I can't stop you..." Nabooru said hesitantly, "But are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I should be fine." nodded Link. "I assure you I'll come back home soon."

"Wait a minute, you're not thinking of going alone, are you?!" Nemisa shouted with concern.

"Yeah, we're going with you, we are your bodyguards after all!" Aviel said, pumping her fists.

"Sorry girls." Link said, "But you two wouldn't be able to cross the border thanks to the banishment law, I'll have to go myself."

"Ugh... that's a good point..." Nemisa scowled, her eyes shut in frustration, "J-Just please don't do anything that could endanger your life, okay Link?"

"No problem." Link nodded with a soft smile, "After everything we went through together there's no way I'll allow that."

Nemisa opened her eyes and smiled deeply, giving Link a kiss on the cheek, causing Nabooru and Aviel to snicker and giggle with happiness at the two of them.

"Just go do what you need to do, and return home safe, you reckless moron." Nemisa said warmly.

"No problem Nemisa." Link nodded, "I'll be leaving as soon as I get my stuff then. Wish me luck, girls!"

As Link ran off to prepare for his quest however, Aviel herself stood still, looking worriedly at him...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. I'm not sure how popular Saria is with the Zelda fanbase these days, but I thought she was long overdue for some spotlight, plus I feel her character fits into some of the major themes I'm working with in this story.**_

_**I also found it kind of fun to depict Link using Saria's song to contact her like the equivalent of a mobile phone in Hyrule, maybe I'll figure out a way to implement that more in the future.**_

_**Also after writing my Ys VIII story a while back I got into the habit of accidentally calling her 'Sarai' in this chapter one too many times... maybe I need a break soon.**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow and/or review if you desire, your support is always appreciated!**_


	32. The Lost Woods

_**Time for Chapter 32, Link has arrived at Kokiri Forest, but just what is in store for him at his old home?**_

* * *

It took about half a day of traveling, but Link soon found himself standing at the entrance to Kokiri Forest, isolated from most of Hyrule by the nearby cliffs and mountains. He was now wearing his old green tunic and cap from long ago, something he hadn't worn since he arrived in Gerudo Town. Getting past the Hylian guards at the waterfall bridge was little trouble, as they just dismissed him as a traveler. Thankfully the prisoners they had rescued at the slaver hideout were good to their word and apparently hadn't told anyone about his up and coming status as the Gerudo King.

'Been a while since I've been in Hyrule Field now that I think about it...' Link thought, 'Not since our retreat at Lake Hylia.'

He closed his eyes, as memories of a certain Kokiri girl went through his mind. He took a breath and nodded to himself.

'Saria, please be okay, I'm coming for you.' he thought.

He was about to take his first step into the forest when...

"Woooaahh! Look out Link!"

Link looked up in confusion and saw a certain scrawny winged thing coming right down at him, he didn't have time to react as she collided right into his forehead.

"Gaaahh!" Link shouted, falling backwards and impacting to the ground. He sat up and shook his head, seeing it was of course Aviel who collided into him.

"Owie..." Aviel said with her eyes spiraling.

"Aviel?! What are you doing here?" Link exclaimed upon seeing her.

"Hey Birdbrain, watch where you're flying, you'll hurt our husband!" shouted another voice, as Link looked up to see two familiar mystic twins flying down on their broomsticks, landing perfectly to the ground.

"Kesuta and Korume? What's going on here?" Link asked looking back and forth between the three.

"What else?" Kesuta said, putting her hands to her hips and leaning forward with a grumpy look, "We're here to help you on your mission!"

"We couldn't let you just do this alone." Korume said simply as she started to lift Aviel by her arms up onto her feet.

"But what about the border?" Link asked.

"Duh, we just flew over them. As far as those dummy guards know, we were just some large birds going by." shrugged Kesuta.

"Tweet tweet." Korume said, holding up Aviel's wings and flapping them.

"I.. appreciate that." Link said, "But this could be dangerous, I don't know what's going on here myself exactly, and I don't want anything to happen to you girls."

"All the more reason why we needed to come..." Aviel said, shaking off her dizziness, "When you left, I got worried, so I asked Kesuta and Korume to come along since they can fly over the border too."

"You did...?' Link asked.

"Yeah, she burst into our tent shouting that we needed to follow you here to the forest." Kesuta nodded.

"Emphasis on the burst part." Korume said coldly, turning to the bird girl, "You still owe us for that vase."

"Ah heh heh..." Aviel laughed sheepishly, before turning to Link, "I'm your devoted bodyguard, and I can't let you get hurt, not just for your sake, but for your fiances' sake as well!"

Link smiled slightly, as small traces of tears formed in his eyes. He really truly had some great friends and loved ones he could relay on no matter what the circumstances, and in that moment, he felt more ready then ever to help Saria.

"Thanks girls." Link said, "I'll be counting on you all then."

"Right!" the three nodded.

With that, the four of them set out for their destination of Kokiri Village.

* * *

"No way, so you grew up here in this forest?" Kesuta asked.

"And this Saria girl is your childhood friend?" Korume added.

"Yep." Link nodded, as they traveled down the road towards Kokiri Village, Link took the time to tell the girls about his life as a child and the Kokiri, especially his childhood friend Saria.

"So does this mean we'll get to meet your parents?" Aviel asked excitedly.

"Um," Link looked a little distant and scratched his cheek, "My parents aren't there, in fact I never really knew them myself..."

"Wait, seriously?" Kesuta asked, "What happened?!"

"I'm not entirely sure on the details... I was told that I was left behind here in the forest shortly after I was born, and the Kokiri took care of me as I grew up..."

"So you... never knew your parents...?" Aviel asked with sympathetic eyes,. She looked downcast at hearing those words, as she squeezed her hand against her chest, "That's so sad..."

"You sound like you've lived a troubled life, my love..." Korume said, putting a hand to his arm.

"It's... fine." Link said somewhat sadly, before looking up at them with a smile, "The Kokiri did great to help me through my life, and they told me even after I left, that this place would always be my home. I owe them so much. Especially Saria, who always looked out for me... she'd protect me from bullies, teach me things about the forest, we'd have so many great times together..."

"This Saria sounds like she's really important to you..." Kesuta said with a smile of her own.

"Yep, she's my best friend." Link nodded, "That's why I have to help her."

Hearing those words, Aviel perked up and raised her bird wing, "Alright then, let's go!"

* * *

"We made it." Link said, as he, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume all stood at the entrance to Kokiri Village. The group took a look around the place and saw a vast clearing with numerous large tree stumps cleverly fashioned into houses, but oddly there didn't seem to be anyone around.

"Jees, not much of a welcome party is there?" Kesuta asked, putting a hand to her hip and looking around.

"It's really nice here though, you're lucky you got to grow up in this forest, Link." Aviel commented, taking a deep breath of the cool and soothing air.

"I always enjoyed being here, and it's good to be back." Link grinned.

"Strange... I'm feeling an unusual power coming from this place..." Korume muttered. "There's a certain whimsical and magical feeling to this forest... but there's something else as well..."

"Hey! What are you grown ups doing here?!" shouted an angry voice, all too familiar to Link.

"Hoo-boy." Link sighed.

Peeking out from his house was Mido, coming out and strutted up to Link and the three girls, with his adviser Vekai following after him, scribbling down notes as she observed Link and his comrades.

"Oh it's just you." Mido realized, he turned his head and called out, "It's okay everyone, it's Link!"

It was then Link, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume looked around to see numerous child-like beings popping out from houses, from behind bushes and fences, and out from the pond, all wearing green outfits similar to Link's.

"Hey, it IS Link!" shouted one of the children, as they all came from their hiding places and rushed forward to greet the Hylian swordsman, crowding around him and the Gerudo girls. They all started talking among each other about their old friend and his new companions.

"Oh wow, look at all of them! They're like little children, how cute!" Kesuta said cheerfully, looking down at the Kokiri.

"They're so precious..." whispered Korume longingly.

"These guys are all your friends, Link?" Aviel asked, looking left and right.

"Yep, I grew up with them for ten years of my life." Link said, rubbing one of them on the head with a grin.

"So who are these ladies you brought with you?" asked one of the Kokiri girls.

"Yeah, and why does this one hiding grapefruits in her top?" asked one of the boys, grabbing and squeezing Aviel's chest.

"WHA- HEY!" shouted Aviel, whacking the boy on the head with her bird wing, "Watch where you're touching!"

"Woah! She's part bird?!" the kids shouted enthusiastically, a lot of them crowded around Aviel and started asking questions about Aviel and playing with her wings.

"Ayayayaya!" Aviel stammered with dizzy eyes as the kids all swarmed her.

"Can all of you turn into birds then?" asked one of the Kokiri to Kesuta looking at her chest, "Do I have to squeeze those to turn you into one?"

"Touch em and I'll fry you kid." Kesuta said annoyed.

"I dunno..." observed one of the other Kokiri, "Hers aren't anywhere as big as the other one..."

"Okay, that's it!" shouted Kesuta in rage, about to ignite her fists, only to be held back by Korume.

"Don't do anything that'll get us in trouble here!" Korume scolded her sister.

Link finally settled everyone down and took that time to properly introduce Aviel, Kesuta and Korume to the kids, careful to leave out certain details like him being engaged to the twins, as it wasn't exactly something he was comfortable talking with such innocent ones like them about.

"Jees, a whole town of just girls? That sounds scary." said one of the boys.

"Yeah, you're tougher then I thought to put up with all of them." said another.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" shouted a female Kokiri bonking both boys upside the head.

"It's not as bad as you might think." Link said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, in fact he's eventually going to be our king someday!" Aviel stated..

"WHAT?" shouted all the Kokiri except for Vekai, who just stood there.

"Link... will be a king?!" exclaimed one of the Kokiri girls, with her hands to her cheeks blushing.

"Hey, don't go blurting that kind of thing out!" Kesuta shouted at Aviel, "The people of Hyrule aren't supposed to know about that yet!"

"Ha-ha, it's okay. The Kokiri keep to themselves, and don't have any connections to the Hylian Parliament, and even if they did leave the forest they wouldn't say a word about it." Link assured Kesuta, "Right guys?" he then asked the Kokiri.

"So this is your secret then?" one of the Kokiri children asked, "Alright, we'll keep it a secret among us then!"

They all nodded in agreement, and Link couldn't help but feel that close bond he still shared with all of then even back when he was a kid, knowing he could trust them all with this.

"So, you're. really going to be a king then...?!" Mido asked in astonishment, then laughed out, "Ha! If that's true, then that whole place is doomed!"

"Heh, I see you hasn't changed a bit, Mido." Link commented with a smirk, as he put his hand down on Mido's head, "In attitude, and height."

"What? Why I outta...!" shouted Mido, wiggling his arms in frustration, as the whole village broke into laughter.

"Listen..." Link said, clearing his throat and standing upright, with his expression turning serious, "I need to see Saria, where is she?"

The remainder of the laughter died down and there was an awkward pause, as all the Kokiri looked sadly downwards, and Link could tell how true his concerns turned out to be

"Saria... she... she's..." Mido looked down, with a look of sadness and concern in his tone, he clenched his fist and shouted up at Link, "She's none of your business! Now beat it!"

"Mr. Mido, please." Vekai said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Perhaps Mr. Link can help us."

"We don't need help!" Mido turned to Vekai and shouted, "He's never here for her anyway, so she's obviously not important to him!"

Link flinched at hearing that, as the words Mido spoke stung, the Hylian reflected on them and hung his head a bit, thinking to himself about how he had been neglecting Saria in the past months since he came to Gerudo Town, especially since he started dating the twins and Nemisa, and it tore at him to hear others, even a loud-mouth like Mido, call him out for it as well.

"Hey! Don't say that you brat!" shouted Aviel, "Link came all the way out here to help his friend!"

"Don t 'brat' me you grapefruit bird!" shouted Mido, "Now get outta here, and make those stupid girls unhand those two!"

Link snapped out of his daze and looked up to see Mido was pointing to Kesuta and Korume, who were holding up Kokiri in their arms, both of the forest kids wiggled around, helpless to get away from them.

"So what do you want to do with yours when you bring them home?" Kesuta asked Korume, "I want to train mine into a big strong fighter!" she stated holding hers up into the air with a big smile.

"...I want to make mine wear cute little dresses..." Korume giggled softly, holding hers closely.

"I'm a boy!" shouted the child that Korume held.

"Mr. Mido..." Vekai said calmly, putting a hand on Mido's shoulder, "If we're unable to do this ourselves, then perhaps Mr. Link can do something. At least give him a chance."

"Mido please, let me help." Link said, "Saria's my friend, and I'm willing to do anything I can to help her, please just give me this chance."

Mido paused, looking down before turning his gaze up at Link. As he did, Mido could see there was something in the way Link looked, he didn't waver in his stare, and he could see the same determination Saria had when she would fight off the monsters attacking the village.

"Saria..." Mido gulped and started, "She went out to her usual spot beyond the Lost Woods, but... she hasn't been back since last night..."

"We wanted to go out looking for her, but we didn't have any luck getting around the Lost Woods." one of the Kokiri explained.

"We're worried about her, but we don't want to get trapped in there either." said one kid sadly.

"Yeah, no kidding..." Link grimaced, recalling a rumor he heard about what exactly happens to Kokiri who get trapped in the Lost Woods, when a horrible thought occurred to him, 'There's no way Saria was...?' he thought to himself, before shaking off that feeling.

He then looked to Mido's expression, and just for a second, he recalled a past memory of the Kokiri leader making a similar face... in a different time...

"Listen Mido, I-"

It was then however, that the ground rumbled a bit, causing the Kokiri to freak out.

"Oh no, it's happening again!" said a Kokiri, "Everyone run!"

"Dang it...!" Mido said, she turned to Vekai, "Get our best fighters together on the double!"

"Yes Mr. Mid-" But before Vekai could do anything, it happened.

Bursting out from the ground were terrifying plant monsters, the Deku Babas and Deku Scrubs, all snapping and squealing, ready to attack the village.

"What the heck?" Link exclaimed, "How are these things here?"

"Everyone quit running and fight!" shouted Mido to the fleeing Kokiri, though they didn't listen to a word he said.

"Dangit..." muttered Mido, "Saria was our best bet for fending these monsters off... but with her missing..."

Link looked down at Mido, he wanted desperately to save Saria from whatever situation she was in, but realized the other Kokiri were in more immediate danger.

"Don't worry Mido, we'll handle this." Link said, he turned to Aviel, Kesuta and Korume, "Come on girls, let's take em on!"

"Right, Link!" Aviel said.

"Of course!" Kesuta and Korume said at once.

"Don t be ridiculous," Mido snorted, "What chance do you have against thes-" he turned to then see Link with his sword and shield, Aviel with her crossbow, Kesuta with a flaming whip, and Korume with an icy spear, "W-What?"

"Okay girls, defend the Kokiri, and the village!" Link shouted as the four charged into battle.

A Deku Baba lunged out at a cornered Kokiri, but Link ran in with his sword and sliced it at the neck, chopping off it's head. A few Deku Scrubs tried shooting Link with nuts spat from their mouths, but he quickly turned to use his shield to deflect the nuts back into the scrubs, who he then ran forward and cut through with his sword. Another group of Babas burst out from the ground in a circle around Link to entrap him, but he brought back his sword and pulled a devastating spin attack, cutting them all down in a single slice.

Aviel took to shooting various Deku monsters with her crossbow, before taking to the skies with her bird wings, surprising and exciting all the Kokiri, as she landed down on a bridge in the center of town and fired off arrows every which way at a better point of range. One Deku Scrub attempted to creep up behind her for a stealth attack, but Aviel brought up her crossbow and smacked the scrub with it, sending it off the bridge.

Kesuta charged in, whipping and striking at the Deku Babas and Scrubs with her flame whip, setting them ablaze and falling over dead in seconds. Another gang of Deku Scrubs went running after some kids, but some small embers formed around the scrubs, before a pillar of fire shot up, incinerating the scrubs to a crisp, Kesuta grinned at smoldering remains, but then saw the flames were starting to grow a little more due to the grassy field.

"Uh oh!" Kesuta said sweatdropping, before Korume came in and used her ice to extinguish the fire.

"Honestly sister," Korume said, "You need to be more careful with where you cast your fire, we're not in the desert." before she turned around quickly and impaled a large Deku Baba with her spear, freezing it solid before it scattered to the ground.

"Ah heh heh, sorry..." Kesuta said rubbing the back of hr head.

"Be sorry later, we have more to fight." Korume said, throwing a spear at a Deku Scrub through it's mouth, it pierced through the other side of the creature and skewered a few more scrubs in the process.

"Right!" Kesuta grinned, running out with her flame whips to fight more monsters.

As the battle was continued, Vekai was trying to analyze the situation to plan an attack by the Kokiri on the remaining monsters, when one more Deku Baba popped out form the ground and attacked her. Vekai screamed out in fear, only for Mido to run out in front of Vekai to protect her, which caught her off guard.

But before Mido would be hurt, the Deku Baba was chopped in half by Link and his sword. Mido looked up in shock to see Link standing before him with a determined look in his eyes.

"You two alright?" Link asked, seeing they were okay without a response, he then ran off to battle more of the monsters.

"Link..." Mido stammered, as Vekai put a hand on Mido's shoulder.

"I believe Mr. Link will be able to do it." nodded Vekai.

It didn't take long after that for the Hylian and three Gerudo to finish off the rest of the Deku plant monsters, the remnants of the creatures all laid around the forest floor, before they disintegrated into purple smoke.

"We did it!" cheered out Aviel, waving her bird wings.

"No way, they actually won!" exclaimed a Kokiri girl, coming out of hiding.

"That was so cool!" shouted a boy, "Did you see that one lady set those things on fire?!"

The Kokiri all crowded around Link and the gang again and started chattering wildly about their abilities.

"You've really come a long way since you had the Kokiri Knife, Link!" said one girl.

"Can you teach me to shoot arrows like that?" exclaimed one of the boys to Aviel.

"Hee hee, sure thing!" Aviel grinned, "I'm an expert in archery training!"

"Seeing all these kids around us is so nice!" Kesuta said, kneeling down and hugging some of the ones who were scared of the monsters in order to comfort them, "It's almost like having little ones of our own!"

Korume looked over to see Link holding up one of the Kokiri who had been hiding in a hollow log, as they were trembling he did his best to comfort them with a smile.

"Yes..." Korume said softly, smiling as well.

"You guys really did it..." Mido said, walking up to Link who set down the Kokiri he had been holding, "You defeated all of them... just like Saria usually does..."

"So this isn't the first time this has happened then?" Link asked baffled. He was even more curious about how Saria could defeat the monsters, as she was never the fighting type and never spoke about anything like it, but wanted to focus on the immediate situation.

"We've been under attack by those things for a while now," Vekai explained, adjusting her root glasses, "Usually Ms. Saria fends them off, but as previously mentioned, she went off to the Sacred Forest Meadow last night and has been gone since."

"All right then." Link nodded, "In that case, we're going to go out there to find her."

"Please Link..." sobbed one of the Kokiri, "Saria's worked so hard to keep us safe from those monsters, you have to save her!"

"I promise you we will." he said, he looked down at Mido in particular, "We'll bring Saria back."

"O-Okay..." nodded Mido, "Just be careful, okay? You're Saria's only hope!"

"No problem, just keep an eye on things til we get back." Link said, as the four of them set off for the Lost Woods.

* * *

"This place is really spooky..." Aviel said worriedly, as the four of them had entered the near endless forest known as the Lost Woods. There were trees everywhere, as forest usually had, as well as giant tunnels made from fallen trees, and they could hear the faint sounds of creepy laughter and creatures making strange sounds in the distance, though it was impossible to see any of them. Unlike what Link had seen before in his past times here, a dense fog was floating around that obscured everyone's vision.

"I've never seen fog like this before in the woods... " Link muttered, "What's going on here...?"

"I feel a strange dark power coming from this place..." Korume whispered, using her abilities as a mystic, "It's like what I felt back in the village, but it's stronger then ever here... we need to be careful."

"I can barely even see anything around here." Kesuta said looking left and right, "You have any idea where to go Link?"

"Yeah, I know the route by heart at this point." Link nodded, looking to his right and seeing the same tunnel that he took first in the past, "Come on."

Link lead the three through the tunnel, and followed the route he always took to get to the Sacred Forest Meadow, but for some odd reason it was taking longer then he thought to find the landmarks he usually saw on the way there.

"Hey, this stump looks familiar..." Aviel pointed out, "Didn't we just past by this a while ago...?"

"Um..." Link looked around in confusion.

"Didn't you say you knew the way, Link?" Kesuta asked putting her hands to her hips.

"I thought I did... something's not right here..." Link said.

"You don't suppose whatever power is at work here's manipulated the path as well...?" Korume asked.

"That would explain what the kids were talking about before..." Link realized.

"Then what do we do?" Aviel asked.

"I'm not sure... I used to listen for Saria playing her song, and it would guide me on the path to the meadow, but I can't hear it." Link explained with growing concern. "Maybe I should try contacting her again with her song"

The girls looked in confusion at what he meant as he pulled out his ocarina and started playing it. Aviel quickly recognized the bouncy and whimsical little tune that came from his instrument.

"Hey, I recognize that tune!" Aviel said with her eyes lit up.

"That's some cute music!" Kesuta said cheerfully, "And I'm getting a strange magical vibe from it!"

"Like it? Saria taught it to me, we use it to communicate with each other." Link grinned.

"That's amazing!" Kesuta gasped, "She was capable of composing a song that contains that much power to it?"

"Yep, she's even the one who gave me this ocarina back when I was a kid," Link said, looking down at the instrument he held.

"She really does mean a lot to you, doesn't she?" Korume said with a small grin on her face.

"Yeah like I said before, I've known her longer then anyone else, she's... my best friend." Link said with a smile.

Aviel in particular looked at the longing expression in his eyes, she could tell the two shared a close bond together, and the bird girl knew she just had to see Saria for herself.

It was then that Link finished playing the song, and he could feel a familiar sensation, much to his relief, he could hear a familiar voice call out to him.

"_Link... Link... this is Saria... can you hear me?"_

"Saria!" Link shouted, "Are you okay?"

"_I-I... think so... for now anyway. I'm hiding out at the moment, so I'm trying not to talk too loudly..."_

"No way, I can hear her too!" gasped Kesuta.

"This power... it's not unlike our mystic crystal ball we use to contact spirits..." Korume pondered.

"Hi Sammy!" Aviel shouted, waving her wing.

"_Uh... who are those guys... and who's Sammy?"_ Saria asked curiously.

"I'll... explain later." Link said rolling his eyes, "The important thing is, where are you?"

"_I'm in the Forest Temple, I don't know what happened, but something grabbed me and pulled me in here!"_ Saria explained with panic.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out of there!" Link shouted, "We're in the Lost Woods, but there's something odd going on, we can't find our way to the meadow."

"_I think it's the curse those... things have placed on the forest." _Saria said, _"I'm not sure what they're trying to do but- uh oh!"_

"Saria?" Link asked.

"_Link, I'm sorry but I have to get away from here! Please leave, and don't worry about me, I don't want you to-!"_

Saria's words were then caught off by her letting out a loud scream, and then silence.

"Saria?" Link shouted, "Saria?!" he lowered his head and clenched his fists, "Damnit, I can't get a hold of her anymore."

"Then what shall we do...?" Korume muttered.

"I'll try flying into the air and find out which direction to go!" Aviel said, turning her arms into wings and taking into the air. Everyone watched as she flew upwards and disappeared into the fog.

A few seconds later though, Aviel came walking in through the entrance to the Lost Woods. All four of them stood in place blankly, as Aviel herself looked around left and right in confusion.

"Uh... was I just here...?" Aviel asked.

"It would seem this curse's reach spreads out to even above the forest." Korume muttered looking up, "Her flying didn't even displace the fog one bit."

"Grrr... that's it!" shouted Kesuta, with flames forming in her hands, "I'll burn down all these trees and clear a path to her!"

"I think if you did that we'd have bigger trouble." Koume said flatly, "Like the entire forest becoming an inferno."

"Ugh... right..." sighed Kesuta with her flames dying down.

Link put a hand to his head in frustration, "There has to be another way to get through here..."

"Hey, is that who I think it is?" exclaimed a new voice, getting the group's attention.

"No way, it's really him!" said another smaller voice.

Link and his Gerudo friends all looked around to see who it could have been that spoke just now, whoever it was, they didn't sound hostile.

"Those voices..." Link said with the faintest of smiles, "They sound all too familiar..."

"Friend Link!" shouted a voice, as Link looked up to a tree branch, and saw appearing before them were three individuals.

Two of them were fairies, much like Saria's friend Faete and the fairies the Kokiri had, only these two in particular were yellow and purple respectively. While between them was a small child-like creature in a hat and ragged clothes, oddly his face appeared to be made of twigs or straw of some kind.

The creature then jumped off the branch and landed down before Link and his friends, with the two fairies following after.

"It really is you Link!" said the creature, dancing around, "It's great to see you again!"

"You too, old friend." grinned Link.

"Hey, don't forget about us!" shouted the yellow fairy, flying up and butting into Link's forehead.

"Um... hi again..." said the purple fairy meekly.

"Heh, of course I'm not going to forget you two." Link chuckled, poking at the yellow fairy, causing her to get more frustrated..

"Link, who are these guys?" Aviel asked.

"Girls, this is Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael." Link introduced them, "They're friends of mine from one of my past adventures before I came to Gerudo Town." He then introduced Aviel, Kesuta and Korume to the other three.

"So you're friends of Link...?" Skull Kid asked, moving up to the girls and staring at them intently.

"He's weirding me out..." Kesuta whispered to Korume.

"Kukuku... I think he's cute... like a little voodoo doll..." Korume said with a smile.

"Thanks for making it more weird." Kesuta said sarcastically.

"Well, if you're all friends of Link, then you're friends with us as well!" laughed Skull Kid.

"Yay! We're all friends then!" Aviel cheered out, as she started mimicking Skull Kid's dance, the two of them just went on doing that as the group watched.

"Oh boy, now they're in sync." Tatl said sweatdropping.

"Glad to see those two get along together at least." Kesuta said, taking a glance at Tatl who reluctantly nodded.

Link just grinned and chuckled to himself, it was great not just seeing old friends like them, but seeing them getting along with his new friends of Gerudo Town. It was times like these he could only hope the same could be said for more of the people of Hyrule he had come to know and befriend...

But enough about that, as Link decided to tell Skull Kid about their situation with Saria, the curse with the monsters and the Lost Woods, and the need to get to the Forest Temple.

"The Forest Temple?" Skull Kid exclaimed, "Why didn't you say so earlier? We can help you get there easily!"

"Seriously?" Link exclaimed.

"Yeah, the woods have changed quite a bit since last time, but I got a knack for the direction by now!" he said, "Come on, I'll guide you all!"

With that, the group followed after Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael into the depths of the Lost Woods.

* * *

With Skull Kid's assistance, it didn't take long for the group to arrive in the Sacred Forest Meadow, the fog wasn't nearly as thick there, and it was a straight line to the Forest Temple in the distance.

"We made it!" Aviel exclaimed, falling to he knees in relief.

"Eh hee hee, told you we'd make it!" Skull Kid laughed.

"Thanks to you guys. Alright, let's get to the temple then." Link said, and the group continued on down the path.

"Just out of curiosity... when we traveled through the woods just now, I saw some strange shrines or something like that along the way..." Korume said, "I sensed some kind of magical power coming from them... something familiar... what exactly were those?"

"Oh those?" Link said, "Those are portals to various locations in Hyrule. One leads to Goron City over at Death Mountain, and there's one that leads to the entrance to Zora's Domain."

"Amazing." gasped Kesuta, "This forest really has some impressive mystical power to it..."

"Zora's Domain... you mean where sister Ruto lives?" exclaimed Aviel, "Can we go visit her when this is over?"

"Might not be a good idea to do something like that just yet with the current political climate." Link said, "But it's definitely something to consider."

However, he knew this wasn't time to focus on that, as he had Saria to worry about. He took a deep breath and hurried up the stairs ahead of the others toward their destination.

"Come on guys, we have to hurry!" Link called out to them.

"Right behind you Link!" Tatl shouted.

"So what's a political climate?" Skull Kid brought up in thought, "Is that what happens when the land gets really really cold?"

"That..." Korume pondered, "...well I was about to say no... but that's not too far off in a philosophical sense..."

"Less talking, more walking, or Link's gonna ditch all of us!" shouted Tatl in her usual bossy tone to Korume, Aviel and Skull Kid.

"Yeah, let's get a move on you guys!" Kesuta shouted alongside the fairy.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" Aviel shouted, flying off after them with her Roc's Wing.

"That's my sis, such a motivator." Tael said, floating around Korume, "She once helped Link save me and Skull Kid from a terrible threat a long time ago. I don't know what I'd do without her."

"Yes, siblings are great, aren't they...?" Korume said with a gentle smile, as she watched Kesuta and Tatl going off together after Link, before following after them.

Soon the seven of them arrived at the entrance to the Forest Temple. The stone structure seemed to tower over them all, covered in branches, vines and moss from thousands of years of forest growth, and maybe even longer then that. The stairs had broken away long ago, and most normal people could never hope to get in.

"There it is..." whispered Link.

He walked over to the stump where Saria usually sat, playing her ocarina. He slowly placed his hand on the stump and closed his eyes tightly. He thought back to the day he first came to this spot almost eight years ago, when he saw Saria there. The two of them were overjoyed to see each other after he first left to go on his quest. She taught him her song that day so they could always be in touch. It felt like she was always there with him as he talked with her through the ocarina, providing him with comfort, advice and companionship. While he attempted to contact her on his seven-year journey, he was unable to due to being so too far away, but vowed to talk to her more when he returned to reunite with his friends.

However, in the past months, he had been caught up in many different things over time. Meeting the Gerudo and Nabooru, making friends with those like Aviel, Nemisa and the others, battling fierce monsters and ruthless warriors, falling in love with the girls he had come to know...

...and yet in that time, he realized he had barely made an effort to speak to his best friend, and he couldn't really blame anyone but himself for it. Despite how much he cared about her, it seemed time and distance had made at least some effect on their friendship, and as a result he had become so distant from her as of late...

"I've been a real jerk." Link whispered.

"Link, you okay...?" Aviel asked, only to be startled when she saw tears running down his cheeks.

"I... have to do this..." he whispered, then looked up at the Forest Temple entrance, "I have do something to help her!"

Aviel and the others were at a loss of what to say, the way he was in that moment, it seemed like missing Saria had become like missing a part of his very soul.

"Link..." Aviel whispered.

"We have to do everything we can to aide Link.." Korume said to the others.

"Yes, we'll save his dear friend and bring her home!" Kesuta added, as everyone else nodded.

"Ooooh..." muttered a groggy voice, as everyone turned to see a small glow of light from the grassy area.

"Huh, what's that?" Kesuta asked.

"Looks like another fairy." Tatl observed.

Skull Kid walked over to the fairy in the grass and picked it up by it's wing, poking at it, "Hey you okay?"

"Huh...?" the forest fairy asked, only to see Skull Kid staring back at it, "Eek! A skull kid!"

"Wait, you're Faete, aren't you?" Link shouted, running up to the fairy and scooping her up from Skull Kid's hands.

"Huh...? Aah! It's you Link!" Faete exclaimed, she flew out of Link's hands and started bonking him on the forehead, "How dare you! Do you know how much you've been upsetting Saria all this time?!" she shouted, bonking him with each word she said.

"Gack, yes! I know that now!" Link exclaimed, "I'm here to save her!"

"You... are...?" Faete asked.

"Please, you have to tell us what happened to Sally!" Aviel demanded.

"That's Saria." corrected Korume.

"Oh... are you all friends of Link?" Faete asked, looking at the three Gerudo, the Skull Kid and the two other fairies, "I... can't really remember what happened... we were right here at the stump, Saria playing her music like usual... then... something came up and smacked me... I think I've been here out cold this whole time."

"Saria said she's trapped in the Forest Temple, do you have any idea what it could be that attacked the two of you?" Link asked in desperation.

"I-I don't know... it could be whatever is behind all the monsters that have been attacki-"

As if on cue, the ground rumbled and out from the earth came a pack of Deku Babas and Deku Scrubs.

"Oh crud." Aviel exclaimed.

"There's no time for this, we need to get into the temple and save Saria!" Link said, the determined look in his eyes caught Faete off guard. She had expected the worst of Link after what he had put Saria through, but he seemed so much different then she thought, that their friendship really did mean something to him...

"We'll hold these bullies off!" Skull Kid said with determination, stepping up in between his friends and the monsters, as Tatl and Tael both came up alongside him, "You go save your friend, okay Link?"

"Are you sure?" Link asked with concern for his other old friend.

"Don't worry about it!" Tatl shouted, buzzing with fury at the plants, "The three of us combined can handle this!"

"...alright, good luck, all of you! Now come on girls!" Link said, he pulled out his Longshot and used it to grapple himself up to the entrance to the Forest Temple, Aviel took to the air with her wings while Kesuta and Korume used their broomsticks to float in.

With Faete following after them all, the group headed into the interior of the Forest Temple...

...and to Saria.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. I hope the Majora's Mask fans were pleased to see Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael return, it was pretty fun bringing them into the story.  
**_

_**Next time though, Link, Aviel and the twins enter the Forest Temple to save Saria, the question remains however, is who is behind all this and why?**_

_**Thanks for reading everyone, leave a like, follow and/or review if you'd like!**_


	33. The Poe Sisters

_**Alright, time for chapter 33, and time for Link and Saria to reunite! But just what is it that lies within the Forest Temple...?**_

* * *

Link, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume all ran into the Forest Temple with Saria's fairy Faete following after them, determined to have Link's childhood friend. Upon entering, a feral beast creature called a Wolfos got in their way, howling and ready for battle, but Kesuta simply set it on fire with her magic and Link ran through it with his sword, destroying it and allowing them to head inside.

They soon reached the main room of the temple, it was hexagonal in shape with five other doors on each wall, besides the door the four just came through. Having once been in the Forest Temple before in the dark future, Link slowly and cautiously walked ahead of the group taking the time to look around at the interior.

'Weird... this place looks different then before...' Link thought to himself, 'Is this another part of the curse?'

It was then he looked at the center of the room, where there were four empty torches circling a type of marble floor, and in the center was a familiar sight that brought faint tears to his eyes.

"S-Saria!" Link called out. Before any of the others could say anything, Link sprinted down to the center of the room and knelt down to Saria. He took that time to look her over and realized with great relief she was just sleeping, she didn't even have any injuries on her. The only really unusual thing was she had a strange stick with some kind of plants raveled around it beside her.

"Saria, please wake up!" Link shouted, taking the girl giving her a shake.

The Kokiri girl stirred and opened her eyes slowly, gazing up at the Hylian male looking down at her.

"Link...?" she whispered.

"I'm so glad you're safe Saria..." whispered Link, before hugging her tightly in his arms, "I was beginning to fear the worst for you."

"L-Link?!" Saria gasped out with wide eyes and her face flushed red from the tight hug Link was giving her, "What are you doing here?!"

It was then that Aviel, Kesuta, Korume and Faete all approached the two. Faete in particular flew forward and up to Saria's face, doing her best to hug her cheek.

"Why do you think we're here?" Link answered Saria's question, pulling himself back and sporting a goofy grin, "I came here to save you."

"Saria, I'm so glad you're okay!: Faete cried out.

"Y-You... came for me...?" Saria stammered.

"Of course I did." Link nodded, he then sighed, his grin going away and replaced with an apologetic look, "Listen, Saria... I'm sorry about neglecting you lately, I have no excuse for treating you like that when we're supposed to be best friends..."

Saria's eyes widened at hearing his words, and she herself teared up at it, before lunging forward and throwing her own arms around Link.

"No, No Link it's fine! I'm just happy you're here..." Saria admitted. While she wanted him not to worry about her or get involved in her mess, in a weird way, she felt like she had been doing the very thing to Link that he was guilt-tripping himself over, in trying to keep him out of her affairs, she was shutting him out as well.

But now the two were reunited, and it felt like that divide between them had quickly closed up.

Faete couldn't help but smile seeing the two embrace like that. As much as she resented Link before for causing so much grief for Saria, she was happy seeing the two of them now as they were.

This all didn't go unnoticed by Aviel, Kesuta and Korume either, who were all relieved to see Link's old friend was fine and the two were making things up to each other.

Saria stood herself up and dusted her clothes off, gripping her staff in one hand, as she took a look up at the three Gerudo women, "So you're all Link's friends?"

"Yep, I'm Aviel!" the bird girl nodded, waving her wings, "Link's devoted bodyguard!"

"I'm Kesuta, mistress of fire and Link's future bride," the fire mystic introduced herself.

"And I am Korume, master of ice who stands by our king's side." Korume rhymed, doing a polite bow.

"Pleased to finally meet you all." Saria smiled pleasantly, "Link's told me a lot about you three."

"Aww, she's so cute and sweet!" Aviel said with sparkling eyes.

Saria couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed by Aviel's words, then turned to Link, "I'm glad to see you have so many great friends to look out for you..."

"Yeah, same here." nodded Link.

It was in that moment that Saria thought of the strange dreams she had, and her desire to want to look out for Link's well-being, then looked over at the three girls, her thoughts drifted to the others that Link had told her about, namely Nabooru and Nemisa, who he often spoke about how strong and brave they were...

'Maybe... he just doesn't need me after all...' Saria thought to herself with a somewhat heavy heart. She was at least happy to see he had so much support in his new life, and yet...

"Say Saria, what's that thing you're holding?" Aviel asked, tilting her head.

"Whatever it is, I'm detecting a powerful and mystical energy from it..." Kesuta said.

"Oh, this?" Saria said, "This is my Deku Staff, it was a gift from the Great Deku Tree. It allows me to create and control plant life in many different ways. I believe he gave this to me to protect the village, and I've been using it to fight off the monsters that have been attacking the village."

"Impressive..." Korume muttered, looking Saria's weapon over fondly, "I bet you can cause all kinds of destruction from it... Kukuku..."

"Uh, yeah I guess?" Saria said awkwardly.

"Keeheehee, but it's that destructive power that lets you protect people you care for, which is how destructive power should be used!" Kesuta put her hands to her hips and grinned widely.

Saria smiled lightly at their words, "Yes, that's right..."

"Huh, so that's what Mido meant when he said you were protecting the village." Link had to admit he was impressed to see Saria was working so hard on getting stronger, he could tell just by looking at her and when he held her for that brief moment that she was more physically fit then before.

"Yeah, you must be really tough to battle monsters like the ones we fought in the village by yourself." Aviel said.

"Oh, so there was another attack? I was afraid of that." sighed Saria, "Thank you all for looking out for everyone when I couldn't do anything..."

"Aw come on, it's not your fault!" Aviel said, hugging her with her bird wings. Saria was caught off guard by Aviel's soft hug, "It couldn't be helped with what happened to you!"

"Thank you..." Saria said with a light blush.

Because of how isolated the Kokiri were from the rest of Hyrule, Saria knew very little of the Gerudo people. All had she known about them before was their evil king Ganondorf who cursed and killed the Great Deku Tree. She had to admit she was concerned about Link's well-being when he mentioned he was living with the demon king's tribe, but she was surprised to hear the girls turned out to be such good people, and she was happy to finally meet some of them first hand...

"But why haven't you told me anything about these attacks before?" Link then asked, "If you're having monster problems like that, I could have came here to help you."

"Well... it's just that..." Saria muttered, then started to trail off.

"Come to think of it, just what is the source of the curse on this land of grass and wood?" Kesuta asked looking around.

"...I'm not sure, but I'm feeling some powerful sensations, and they're not very good." Korume rhymed with a shutter.

"Eeeheheheheh! Looks like our esteemed guest has some friends over!" cackled a voice, as he group looked up to see five floating beings appeared over them.

They were known as Poes, strange ghostly creatures born from lost souls who had been cursed by dark magic, they wore tattered cloaks that matched the color of the lantern they held, red, blue, green, purple, and black.

"Uh oh..." Link muttered.

"M-Maybe we should get out of here," Aviel said, turning to the entrance to the temple, only for everyone to see the door was now shut and locked, "...or not."

"Curses, we're trapped..." Korume muttered.

"Gruhuhuhu... we probably should have kept a better eye on her." the blue Poe known as Beth said.

"Teeheeheehee!" cackled another in green known as Amy, "But now we have many more little playmates!"

"Flahahahaa!" laughed the red one known as Joelle, "Yes, I look forward to their destruction!"

"..." the black hooded one didn't say a word but just floated there.

'The Poe sisters... never thought I'd see them again... ' Link thought to himself, recalling fighting these creatures back whe he came to this temple in the dark future. He took a look at the black one in particular '...but since when were there five of them...?'

"Keaheheheheh! Our little friend won't be too happy when he sees this, we should deal with them before he-" the purple one known as Meg was cut off by a new voice.

"No need Meg, I already know." as before them all a new creature floated into the room. It was clearly a Skull Kid like Link's friend, but this one was holding a small scythe in one hand, and covering it's face was a skull-shaped mask.

"Ah, Straw Kid, you arrived. My apologizes for allowing these intruders into this place." Meg said, twirling her lantern.

"Eeeheheheh, no problem, this just makes everything more fun!" cackled the creature known as Straw Kid.

"He looks like Link's friend," Aviel said, "Only really, really creepy..."

"Another Skull Kid...?" Link asked, unsheathing his sword. He had to admit in that moment he was a little unnerved by the sight of the masked creature, it brought back some traumatic memories from long ago, but Link held his ground, "What do you want from Saria?"

"So you're the one she was talking about..." chuckled Straw Kid, who then snapped his fingers, "Well we'll just deal with the lot of you and then we can proceed!"

It was then the five other doors of the temples opened up,and long tendrils made from straw shot out from them. The tendrils snared Link, Saria, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume, and the heroes didn't even have a chance to fight back as they were all quickly pulled into different rooms.

"Saria!" shouted Faete, being left behind, as she shot off to the door Saria had been yanked into, only to bounce off the door harmlessly as it slammed shut along with the other doors.

"Eeeheheheh..." chuckled Straw Kid, as he loomed over the fairy, before snatching her up in his grasp. The fairy struggled to break free while Straw Kid turned to the Poe sisters, "Alright girls, go ahead and have some fun with them all."

The Poe sisters all nodded and vanished from the room, leaving Faete worried for the safety of Saria and her friends...

* * *

In one of the rooms, Aviel slowly got up and looked around, seeing numerous mirrors all over the place. She saw her normal reflection in some, but some of the other mirrors were distorted and bizarre, creating different warped images of her.

"What the heck?" Aviel asked, "What is all this...?"

"Gruhuhuhu..." cackled a dark voice, jolting Aviel out of her trance, as she saw a Poe appear before her, it was the blue one Beth, the Poe flicked at a thin strand of ratty hair sticking out from her cloak as she laughed. "Welcome to my room, little one. I am Beth of the Poe sisters, and this is my realm of mirrors. They will assault you with ghastly and horrific images of your own self, and eventually drive you to complete madness!" she laughed out.

"Woah! Look at this one, and this one!" Aviel spoke up, as Beth saw the Gerudo girl looking at herself in one mirror which made her look really tall and lanky, then she moved to another mirror that made her look short and fat, then to another one that made her look long and wobbly, "Hee hee, I look like a Chuchu in this one! This place is a lot of fun!"

"Hey, pay attention!" shouted Beth in annoyance, "You're supposed to be going insane!"

Aviel paused, then quickly turned towards Beth, aiming her crossbow at her with her eyes narrowed, "Not going to happen, now let us all out of here or you'll regret it Ms. Bertha!"

"The name is Beth! And it's you who will be regretting it!" Beth shouted, lunging at Aviel, who instinctively fired an arrow at the Poe.

However, Beth disappeared in that instinct, and the arrow ricocheted off a mirror. Aviel looked around as the arrow bounced off many of the oddly shaped mirrors in the room, before it came right at her. Aviel managed to step out of the way of the arrow hitting her directly, but it still grazed her arm.

"Ugh... looks like I can't afford to miss around here, I'll have to get one precise shot." Aviel said, she stood up and looked around the room, only to now see Beth appear in all the mirrors.

"So go ahead and pick then, which one of us is the real one, and which one will send one of your very own arrows through your heart? Gruhuhuhu!" Beth cackled.

Aviel narrowed her eyes, and pulled up her goggles over them. She gazed around at all the mirrors, trying to figure out which Poe was the real one and not a mirror.

"What's the matter? Is the madness slipping in all ready?" cackled Beth, "Soon you'll be-"

It was then that an arrow was fired and shot right into Beth, knocking her to the ground, her lantern shattered, and her ghostly form started to waver. Aviel walked up to the Poe and stared down at her.

"Looks like I gotcha!" grinned Aviel.

"N-No... how did you possibly know...?" the Poe asked weakly.

"That little strand of hair sticking out from your cloak." Aviel sad, adjusting her goggles, "Yours was on the right side, but all your reflections had the strand on the left."

"Curses..." Beth muttered before she disappeared, as well as all the mirrors in the room vanishing with her, leaving Aviel alone to see the doorway out of the room.

"I better go meet up with everyone!" Aviel said, running off out the door.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another room, Kesuta found herself in a room facing off with the red cloaked Poe called Joelle. Littered throughout the room were numerous barrels with markings unfamiliar to Kesuta on them.

"Alright you little pest, lemme out or I'll roast you!' Kesuta snarled, igniting her hands with fire.

"Flahahahaa! Flames of destruction, I love it!" laughed Joelle with insane glee, "But trust me on this when I say you don't want to set off even one of these barrels!"

"What do you mean?" Kesuta asked in confusion, looking around at them all.

"These are Powder Kegs, barrels filled to the brim with explosive material that react to flames, the slightest little ember touching them will make them go boom-boom-boom!" Joelle laughed, "And even as a fire elemental, you'll go up with them all! Flahahahaa, boom-boomy-boom!"

"Ugh..." Kesuta muttered, "You got to be kidding me..."

"Now die little one!" Joelle then lunged at Kesuta with her lantern, but the fire mystic swung her leg up and kicked the Poe backwards, before lashing her flame whip at the Poe, who quickly dodged it, allowing embers from the whip to fly straight at a Powder Keg. As soon as embers fell onto the keg, it exploded and sent Kesuta flying back.

"Kyyyaaa!" screamed Kesuta impacting to the ground.

""Flahahahaa! Boom boom boom! So much fun!" cheered Joelle clapping her hands.

"Damnit... I was lucky that one wasn't close enough to the other kegs, but I can't just throw fire around like normal.." she reflected on what Korume said earlier about keeping her fire under control as they were fighting the plant monsters in the village, "I wish Korume was here..."

Kesuta forced herself up, and quickly dodged a swipe of Joelle's shadowy claw, she tried to counter with a fireball, but hesitated because of the numerous kegs around them, forcing herself to just dodge another claw swipe.

"What's wrong little one, too afraid to bring about destruction? Then you're worthless, just die!" Joelle shouted swiping at Kesuta again.

'There has to be a way I can fight using my magic..' Kesuta thought to herself, then it hit her, "Wait... my magic.."

Joelle then lunged at her again and managed to strike the fire mystic, knocking her backwards to the ground beside some of the barrels.

"Now die!" Joelle shouted, coming down at Kesuta from above.

"You fell for it." snickered Kesuta, as she brought her hands up and started to conjure a fireball.

"Flahahahaa! Do that and you'll go boom-boom-BOOM!" Joelle shouted, only to see something unusual conjuring from Kesuta's hands, rather then the usual orange fire Kesuta used, it was blue fire.

Kesuta released her attack and blasted the blue fire into the Poe, sending her flying into the air ad impacting into the ground, the lantern broke, and her body started to break apart. The embers from the blue fire fell on top of the kegs, but nothing happened.

"Y-You can cast blue fire...?" Joelle groaned, "But how did you know it wouldn't ignite the kegs...?"

Kesuta stared down at Joelle and gave the Poe a slightly sadistic little grin, "I didn't."

"Fla-fla-hahahaa!" laughed out Joelle, "It seems I met my match in chaos and destruction..." And with that Joelle's form vanished.

"May the death goddess Nerif carry your lost soul to the world of spirits, and rest in peace." Kesuta said, putting her hands together and bowing her head. And with that she dusted herself off and left the room to find the others.

* * *

In another room, Korume stood, looking over where she was. It appeared to be a closed off area with a giant plant hedge that reached up to the ceiling. She also couldn't help but notice the hedges had some sort of vines with purple thorns coiled around them.

"Hmm... now where could I be now then...?" Korume said, glancing around.

"Teeheeheehee!" giggled the green Poe Sister Amy, appearing before her, "I'm Amy, and I'll be your little playma-"

It was then Amy had to dodge an ice spear that was tossed right at her, and she looked down to Korume who was narrowing her eyes.

"Hey, don't attack me before I can tell you what I- ack!" Amy was forced to dodge several more spears being thrown at her.

"Stop moving you little pest, and just let me impale you." Korume said coldly.

"Grrr... that's it!" Amy said, disappearing before more spears were tossed at her.

Korume looked around a bit for Amy, until she heard the Poe call out.

"Okay now!" shouted Amy, "Teeheeheehee! My little game is simple, just navigate through this hedge maze until you get to the end, then you can decide my fate!"

"So all I have to do is get to the other side?" Korume asked, examining the walls of the hedge maze

"Oh it's far more complicated then you might think!" giggled Amy, "Not only are the vines covering this place poisonous to the touch, but every dead end has a nasty little surprise, either man-eating plants, vines to construct the life out of you, and even pitfalls into thorn spikes!"

"Hmm... okay, I should be able to handle this." Korume nodded.

On the other end of the maze, Amy giggled to herself as she imagined Korume's troubles going through the maze, "Little does that foolish girl know is that this maze has no way to this side, it's all closed off! She'll suffer through it until she dies of my traps! Teeheeheehee! Teeheehe-"

Amy's giggling was cut off though, by a large blast of polar ice wind that shot clear through the hedge maze, barely missing Amy's body. The Poe floated there in disbelief seeing the large gaping icy hole in her maze, and Korume slowly walking down the path she made, all the plants and traps completely frozen in ice.

"Wha-, no fair! You ruined my maze, you li-!" Amy's words were cut off by Korume casually walking by and impaling her with an ice spear, causing her to fall to the ground and disappear like the other Poes.

"Please be safe everyone," Korume whispered, leaving out the door, "I'm coming..."

* * *

As the three Gerudo were handling their own situations, Link got himself up from a carpeted floor and looked around the room he was trapped in. There wasn't much to the room itself, there was some furniture but it was laying around and destroyed. He looked up and saw a picture of some mysterious person, but he couldn't tell who it was because there were savage claw marks torn across it. He then noticed a pile of animal bones in the corner, but couldn't quite make out what they used to belong to.

One particular thing that stood out though, a large somewhat familiar looking treasure chest in the comer. His curiosity peaked upon seeing it, and his experience in adventuring urged him to open it. Before he did though, Link looked around for any threats, gripping his sword and preparing himself for anything that came at him first.

"I've been looking forward to this... finally, after so long I can finally kill you, boy." said a dark voice suddenly.

Link looked around to see who it could be, until the black cloaked Poe appeared before him. It narrowed it's eyes coldly at Link.

"So who are you?" Link asked.

"Heh, you and I go back a long way..." chuckled the Poe, "But I don't blame you for not recognizing me."

Suddenly the Poe lunged at Link with it's claw, but Link quickly jumped away to avoid it, before running at the Poe with his sword, who quickly disappeared.

"In another time, I used to be a much grander and stronger being, I commanded the Poe Sisters with a mighty fist... until you ended my reign over this temple..." hissed the Poe, before rushing at Link, who quickly brought up his shield to block his attack, "And my master banished me to that rift between dimensions for my failure..."

"You..." Link muttered in thought, when it suddenly occurred to him, "Wait, you're Phantom Ganon?" He was referring to one of the cruel monsters he fought back in the dark future, a creature that took on Ganondorf's appearance and cursed the Forest Temple.

"Correct, I took on the likeness of my previous master to intimidate you. But when I failed in battle, I was sealed away by that bastard, it took me what felt like ages to escape the rift, only to find myself back in the Forest Temple in this new future... and my body had been turned into a Poe..." the former phantom of Ganondorf hissed.

The Poe clashed at Link with it's claws wildly, but Link deflected them with his sword and shield.

"But that's not why I want to kill you so much..." the Poe said backing up, lowering his head.

"Huh...?" Link asked.

"When I went to the Poe Sisters for establish my dominance over this temple, they had accepted me... but rather then allow me to rule over them..." he started with a cold muttering.

It was then that the Poe raised it's head up with tears streaming down it's eyes and a mournful look in it's normally eerie eyes.

"They made me their little flunkie! Those cruel women torment me day-in and day-out, playing stupid pranks on me!"

Link stood there blankly as the Poe sobbed uncontrollably.

"They jump out of mirrors to spook me, they flip my bedroom upside down, they tie me up with poison vines, they hide explosives in my food, I try to keep a cute little Skulluta as a pet and they fed my poor Shelly to a damn frog! They mock me with shadowy clones when I try to lash out against them! " the Phantom cried out, "They even started calling me 'Phanny'!"

"Phanny?" Link muttered, thinking to himself, "Oh, short for phantom." he realized. "Sounds like you have rough life, want me to just kill you and put you out of your misery?" the Hylian proposed.

"No... you're the one who's the reason I'm like this, only your death will satisfy me now!"the Poe now known as Phanny said, lunging at Link with his claws. Link swung his sword but the Poe moved his claws outwards and to Link's sides suddenly, grabbing his arms, and raising him into the air.

"Grk.. damnit...!" Link said struggling with the Poe's arms.

"Once I kill you, I'll make you a Poe as well, and those bitches will have a new little victim to torment!" Phanny shouted hysterically and anxiously, pulling on Link's arms in an attempt to rip them off his body.

"I need to figure out a quick way out of this..." Link muttered.

As he was being pulled on, he looked around for a way to break free, when he saw a lone small Skulluta crawling down from the ceiling, and he grinned a bit.

"Hey Phanny look, it's Shelly!" Link shouted out.

"Where?!" exclaimed Phanny, letting go of Link, looking u in the direction Link gestured, and saw the Skulluta hanging overhead, but then he realized, "Wait, that's not Shel-"

That's when Link slashed across Phanny's body from behind, and he fell to the ground. Before Link could dash in for another attack, the Poe quickly disappeared, then reappeared a distance away.

"Grrr.. you little brat, I won't forget this!" Phanny shouted in a hissy fit, as he escaped through the shredded portrait on the wall, which then disappeared. Most of the things in the room seemed to vanish as well, and the doorway out opened up, letting Link know even though the Poe wasn't destroyed, it was long gone now.

Link let out a sigh of relief upon the victory, spinning his sword in his hand and sheathing it. It was then he remembered the strange chest in the room. He walked over to it and opened it up, and saw inside of it was a sight most familiar to him.

"It's been a long time since I held this..." Link smiled, reaching into the chest and pulling out a beautifully designed bow.

This was the Fairy Bow, a legendary treasure of the Forest Temple, and a weapon Link had once wielded in the dark future. There was even a decently sized quiver of arrows in the chest as well, which he hoisted onto his back.

"Alright, time to get back to Saria and everyone." Link nodded, turning and running off.

* * *

Saria meanwhile was slowly getting up to her feet, holding her Deku Staff. She was in a type of octagonal shaped room, with seemingly nothing inside of it aside from a small grass garden in the center. Naturally the room was closed off, preventing Saria's escape.

"Ugh... I gotta get out of here..." Saria groaned, "I need to find Link.."

"Keaheheheh! You think you'll ever see that boy again, child?"

It was then that a purple Poe materialized in front of Saria. The girl stepped back and held up her staff instinctively.

"I am Meg, the leader of the Poe Sisters, and you're not leaving this temple until we're done with you!" the Poe cackled.

"Just what do you want with me...?" Saria asked, pointing her staff at the Poe.

"It's not me who wants you, but Straw Kid." Meg said, "We arranged a deal, that we help him with his goal, and in exchange we get full control of the Lost Woods! As for what he wants, that's for you to find out!"

Saria rushed at Meg with her staff and swung it, but the Poe vanished and reappeared behind her, Saria flipped around and backed up from the ghostly being.

"You're the ones who cursed Kokiri Forest aren't you?" Saria realized, "You sent those monsters to the village!"

"Yes.. that's actually part of Straw Kid's plan." chuckled Meg, "He asked us to create a threat to torment those children!"

"You monsters..." Saria said, squeezing the staff in anger, "Me, Link and our friends are going to stop you, and we'll all go back together!"

"Heh, together? Not likely!" chuckled Meg darkly, her eyes gave off an eerie gleam, making her eyes appear as a single pupil, which unnerved Saria a bit, "Do you really think you'll ever stand alongside that boy?"

"W-What are you talking about...?" Saria asked, before running at the Poe and swinging her staff, but the Poe swatted Saria away.

"See for yourself, my terrifying power!" Meg said, dipping her hands into the ground, and causing small pools of dark energy to appear around Saria. She looked around nervously as strange forms started to rise up from the darkness, and took on somewhat familiar forms.

"Saria... where did you go...?" groaned a voice, as some of the shadows took on the form of Kokiri people, slowly wandering towards her.

"Please Saria... we need you..." said another, rising up and slowly lumbering towards her.

"Don't leave us..." said one crawling along the ground.

"You'll abandon us all for him...?"

"Why did you go away... you've doomed us all..."

"It's your destiny to protect us..."

Saria gulped as she saw the dark creatures surround her, she closed her eyes tightly and wielded her staff, swinging it around her, as two large spiked nuts tied to vines grew out of both ends of the staff, and Saria used it to knock the creatures away, reducing them to puddles.

"I... know I have to protect them..." Saria said, "That's why I was given this staff, that's what the Great Deku Tree wanted me to do!"

"Keaheheheh, but is that truly all you want...?" chuckled Meg, "But it doesn't matter what you want, because you're not needed!"

"I..." Saria stammered, before hearing a new laugh behind her. She turned to see a dark form that had taken on the likeness of three people at once.

"Back off you little girl, Link is ours now!" said a voice from the darkness with an appearance very much like Aviel, the creature having a gleefully demented expression.

"Kukuku... you're nothing compared to us, you can't protect Link from anything. So just hurry up and die." said the dark Korume.

"Keeheehee! You have no choice but to stay here for the rest of your days anyway, so just go into the corner and be alone forever!" the Kesuta lookalike laughed sadistically.

"Link's friends are nothing like that!" shouted Saria, rushing at the dark clones and swinging her staff, releasing a barrage of Deku Seeds from the pods growing on it, which exploded on the clones and destroyed them.

'Hmph, that staff of hers has more power then I thought... or perhaps that power is coming from...' Meg thought to herself, 'Well time to up the ante."

"Alright you monster, I'll beat you and go back to Link!" Saria said turning to the Poe.

"Tsk, you're a real annoying and clingy girl, you know that?" said a voice most familiar to Saria that made her break out into a cold sweat, she turned to see a dark version of Link, towering over her, "A little brat like you means nothing to me. I've come to meet real, strong women, with real hot bodies to boot, and you're nothing more then a weak little kid who will never grow up!"

"S-Shut up!" Saria shouted out, her eyes filling with tears. Even though it was a fake, hearing those words spoken with Link's voice hurt her badly. She tried to fight the Link clone with her staff, but it grabbed the staff and tossed her away.

"Those seven years I was gone from Hyrule were total bliss without feeling like I had to talk to some annoying snot-nosed brat! I only ever call you now out of obligation, just so you think I care about you. In reality I just pine for the day I never feel like I have to see or talk to you again!"

"No, you're not Link... he would never say those things..." Saria sniffled, "He came here to save me when he didn't have to... he cares about me... and... I care about him!"

With that Saria swung out her Deku Staff, causing some vines to shoot out from it and snare the dark Link like lasso ropes, binding the creature and immobilizing it.

As the shadowy Link tried to break free of the vines, it looked to see Saria run out with her staff, as the spiked boas formed on the ends, she swung it forward and smacked the dark Link around seveal times before she swung it down and crushed the lookalike, destroying it.

Saria gulped and staggered back, turning to Meg to prepare another attack, but it was then another voice came up...

"He was right you know, even if Link does supposedly care about you, it doesn't really mean anything." said yet another voice, Saria turned to see... herself, as a dark creature like the others. The dark Saria grinned widely, slowly walking towards her.

"You keep going on about how he's your friend, he';; always be your friend... and that's all you have to say? You keep telling yourself that to assure yourself, when it means absolutely nothing. What's the point of him being your best friend when you never see him or talk to him anymore? Is it just the memories you had together? Those memories just serve as nothing but to remind you of how much you miss him! Frankly, it's just better to forget about those memories, and him completely, he doesn't need you anyways." the dark Saria cackled.

"No... I'll never give up on him." Saria said hanging her head down, "I want to protect him from whatever is coming, to stand by his side..." she took a deep breath, "But as important as he is to me, my friends in the village are important to me too!"

Saria looked up at Meg and the dark Saria with determination in her eyes.

"If I can't help him in person, then I'll do whatever I can to encourage him, and lend him as much strength as I possibly can." Saria said, her staff giving off a faint green glow, and the plants in the garden seemed to react to it, "That's what a true friend does."

With that, Saria rose up her staff, releasing a powerful burst of green energy, as large thorn-covered vines shot out of the dirt in the garden, and all came down to smash her dark doppelganger, destroying it in seconds.

"W-What?' Meg exclaimed in shock, she was about to lunge out and attack Saria with her claws, but then Saria then sent the vines out right at the Poe, smacking Meg around wildly before smashing her into the ground, leaving the Poe badly beaten.

"Y-You... you may have fought off my power..." hissed Meg, laying on the ground, struggling to get up, as her lantern was cracking apart, "But say what empty words you will, he'll still never see you as his-"

Meg's words were cut off by Saria swinging down her staff and smashing Meg into the ground one last time, destroying her Poe form and causing her to disappear to the world of spirits like the other Poes.

Saria took a deep breath, sniffling as she wiped some tears from her eyes, the battle was tough, but the words she heard was an even harder pain to endure.

"I... have to go find everyone..." Saria said, turning to leave Meg's room, and back to her friends.

* * *

_**Well that ends the chapter. Sorry if it seemed like I put Saria through the wringer too hard at the end, but it was necessary for her personal struggle. Next time the heroes take on the threat of Straw Kid, learn some disturbing truths, and someone will ultimately make an important choice...**_

_**I will say at this point I'm plotting out the script for the next arc after this, but I'm having trouble putting it together, so it might take a while. I'm almost done writing out the next chapter though, so you got that to look forward to at least.**_

_**As always, like, follow, review, you know what to do.**_


	34. Best Friends Forever

**_And now for the final chapter to the Saria arc, the group have defeated the Poe Sisters, and now it's time to confront Straw Kid, and Saria herself must confront what she truly wants to do..._**

* * *

Upon the victory over the Poe Sisters (and Phanny), the five heroes all came back into the center room of the Forest Temple where they had been taken from, and were all delighted to see each other again.

"Link!" Saria shouted, running at him and the others.

"Everyone, I'm glad you're all safe!" Link shouted with relief.

The five of them joined in a large group hug, Aviel in particular using her wings to hug Link and Saria. The Kokiri girl took great comfort in the hug, being with the four of them was a great feeling, especially from Link himself after what she had just gone through with Meg.

The group soon separated from the hug and discussed what they had experienced, aside from Saria who kept the details of her plight to a minimum as she didn't want to mention to them what she really went through.

"Wooow..." Aviel said with sparkling eyes, looking at the Fairy Bow now on Link's back, "What a great bow! I've never seen craftsmanship like this, the string alone looks like it could last thousands of years!"

"Yeah, when this is all over I'd like to try it out at the archery grounds back in Gerudo Town." Link said, "Maybe we can have a little competition?"

"I'd like that." grinned Aviel with a very light blush.

Saria smiled lightly seeing how well Link and Aviel got along together. She recalled how Link would tell her stories about the girl since he first moved to Gerudo Town, and it seemed the two had a truly close bond...

"Well I guess with this, all the Poes are gone." Kesuta said smugly, "Shouldn't be long before that dark power creating those plant monsters goes away."

"Yes... and that leaves one more little monster to crush to a pulp..." Korume said chuckling

It was then that the ground behind them shifted, as the center of the Forest Temple's main room started lowering, revealing it to be an elevator. The platform lowered down into a small hallway with some large cracks in the walls, where they saw at the end a familiar looking creature, holding Faete in his arm.

"Eeeheheheh... so the Poe Sisters are gone... what a pity." Straw Kid laughed, "I guess it's only a matter of time before the Deku Babas and Scrubs weaken and go away... Well no matter, everything has been going as planned, I just need one more thing..."

"Saria, Link!" shouted Faete, "Please get out of here, this guy is dangerous!"

Link and Saria instead stepped up, with Link unsheathing his sword and Saria wielding her Deku Staff, while Aviel aimed her crossbow and the mystic twins held out their elemental weapons.

"Yeah which is why we're here to take you back from him!" Link affirmed to Faete.

"Faete just hang on, we'll all save you!" Saria nodded.

"Release the fairy or you're getting an arrow through your head, you jerk!" Aviel shouted to Straw Kid.

"When I get my hands on him, I'm going to slowly and painfully rip out all of his stuffing.." Korume said coldly, holding her spear.

"Then I'll fry his remains to a crisp!" Kesuta said angerly, snapping her fire whip.

"Eeeheheheh! Don't even think about it!" Straw Kid said as he held his scythe's blade up to Faete, "Try anything and I'll turn this little one into fairy dust!"

The group paused, unsure of what to do in that moment. They didn't know what level of power this Straw Kid could use, and couldn't risk getting Faete hurt.

"Now little Kokiri, come along so we can negotiate terms with releasing your friend." Straw Kid said to Saria as he floated backwards, towards a big doorway at the end of the hall.

"Faete!" shouted Saria in a panic, rushing after Straw Kid and through the door.

"Saria wait, it might be a trap!" Link shouted, as he started following after Saria.

Before Aviel, Kesuta and Korume could start to follow the two, some strange straw-like tendrils like the ones that snatched them earlier crept out from the cracks in the walls and snared the three of them.

"Ugh, damnit!" Kesuta said in frustration, wiggling around.

The fire mystic's eyes grow a bright red and her body ignited with intense flames, which burned away the straw covering her. She then ran over and grabbed Korume's hand, the two concentrated and fused together, transforming into their other form of Dualsera, her increased strength and magic allowing her to escape from the straw tendrils easily. She quickly burned and froze away the straw strangling Aviel, and the two of them flew at the door to follow Link and Saria. However the door slammed shut just before Aviel crashed into it, and she fell to the ground. Dualsera landed down to help her up, and two stared helplessly at the door their two friends went into.

"Damnit... the door seems locked." Duelsera scowled. She walked over, ignited her leg with fire and swung at the door, but she couldn't so much as dent it, "It's tough too, I don't think we're going to be able to just force it open..."

"Link, Saria... good luck..." Aviel whispered with worry.

* * *

Link and Saria meanwhile ran into the final room of the Forest Temple, a place surrounded with ominous looking portraits. Link recalled this being the room where he once fought Phantom Ganon in the dark future, but in the center of the room instead was Straw Kid holding Faete. Link quickly pulled out his Fairy Bow and aimed an arrow at Straw Kid, holding it in place as he waited for an opening.

Unfortunately Straw Kid seemed pretty sharp, for something without normal eyes, his gaze was not wavering, and Link knew if he tried to fire an arrow it could risk in Faete getting hurt. He just had to wait for an opportunity when Straw Kid let down his guard...

"Please, I'm begging you, release Faete!" Saria shouted stepping up.

"Eeeheheheh...if you want her free so much, then submit to me!" Straw Kid cackled.

"Don't do it Saria, please leave and don't worry about me!"" Faete pleaded.

Saria heard Faete's words echo in her mind, recalling herself trying to tell Link and his friends the same things a little while ago back when they were in the Lost Woods and she was hiding from Straw Kid and the Poes. She lowered her head and gripped her staff, realizing to herself how Link felt when she tried to tell him the same thing to keep him away from the danger, but despite that he still came without hesitation, she knew what she had to do.

"No... I'm not going anywhere!" shouted Saria looking up, "I'm going to save you Faete!"

"Saria..." Faete whispered.

Link meanwhile glanced down at Saria and smiled warmly, then turned his head to Straw Kid, narrowing his eyes, "Neither of us are going anywhere. Now just what is it you want from Saria?!"

"Eeeheheheh..." laughed Straw Kid coldly, "Tell me something mister, are you aware of what happens to Kokiri who get lost in the forest...?"

Link paused with a sense of unease, "I've heard those that become lost get turned into Skull Kids..."

"Correct." snickered Straw Kid, "And it's completely true, I know that first hand."

"Huh...?"

"When a Kokiri loses their way in the Lost Woods, their minds eventually grow hazy, their bodies dry out, and they turn into Skull Kids like myself. They also typically lose the memories of their past, and become little more then naive foolish pranksters..." Straw Kid explained.

Link paused at that information, his thoughts wandered to his friend Skull Kid, and just what life he lived before they met...

However Straw Kid continued, his voice growing angrier as he did, "...but for me, that never happened. My body transformed into a Skull Kid, but my memories remained intact. I remembered being a Kokiri just like the girl there, but when I tried to go back to the village to return to my old life, they all forced me out!"

Straw Kid then started speaking in a taunting and nagging voice, "No Skull Kids in our village! Get out of here you straw creep! You don't belong here you little straw kid! Straw kid! Straw kiiid!"

He then went back to his normal voice, not colder and more menacing then before, "They had forgotten me and treated me as utter garbage! I was so devastated my memories finally did start to haze, and I had forgotten my own name, so I started calling myself just what they called me, Straw Kid!"

"That's terrible..." Saria whispered, hearing about how his memories hazed bothered her on a more personal level then she could have thought, and what effect that could have on her memories of Link if she ever became lost...

"I don't know how long ago that was, but I'm certain the Kokiri I know wouldn't do something like that!" Saria then stated.

"Feh, you guys are all the same, you treat me badly because I'm different, but that won't happen any more! " Straw Kid's body shook and his head twitched, "I've learned an ancient occult ritual from my Poe friends that will allow me to transfer my soul into the body of another, and you my dear are the perfect host for my soul!"

Saria stepped back a bit, shocked at Straw Kid's plan, as she huddled next to Link closely.

"What?!" exclaimed Link, "That's what this is all about, you want to take over Saria's body as your own?!"

"Eeeheheheh... yes..." Straw Kid chuckled, "She's perfect for the role, she was already well loved by the Kokiri folk, and thanks to her hard work protecting the village from the monsters the Poe sisters sent out into the village, she's become a well acclaimed hero. When I take her body for myself, I'll be that hero! The kids who would have made fun of me will instead praise me like a god!"

"You're kidding me, that's why the monsters have been attacking the village?!" Link exclaimed.

"You... you're a monster, attacking the Kokiri so you can be a hero to them?!" Saria shouted angerly, forgetting all about any sympathy she had for Straw Kid a second ago, "We're going to stop you and leave with Faete!"

"Eeeheheheh... you call me a monster...?" Straw Kid asked as he lowered his head, his hat covering his features, as his body started to convulse and shake. Link and Saria stood in horror as they watched his body transform. His upper torso started to hunch over and grow in size, while his lower torso started to spread out into a pile of tendril-like straw that wiggled behind him. His arms stretched out incredibly long and bent at the elbows, growing incredibly long and raveled in straw, with the hands stretching out with huge hands with long pointy claws, and were used to hold up the upper part of the creature's body. His neck stretched out and became disjointed and crooked, and his jaw started to stretch out downwards, his stitched mouth opening up vertically wide. His eyes were cloaked in the darkness under his hat, but gleamed with an eerie glow. Finally, out from his back burst six new wriggling limbs with scythes attached to the ends of each one, and the creature let out a terrifying screech.

"EEEHEHEHEH! NOW YOU SEE WHAT A MONSTER I AM?" shouted the creature, the forgotten child of living straw, now known as Scare Kid. It then took Faete and inserted her into it's chest, it's straw body wrapping her tightly inside it.

"Oh man..." Link said, he swapped his bow and arrow for his sword and shield, "Saria, stay back and let me handle this thing."

"No Link, I need to do this for Faete... for you... and myself...!" Saria stated, standing by Link's side and gripping her Deku Staff, "We'll fight him together!"

Link stared down at Saria, seeing the determination in her eyes, she was far stronger now then he could had ever imagined.

The Hylian then nodded and smiled, "Okay Saria, let's do this!"

"Right Link!"

The two stood ready to battle as Scare Kid screeched out, slamming the floor with it's giant arms, as the scythes on it's back swung around in the air wildly.

Link sprinted into battle and clashing at Scare Kid with his sword, striking it's arm. Scare Kid tried to counter by swiping at Link, but he leaped into the air and swung his sword at Scare Kid's face, but the creature smacked Link away with it's other arm. Saria ran in with her staff, leaping up and swinging it, releasing Deku seeds and blasting the creature with them before she landed to the ground.

"Woah, the girls were right, that staff really is strong!" Link exclaimed.

"Yes, with this I can protect everyone," Saria smiled, "Now let's save Faete!"

The two charged at Scare Kid from opposite sides, who swiped it's large arms at them from the sides. Link rolled out of the way towards Scare Kid and smacked it with his sword while Saria grew out spiked nut boas from the staff and smacked Scare Kid across the face with it.

Scare Kid screeched and slammed its arms down, knocking them both away to the ground. The creature then started swinging around the scythes on it's back, sending blades down at the two heroes. Link blocked as much as he could with his shield while Saria spun her staff to deflect the blade attacks.

Link looked to Saria and was in awe of just how strong Saria had become over time. He felt honored to be able to fight along side her. The two then ran back into battle, Scare Kid slammed its hand down to crush Link, but he instead leaped onto it and hacked at it's arm. The monster then swung it's arm into the air to send Link flying, but he retaliated by pulling out his Fairy Bow and firing arrows down at Scare Kid.

Saria took that chance to duck down under one of Scare Kid's lanky arms and run at its chest, smacking it around with her staff to try and free Faete, but it instead lunged down and grabbed Saria, holding her up.

"Grrk!" Saria cringed as she struggled to break free. Link landed down and fired off arrows at Scare Kid's arm to try and weaken it's grip, but the monster instead swung it's arm out and smashed Saria into a wall, causing her to scream out in pain. Scare Kid then tossed Saria through the air and fired off a barrage of blades from its scythes at the girl to slash at her defenselessly in midair, as she fell to the ground at a distance.

"Saria!" Link shouted, running up to her. He checked her over and was relieved to see she was still alive, but hurt. He clenched his fist as his eyes narrowed coldly, before turning to see Scare Kid slowly coming up to them.

"Eeeheheheh... soon her body will be mine to control..." Scare Kid cackled, its arms slowly moving him up to the two to finish them off, "I'll be accepted into the Kokiri Village... and I'll be loved by everyone!"

"You bastard... Saria works hard to protect everyone she cares about..." Link muttered, he slowly turned around to confront Scare Kid, his head lowered. "You want to take her life, steal her body, take credit for her hard work... and you think I'll allow you to do that...?"

It was then that Scare Kid felt a strange sensation coming from the Hylian, it unnerved even a powerful monster such as it, "What... what is this...? This power..."

"You hurt my best friend... and for that..." Link muttered, then rose up his head, his eyes a piercing angry white, "I'LL TEAR YOUR BODY TO PIECES!" he shouted in fury.

"W-What?!" Scare Kid stammered, backing up slowly.

"L-Link...?" Saria whispered, slowly opening her eyes and looking up her friend. Her eyes widened when she saw the look he had, and her mind went back to the strange dream she had recently...

A dream where Link stood in the middle of some kind of battlefield, with numerous people lying on the ground, and his sword was stained in blood. He slowly turned his head back with piercing angry white eyes.

"What's... happening to you...?" Saria asked worriedly snapping back to reality, she took a breath and forced herself up, desperate to get through to him, she shouted out a loud, "LINK!"

Upon hearing Saria's voice, Link paused in his tracks. He closed his piercing white eyes tightly for a few seconds, and then reopened them, his eyes now back to the gentle blue they were before, he gripped his head in pain while Saria ran up to his side.

"What the hell...?" Link muttered.

"Are you okay Link?" Saria asked, putting her hand on his arm.

"Yeah, I think so... sorry about that Saria." Link said smiling lightly.

Saria was thankful to see Link was back to normal, but couldn't help but still be concerned for him after what she had just saw...

"Just what was that...?" Scare Kid muttered, still shaken by the Hylian's odd aura. Upon seeing its opponent was back to the way he was originally however, the monster felt a little less bothered by it, then slammed its hand down, "No matter, I'll crush you both!"

Link ran in to attack Scare Kid; he got a few slashes in while evading its attacks, but then the creature rose up its arm and impacted it down on Link, attempting to crush the Hylian under its hand. Saria ran in and smacked Scare Kid's arm with the spiked nut boas on her staff, causing the creature to flinch, which gave Link a chance to get up, and he and Saria took that chance to run in and smack it around its face with their sword and staff.

Scare Kid screeched out in pain, as it's arms started to convulse, and the elbow and wrist joints of the arms opened up, exposing four purple eye-like objects on them.

"Those look like targets if I've ever seen them." Link grinned, "Cover me Saria."

"Got it." Saria nodded with a smile. She went in and fired off barrages of deku seeds at Scare Kid, who tried its best to block them off, while Link brought up his Fairy Bow and aimed an arrow. As Scare Kid tried to raise its arm up to crush Saria, Link fired an arrow at the elbow of the arm, impacting into the sphere and causing it to explode with purple energy escaping the wound.

Scare Kid screeched as it's arm started to twitch around, the destroyed sphere seemingly weakening it's arm. Saria then swung her spiked boa staff at Scare Kid again to distract him, while Link fired another arrow at one of it's wrists, making another sphere explode and release more purple energy.

This tactic continued two more times until all four of the spheres were destroyed, causing Scare Kid to screech out in pain as it tried to move forward, determined to kill Link and Saria, but with all it's limbs weakened, the creature collapsed to the ground writhing. Link and Saria nodded to each other and charged in, Link slashing at it with his sword while Saria bashed at the creature with her staff rapidly. The scythes on Scare Kid's back all rose up and tried to cut them both down, but Link then delivered one final swing on its head, dealing a mortal blow.

Scare Kid rose up and screamed out horrifically in pain, it's scythe appendages limping backwards as it flailed it's broken limbs around recklessly, before the creature eventually collapsed to the ground. Scare Kid's body started to break apart, and in it's last moment it weakly looked up into the air.

"So... this is it then..." Scare Kid hissed, it glanced up to see the purple energy that left his body fly up and vanish, as very faint tears started to form from its eyes, "Eeeheheheh... thank you so much for your help, Meg, Beth, everyone... I'll be joining you soon in the world of spirits... my true friends..."

And with that, the forgotten child Straw Kid fell apart into dark flames, until there wasn't a trace of him left. From where the monster once was, the two heroes then saw Saria's fairy friend Faete laying on the ground in a daze, free from her entrapment.

"Faete!" Saria exclaimed, running up to the fairy and scooping her up.

"We did it." sighed Link, spinning his sword in his hand and sheathing it.

"Saria... you saved me..." Faete said weakly, she took a look over to Link, "You both saved me..."

"Of course we did. It's because the two of us fought together!" Saria said smiling, holding Faete close to her. Saria then quickly turned and went over to hugging her best friend around his waist, as he knelt down to hug her back, "Thank you Link..." she said softly..

"Hey, anything for my best friend." Link said, sporting a goofy grin.

* * *

After reuniting with Aviel, Kesuta and Korume; the group soon left the Forest Temple. Upon walking outside, Aviel helped Saria down to the ground from the temple's entrance with her wings, allowing the forest girl to take a deep breath of the gentle forest air, filling her with relief, and she smiled brightly.

"Everything feels so peaceful now!" Saria said.

"With the Poe sisters gone, it looks as if their evil power has vanished from the forest." Korume said.

"Looks like the fog is gone too!" Aviel said, wearing her goggles to get a look at the Lost Woods in the distance.

"Great, now things should be back to normal then." Link nodded.

"Hey friends!" piped up a voice.

The six of them were then treated to the sight of Skull Kid giggling as he was running around the Sacred forest Meadow, kicking around the head of a dead Deku Baba like a ball as Tatl and Tael were following around after him.

"Beating up these guys was fun! Wanna join us in a kickaround, everyone?" Skull Kid asked.

"Hey, quit hogging the ball!" Tatl exclaimed to her friend.

"At least as normal as a place like this can be." Kesuta said sweatdropping.

"Kukuku... he's so cute." Korume giggled.

After kicking the evil plant into a wall, destroying it, Skull Kid and his fairy companions then came up to Saria and looked to her intently.

"Ooh, I know you! I've seen you more then a few times in the woods but I never knew you were friends with Link, nice to meet you!" he said, "I really love that music you play here too!"

Saria was a little shaken at the sight of another skull kid after what the group has just gone through, but she looked up to Link and saw the reassuring look in his eyes, then after a moment, she took a breath and smiled.

"Well thank you, it's good to meet another friend of Link's!" she said nodding to Skull Kid.

* * *

Thanks to the curse over the forest being lifted, the fog was gone and the route through the Lost Woods was back to the way it was, and it wasn't long after that the group were on their way back to the exit that led into Kokiri Village.

"So the mastermind was Straw Kid?" Skull Kid asked after the group explained everything along the way, "I've seen him before, he always kinda creeped me out... reminded me too much of something I had to go through in the past..." he sighed sadly, "He even stole that mask you sold me seven years ago, Link."

"So that's where he got that from..." Link muttered to himself, reminded that Skull Kid still owed him five rupees for the rest of the mask's price.

"Well it's fine, Link and Saria took care of him, and now the forest is finally at peace." Kesuta nodded.

"Yeah, you're right." Skull Kid said relieved.

As the group approached the way out into the village though, Skull Kid stopped in his tracks, looking a little hesitant to continue with them. His normally energetic attitude quickly turned to nervousness, his legs slowly backing him up a bit.

"W-Well here we are at Kokiri Village!" Skull Kid, trying to cover for his uncertainty, "Take care everyone, we'll see you again soon!"

"Aren't you coming Skull Kid?" Link asked, turning to his friend, "You should meet everyone too."

"Um..." Skull Kid stammered, "I-I don't think they'd want me there, y-you guys go on ahead. I'm fine here with Tatl and Tael..."

Saria had turned to look at Skull Kid, thinking to herself about some things she had been told earlier, before grabbing the little guy by his arm, surprising him.

"I agree with Link, why don't you come along with us to the village?" Saria smiled pleasantly.

"Yeah, comeon Skull Kid, move it!" Tatl exclaimed, flying against and nudging the back of his head.

"O-Okay..." Skull Kid said after a moment of hesitation, as the nine of them headed into Kokiri Village.

* * *

"Hey look!" shouted a Kokiri watching from stump house, "Link's back, and he has Saria!"

"Seriously?!" shouted another Kokiri.

"Yay! Hey everyone, Saria's returned!"

The forest children and their fairies all left their tasks and homes and ran excitedly up to the group, eagerly greeting Saria, all of them relieved she was safe.

"We were so worried about you!" sobbed one of the Kokiri boys.

"We thought we had lost you!" said a girl Kokiri hugging Saria.

"T-Thank you everyone..." Saria said, putting a hand to her chest with a soft smile.

Link couldn't help but smile himself to see how happy the kids were to see Saria. It was then he saw Mido and Vekai both running up to the group.

"Saria!" shouted Mido in relief, he looked like he was about to hug her, but instead put his hands to his hips and turned his head away, grumbling. "Y-You... do you know how freaked out everyone was about you disappearing?! They were all afraid you might have gotten hurt or worse!"

"Yes, we were all concerned, as well as Mido." Vekai said with a relieved tone, adjusting her root glasses, "But we're all glad you're back... especially him."

"Shut up!" shouted Mido to his adviser.

Saria giggled, "It's okay, I'm fine now, thanks to Link and everyone."

"You... you really pulled it off didn't you...?" Mido said in a soft tone, looking up to Link, "You stayed true to your word and saved her..."

"Of course, she's my best friend." Link said nodding.

"Right..." Mido said, looking down with the faintest traces of a genuine grin.

"Well aren't you going to say 'thank you' to Link?" Aviel asked, stepping up beside the Hylian.

Mido's face flushed and turned his head away, and grumbled something under his breath.

"He thanks all of you." clarified Vekai.

"Stop stepping on my words!" Mido shouted again.

"The evil power around here seems to have completely vanished..." Korume said, waving her hand through the air.

"Yep, the deku monsters won't be attacking you guys anymore," Kesuta stated, "Your village, as well as the Lost Woods are free of the curse!"

"Wow, these Gerudo girls are so cool!" said one of the Kokiri.

"Yeah, I want to get big as strong as them!" said a girl Kokiri excitedly.

"Can you teach us to throw fireballs?"

"Or how to grow bird wings, do I have to squeeze those grapefruits again?!"

"Uh, that's not how my wings work." Aviel said sweatdropping, covering her chest protectively.

The Kokiri took to chattering wildly and excitedly about the heroes' accomplishments, all happy to finally be safe from the dangers they had faced, as well as getting their cherished friend back.

"Hey wait, who's this?" asked one Kokiri. Everyone turned to see the boy was staring at Skull Kid, who was folding his arms behind his back looking down nervously.

"Wait, isn't that a skull kid? What's he doing here?" asked one Kokiri.

"Yeah, aren't they not allowed in the village?"

Skull Kid gulped a bit, as Tatl and Tael huddled close to him.

Link looked to his friend, then smiled and knelt down, putting his hand on Skull Kid's shoulder, "This is our friend Skull Kid, he helped us out big time, and without him we wouldn't have saved Saria."

"Wait, really?" one of the kids asked, as they were all looking to him.

"Gee, original name." Vekai sarcastically quipped.

"Um..." Skull Kid stammered, looking around left and right.

"Hmph, I don't know about letting an outsider like him in the village..." grumbled Mido.

"Weeell..." Saria brought up, putting a finger to her lips and tapping it, "Link is considered part of our village as well, despite grown-ups not normally being allowed to be here." she turned to Mido and Vekai and smiled brightly, "Do you think we can make another exception?"

"Uh... um..." Mido stammered himself.

"...I think Mido approves." Vekai turned to the others and adjusted her root glasses.

"Hey!"

"Alright then!" Saria nodded, "You hear that Skull Kid? You can come here as well!"

"R-Really...?" Skull Kid asked, his body shook slightly as the kids all started to crowd around him to greet him.

"Yeah, especially for what you did for Saria!" said another Kokiri.

"Thank you so much Mr. Skull Kid!"

In that moment, Skull Kid thought about the time he was in a distant world, as he was staring up at four large beings that towered over him, and could hear a majestic song they bellowed out across the land.

It was then everyone saw faint traces of what looked like tears forming in Skull Kid's eyes. As he brought up his arm to cover them. Tatl and Tael both flew around wildly and happily at this news, as Skull Kid finally worked up the courage to speak just three words.

"T-Thank you, everyone..."

"Thanks for that Saria." Link whispered to his friend.

"Well, he's your friend too, right?" Saria asked with a nod, "Besides, I should know what loneliness and seclusion can do to you..."

Link reflected on those words himself, and looked up at the trees of Kokiri Forest, a gentle wind blowing through them.

"Yeah..."

"Well for now though, I think we need to see to our heroes' injuries." Vekai pointed out, "They may be strong, but they need to recover as well, especially Saria. I propose we allow them to spend the night here."

"Uh, right..." Mido said, rubbing the back of his head, "Well okay, I'll let you stay for a while longer, but that's it!"

"Thanks for that." Link nodded.

"Yay! A sleepover!" Aviel cheered out, then turned to the other Kokiri, "Come on guys, let me show you how to shoot an arrow! Link can help us now that he has the Fairy Bow!"

She ran forward a a few feet only to suddenly trip and fall over on her face, making some of the crowd laugh and the others to sweatdrop.

"Maybe you should wait until you rest up first, Birdbrain." Kesuta said flatly.

"Right..."

* * *

"...and this is my place." Link said, showing off his home to Aviel, Kesuta and Korume. After the group were healed up by the Kokiri, Link decided to take them on a tour of his hometown, one stop of course being his own house.

"Wow, so you grew up here as a kid?" Aviel asked looking around. She immediately went over to Link's bed and laid down on it, "And this is where you slept?"

"Well, I had to replace the bed with a bigger one when I came back from my journey." Link pointed out, "But yeah, I grew up here, life was so peaceful back in those times..." he added with a bit of nostalgia in his tone.

"So why did you leave a paradise like this to begin with?" Kesuta asked looking around.

"Well..." Link paused, still not sure he was ready to tell them, especially considering the effect it had on the Gerudo as a whole due to the war, "Let's just say I had an important mission to accomplish..."

"Does it have anything to do with horse racing and fishing?" asked Korume, who was staring at a note on Link's wall, displaying a list of records he placed on various activities and games he had played throughout Hyrule, "It seems like you were a busy boy."

"Ah-ha ha, that's an understatement." Link laughed.

"Hey, what's this about Gerudo horseback archery?!" Aviel asked excitedly, looking at the note herself, "We haven't had something like this in years!"

"Yeah, the only place our people ever practiced that was in Gerudo Fortress.." Kesuta said.

Link broke out into a cold sweat, mentally kicking himslelf for writing that down after he got back from his own time. He was at a loss to explain how and why he traveled seven years into the future and participated in the horseback archery game the Gerudo allowed him to play at Gerudo Fortress while he was in the dark future, "Um, I think I might have meant to write... 'Garo' instead." he quickly fibbed, "They're a tribe from another land, and I guess I got them mixed up with yours."

"Oh, I see." nodded Kesuta, and Aviel seemed to wave it off as well.

Korume on the other hand looked to Link, uncertain about his words, but figured he might have had a good reason for not wanting to say something, and put it out of her mind for the time being.

Thankfully for Link, the awkward moment was drowned out by a new voice who called out to get everyone's attention. Link came out from his home and looked down to see Saria and Faete approaching the house and the Kokiri girl waving happily to him.

"Come on, Vekai convinced Mido to have a party tonight in celebration of the monsters being gone!"

"Alright, coming!" Link said with a grin, jumping down along with his friends.

* * *

The next morning, Link, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume all stood at the exit to the Kokiri Forest, about to head off back to Gerudo Town. Standing there was everyone in the village, including Saria, Faete, Mido, Vekai, Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael.

"Well, so um..." Mido muttered, trying to force out his words, "Good work getting rid of the monsters, and... bringing back Saria and... um..."

"He's extremely grateful for all you've done." Vekai said adjusting her root glasses.

"Stop putting words in my mouth!" shouted Mido to his adviser.

"No problem, anything for you guys, and my hometown." grinned Link, he then took a look down at Saria, "Well Saria, I'm glad everything worked out."

"Yeah..." Saria said faintly, she seemed like she wanted to say something, but Link knelled down and hugged her, catching her off guard.

"I promise I'll make more time for you in the future Saria..." Link said softly.

"T-Thank you Link..." Saria said relishing in the hug, and then returning it.

The others looked on smiling at the two of them; Mido just turned his head away, while Tatl floated around giggling.

"Hee hee, they're best friends, but they look like a father and his child!" Tatl said, feeling a little nostalgic from an adventure she had with Link a time long ago...

"Alright everyone," Link said standing up, "Good bye for now, we'll see you all again soon!" and with that he, Aviel, Kesuta and Korume all left through the path through the forest towards Hyrule Field, the kids all waving and cheering for the heroes.

"Bye friend Link!" shouted Skull Kid, "Come back to see us and we'll play together again!"

Saria meanwhile stood there, watching Link and his friend go further down the path, feeling like there was still something she wanted to say, her legs seemed to be aching to move right then. She closed her eyes, thinking to herself, as she turned to Mido.

"Mido, I hate to ask you this... but I..." she stammered, unsure of how to continue.

"...you wanna go with him, huh?" Mido said after a moment of hesitation.

"Huh?" exclaimed Saria, then spoke defensively, "I... um... no, don't me silly... I could never do something like that!"

"Why not? The Great Deku Sprout already told us that whole thing about us dying if we leave the forest was a big fib the Deku Tree said to protect us, remember?" Mido pointed out, folding his arms behind his head, "The sprout decided we should be allowed to get out of here once in a while."

"Well, y-yeah... But I have to stay here, so I can watch over the village..." Saria said hesitantly, reaching behind her and gripping at her Deku Staff.

"Don't worry about it..." Mido said looking away, "You guys already took care of the monsters that attacked the village. We''ll all be fine here, just go with him."

"But..." Saria said.

"Yeah Saria, go ahead and go with friend Link to his home!" Skull Kid said, "Me, Tatl and Tael can help everyone if anything else happens!"

"Um..." Saria lowered her head.

"Yeah, go with him Saria!" shouted one of the Kokiri.

"We need to stop having to depend completely on you! We're all going to get stronger so you don't have to worry about us!" shouted another.

"Yeah, you deserve to go with Link after everything you've done, you're our hero!" exclaimed one of the forest fairies.

Saria paused, looking out at everyone cheering her on, her body trembled, and tears of happiness filled her eyes.

"Come on Saria, " Faete said nudging her, "Let's go with Link, I'll stay by your side no matter what!"

"...look, just get outta here before I change my mind, okay?!" Mido added in a grumpy voice.

Saria turned to Mido and smiled lightly, before giving him a big hug, startling him.

"Thank you Mido..." Saria said to the Kokiri leader, before releasing him and turning to everyone else, "And thank you everyone!" she shouted bowing her head down, "After I catch up with Link I'll be right back to get my things, and I promise I'll come back soon and see you all again!"

With that, Saria turned and ran off through the exit of Kokiri Village, with the children of the forest all cheering out for her in encouragement.

Mido just stood there, not saying a word, only to see Vekai sanding there with a small smile on her face, an unusual sight for someone as stoic like her.

"What're you looking at?" Mido asked her in annoyance.

"...you've gotten more mature then you let on Mr. Mido." Vekai said, before giving him a simple kiss on the cheek.

Mido's face flushed brightly, as he could quite clearly hear some of the kids snicker under their breath.

"Grrr... what are you all standing around for?!" shouted Mido waving his fists, "Get back to work, all of you!"

The kids all just laughed and ran off, and went about their business in the tranquil village of Kokiri Forest.

* * *

Meanwhile, Saria had ran out down the road as fast as she could, to greet Link and the Gerudo girls.

"Link!" she called out, "Link, I wanted to ask if I could-!"

But she paused, not seeing them anywhere, she called out to them again, but didn't hear so much as a noise. She then had an idea and tried playing her ocarina to contact him, but didn't so much as get an answer.

'Link... did you already leave...?' Saria thought to herself as sadness started to seep into her, 'Did... he really want to get back to his new life that quickly...?'

She was about to talk to Faete about flying ahead to catch up to them, when she realized the fairy was gone as well. She looked around nervously, not sure what had happened. It was then that she realized there was a large creeping shadow looming over her, covering the light of the sun through the trees.

Saria slowly looked up to see two hands coming down at her...

...only for the hands to gently lay on her shoulders, as Link smiled down to her brightly.

"Hey Saria, did you forget to ask me something?" he asked with a knowing and goofy grin.

Standing alongside him was Aviel, Kesuta, Korume and even Faete, all smiling as well.

Saria's eyes widened, her body trembled a bit, before she started bopping Link's body harmlessly with her fists. Link just continued to smile warmly as he held Saria's shoulders and let her work out her anger on him.

"Y-You! How could you do that to me, you jerk!" Saria shouted in a bizarre mixture of frustration and relieved happiness, before her pummeling turned to a soft hug, "I thought you already left..."

"Ah heh heh, sorry about that. Korume sensed from your Deku Staff's power that you were following us so we hid." Link chuckled, then added, "I didn't want to hide originally, but Kesuta put us up to it."

"Hey, don't throw me under the horse carriage!" Kesuta complained to her fiance.

"But it _was_ your idea." Korume pointed out, "You even made him do it by threatening to set his hat on fire."

"Well... it was _your_ idea to make Faete hide with us as well!" Kesuta snapped back.

"Link... can... I really go with you?" Saria asked, looking up to him from the hug.

"Of course." Link said "We may be best friends, but there's a lot more to that then just our past memories together... So let's get out there and make some new memories, okay?"

Saria stood there with wide eyes, the words Link spoke rang true in her ears, and she couldn't be happier to hear him say that.

"... Yes! Thank you so much Link!" Saria said smiling brightly, hugging him again as tightly as she could.

"That's so great..." Aviel said to herself, "Saria deserves a chance to be happy with Link."

"But are you sure about going out to Gerudo Town?" Kesuta brought up to Saria, "Life in the desert is way more harsh and brutal then the forest."

"And there's great threats we're dealing with right now, like the Ebony Sisterhood rebellion." Korume pointed out.

"I should be fine, I've gotten strong over the years," Saria nodded, "Besides, I want to do everything I can to help and support Link!"

Saria then realized what she had just said out-loud, but in that moment felt she wasn't embarrassed to admit it at all anymore.

'That's right...' Saria thought to herself, putting a hand to her chest, her thoughts drifted to the staff she wore on her back, 'I think I realize now what the Great Deku Tree gave me this magical staff for... it's not for me to watch over the Kokiri for my whole life... but to protect Link and stand by his side.'

She looked up into the trees, and saw a gentle breeze blow through the leaves.

"Thank you... Great Deku Tree..." she whispered.

Link couldn't help but blush a little at her words, he had to admire the strength and will Saria had taken on during the past years, not to mention how skilled she had become a fighter. Hearing what she had said about wanting to protect him, it was a great sensation he had spent so much of his life never feeling before, at least until he came into his new life with the Gerudo...

"Well alright, I'm just worried about a small child like you having to fight the enemies we deal with." Kesuta said with genuine concern.

"Hey! I may look like a child, but I possess the mind of a mature adult!" Saria stated defensively.

"Oh Saria, do you want some candied berries?" Aviel brought up, holding up a small sack of fruit she had purchased from Gerudo Market.

"Yaaay! Thank you, thank you!" Saria immediately squealed out with a cheer, running to get some sweets from Aviel, causing Kesuta and Korume to snicker under their breath.

"Do you think Nabooru will be alright with this though?" Korume then asked Link, "Our laws are pretty strict about outsiders, even women, with very few exceptions like you."

"It might take some talking, but hopefully I can get Nabooru to be okay with it..." Link said pondering.

* * *

"By the goddess Aifet, you are just too cute!" Nabooru squealed out, grabbing Saria, lifting her up and holding her tightly into her chest, causing Saria to wiggle her arms around frantically, "Can we keep her Link?" she asked excitedly to her future king.

"I was uh, actually going to ask you that." Link said sweatdropping, relieved that it worked out easier then he thought.

The group had just arrived back in Gerudo Town after Saria went back to the village to get some of her important possessions. Getting back over the border was a simple task for the group thanks to Korume carrying Saria on her broom, and they arrived back at the palace only to find not just Nabooru and Nemisa, but Togau, Sarami and Reirousa were all there to welcome Link back, and they all found themselves welcoming their newest friend Saria as well.

"Everyone... um, pleased to meet you, Link's told me so much about you all." Saria said, breaking free of Nabooru's hug and doing a polite bow, "My name is Saria, and this is my guardian fairy, Faete." she introduced her fairy friend who made a small ringing sound with her wings to greet the others, "I um... vow to work hard for you all, and... I'm glad to be here."

"Well shootfire, aren't you just a little cutie!" Togau said, kneeling down and giving her a small hug, "So yer the one that taught Link that song of his ain't cha? I'm so glad ta finally meet ya!"

"Yeah, uh..." Reirousa looked to the side and rubbed the back of her head, a little embarrassed to see someone so small and sweet like Saria, she almost wanted to try hugging the girl herself, but not about to admit it outright, "Glad to um, meet you..."

"She's so little, just like a child..." whispered Sarami with faint tears in her eyes and a soft smile, "And she's a childhood friend of yours Link?"

"Yeah, I grew up with her in the forest since I was little." Link grinned.

"That's so sweet, I would have loved to see you as small as her..." Sarami added with a giggle, before going over to hug Saria, "If you ever need help adapting to the desert climate here, you just let me know. I have all kinds of medicines and tonics to help you with that, okay sweetie?"

"Um... t-thank you..." Saria stammered, made nervous by being pressed against the kind doctor's rather large breasts.

Nemisa meanwhile looked down to Saria, as the Kokiri girl broke away from the doctor and looked up at the bodyguard and fiance of Link. Nemisa glanced to the side with a bit of embarrassment herself,

"Um.. so you're the friend Link mentioned before...?" Nemisa asked.

"Uh-huh, and you're Nemisa, Link's fiance, along with Kesuta and Korume right? I'm really happy to meet you, Link's told me so many things about you and your life!"

"Oh did he...?" Nemisa asked, looking to Link with an annoyed stare as she cracked her knuckles, causing Link to sweatdrop in nervousness.

"Uh-huh, he told me about how powerful of a warrior you are, and that you're a graceful dancer as well, I'd really love to see your dancing for myself!" Saria beamed with happiness. In reality Link had told her much more about Nemisa, like what she had gone through in her dark past, and her secret love for plush dolls, but she decided not to make a scene for the woman's sake and for Link's physical health. She had to admit after Link's little prank earlier as they had left the forest, she got a little enjoyment teasing him with this.

"O-Oh..." Nemisa said, blushing red herself at Saria's serene nature, she knelt down at smiled warmly, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, "...very well then, I'd like to perform for you sometime myself."

"Well then, as far as I'm concerned, you're a part of our town and our family now Saria." Nabooru nodded, "We'll be counting on your support for Link and our people from this point forward."

"I'll do my best." Saria bowed, as Aviel then ran up and gave the Kokiri a bird-winged welcoming hug.

Link just smiled to see everyone get along so well with Saria, it was only fitting given how close he was to all of them that he knew they would accept her like this, and he could only hope the Gerudo could have more opportunities like this to bond with the other people of Hyrule.

Though it was hard to accept what had happened to the Gerudo during the war, seeing everyone as they were now, especially Nabooru and Saria, as well as Ruto, that Link couldn't feel more accomplished to be able to make this future the way it was now.

"Go ahead and take her to one of our better guest rooms Link, we'll modify it to make it more livable for her later." Nabooru said.

"Okay, come on Saria." Link said, reaching out and taking her hand, causing his best friend to blush lightly, as he escorted her off to one of the rooms so she could rest. That blush of Saria's didn't go unnoticed by Aviel, who smiled lightly at the two of them before going off with the others back to their business.

As Link escorted Saria to her new room at the palace, the Kokiri looked up at her best friend, and leaned against him as they walked down the hallway. Link himself felt a little embarrassed about how close Saria was to him in that moment, as his thoughts lingered on something he recalled hearing once from Mido in the dark future...

He shook off those thoughts and looked down to his friend. After being separated for so long, Link and Saria had a lot of catching up to do, and the two best friends had more time now to do that then they could have ever thought.

* * *

_**And with that, the arc is over. I'm glad I wound up making the choice to let Saria stay with Link in the end, I think she'll provide not just support as a fighter and be a fun character to write for, but provide more moral support for Link himself, and she'll continue to play an active role in the story as well.  
**_

_**Next time, Togau returns to the spotlight, and gets herself into a bizarre situation that threatens her very place in life, and comes to terms with her place in Link's own life.**_

_**Thank you all for your support, and leave a like follow or review if you'd like!**_


	35. Animal Antics

_**Hello folks! It's time for chapter 35, starting here I'm going to start focusing on characters who haven't really gotten much spotlight as of late, and I got some fun ideas to make each of them more interesting.**_

* * *

Link's eyes slowly opened, and he took a minute to look around at his surroundings. He was dreaming that he was back in that mysterious place from before. The strange mist covering the area made anything around still as hidden as ever, but he felt a calm wind brush against him as some leaves flew by. He saw the large object in the distance, it was a tall object, but it was still difficult to make out any real details of it in the mist.

"Again? Just what is this place...?" Link muttered.

"Man, this is getting to be a real pain in the ass!" muttered a familiar voice, and Link quickly turned to see the man he had encountered in his dream before only he sounded much for aggravated then before, "Seems like every time I'm about to pull it off, I just get yanked right back in...!"

It seemed now Link was able to make out more details of the man at least, his hair stuck out behind him down to halfway down his back with small strands sticking out in various places, he wore some kind of ragged clothing, and what looked like a sword sheathed on his belt.

"It's you..." Link realized, "Okay, I've had it with this, who are you?"

"Hmph, like I said before buddy, I'm a part of you." the mysterious man said with a shrug, "I used to be in isolation for so long, but now that I'm stuck here instead, and I want to escape and be free." he lowered his voice coldly, "If only you'd just give up."

"That's it, I'm getting really tired of you being so cryptic, tell me what the hell is going on here!" Link demanded.

The man seemed to ignore his question and grumbled in annoyance, "I thought if you were separated from those girls, even just for a bit that I could finally pull it off, but then that little one got through to you almost instantly." the man seemed to be scratching his chin, "I have to admit there's something interesting about her..."

"Little one... wait, do you mean Saria?" Link realized, "What do you want with her?!" he shouted, as he reached out to where he normally kept his sword, but then realized he didn't have a weapon.

"Nothing really." shrugged the man, "I mostly just want her and those others out of my way so I can finally break out."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, but I swear if you do anything to hurt her or any of my friends..." Link said coldly, narrowing his eyes.

It was then in that second Link swore he could make out very small details on the man's face, and saw something off about the way he looked... was almost familiar...

"Heh... maybe it won't be so long after all. Well, guess I'll see ya around buddy." With that the man turned and left into the mist.

"Hey wait!" Link tried to follow after him, but it was then that the floor gave out from under him and he fell into a void once again...

* * *

"Ugh... that dream again..." Link sighed, he was laying back on his bed in Gerudo Town's palace. It was the middle of the night and he had just woken up from one of those strange dreams again, "Just who is that guy?"

"What guy?" brought up a voice, Link was jolted out of his daze and looked to see Nabooru laying beside him, leaning against her arm and smiling slightly.

"I... well... it's kind of hard to explain, I don't really understand it myself." Link sighed, he wasn't sure if he wanted to talk to Nabooru about this in the past, but it seemed now the cat was out of the bag, "I keep getting these strange dreams from time to time, and it's always the same, I'm in this strange place, I see a mysterious man who says weird things, then I fall and wake up."

"Can you think of anyone he could be?" Nabooru asked in curiosity..

"No, at least I don't think so." Link pondered.

Nabooru frowned as she looked at Link, her eyes filled with concern for her close friend. This was clearly something that's bothered him for some time now, and she wished she had known about this sooner, especially after what happened with...

'No...' Nabooru thought to herself, shaking off those old thoughts, 'I'm certain it's nothing like that..." She knew she had to consecrate on helping Link, and she knew something that would do nicely.

"Well, how about I help relieve your tensions then?" Nabooru said smiling, she motioned for Link to sit up, and she placed her hands on his shoulders from behind. She started massaging him, rubbing her hands against his shoulders and back firmly but delicately.

"Jees Nabooru, you're too good at this." Link groaned a bit as she went to work on him. Nabooru tickled the back of Link's neck teasingly before leaning herself against him, working on his lower back as she started kissing at his pointy ear. He loved the feeling she was giving him, including her soft bare chest pressing against his back.

"Anything for my dear friend and future king." she whispered into his ear, "If you like I could teach you how to do massages like this, I'm sure your beloved fiances would enjoy this as well."

"That... wouldn't be a bad idea." Link admtted. He could feel his worries about his strange dreams drift away as she rubbed him down. It made him wonder in that moment if he could do the same for his fiances to relieve them of their own sorrows...

It was then he felt Nabooru starting to kiss at his neck, indicating she was in the mood for a different type of relief at that moment. Link smiled lightly as he turned around and wrapped his arms around Nabooru's neck, pulling her into a deep kiss, as she puled him backwards onto the bed, where the two indulged in satisfying pleasure together...

* * *

"All right everyone, our first order of business today is to welcome in our newest sister to our town, Saria!" Nabooru stated later that morning at the dining table where she, Link, Aviel and Nemisa held their usual morning meetings, now along with Saria, a new resident of the palace. In addition the mystic Kesuta, and the livestock rancher Togau were also there that particular morning.

"Thanks again for allowing me to stay here, everyone." Saria said doing a polite bow of her head.

"And thanks fer havin' me over for some chow." Togau spoke up, rubbing the back of her head with a sheepish grin, "The stove over at the diner I usually have breakfast at broke down last night so I was desperate."

"It's no problem." Nabooru said, "For what work you do for us daily as a rancher, you're more then welcome."

"Yeah, you know we always love having you over Togau." Link said nodding.

"Heh, thanks fer that..." Togau said happily.

"So what are you doing here then Kesuta?" Aviel asked with her mouth half-full of eggs.

"Well I would had just eaten at home myself, but Korume decided to make breakfast today, I took one look at the pile of peppers she had prepared for the omelets she was making and I just deiced to escape." sighed Kesuta.

Saria paused, looking to Togau the livestock rancher and then to Kesuta the town mystic, and it made her wonder what her role in the town could be. It was one thing back in Kokiri Forest when she was the village's protector, but with so many powerful warriors here in town she didn't feel as significant just doing that alone...

"Um... I just wanted to say... I'm not sure what I can do for your people, but whatever it is, I'll work hard to contribute to your town!" Saria said, pumping up her fists with determination.

"Ha ha, relax Saria, we're not going to expect you to throw yourself into work after just arriving." Nabooru said waving her hand dismissively, "Take some time to enjoy yourself here and get to know everyone."

"Yeah, you're not just here to work for us. You deserve to enjoy yourself as well." Link said, remembering what Nabooru had once told him shortly after he arrived there himself.

"Thanks..." Saria said, smiling lightly as she turned to Link. It was in that moment she realized how he was dressed, and her face flushed, "Um, d-do you usually wear that outfit here?"

"What, this?" Link asked, looking to his red vest and green pants, the vest in particular was opened up by Nemisa's request, giving everyone a good look at his bare chest, "Yeah, the clothes here are made to help us resist the dry and hot weather."

"I-I see..." Saria said nervously, "Yes, I guess the weather here is pretty intense, I don't think I can wear my usual tunic and sweater anymore." she looked down to the thick sleeves of her outfit.

Nabooru couldn't help but notice the expression on Saria's face as she looked away from Link, it was clear she wasn't used to seeing him dress like this, and she gave a knowing smile.

"Well, we'll see about getting you some Gerudo style clothing soon." Nabooru assured her.

Saria nodded, "That sounds nice, though I'm hoping it's not anything too skimpy like some of the girls here wear..."

Saria then glanced at one of the servant women setting down some plates of food, of who was wearing a top that was a size too small for her bountiful chest. The servant took a moment to make sure her chest brushed against Link's arm as she did, causing the Kokiri to blush a bit, and Link himself looked a little mortified about it himself.

"Hey, watch it with those things, you'll put my husband's eye out!" Nemsia shouted to the servant, of whom simply chuckled, took a moment to tickle Link's chin, then strolled off.

"You get a lot of attention around here, don't you Link?" Saria asked sweatdropping.

"Yeah, it took some time getting used to it." Link sighed with a light blush on his face.

"Say, maybe for now I can loan you one of my vests." Togau said to Saria, scratching her cheek in thought as she looked the Kokiri over, "...though it might end up looking more like a dress on you."

"That would be nic- Hey!" Saria realized what she meant and protested in a fit, then a second later looking down at herself, "Okay, maybe you're right..." she admitted, causing everyone there to laugh.

"Well either way, we're glad to have you here, sister Saria." Nemisa said with a gentle smirk.

"Thank you." Saria said, she was glad to get to meet Nemisa firsthand, as she was just as kind as Link described her in his conversations with her, and that she was going to be a fine wife for her friend.

Saria then took a bite of the meal the servants handed her, "Wow, the food here is delicious!" she exclaimed with wide and bright eyes, putting a hand to her cheek in astonishment. "I've never eaten something like this before!"

"Really? It's just a plate of eggs, sausage and hasb browns, you tellin' me you've never eaten any of that?" Togau brought up.

"Not at all, we Kokiri are used to eating just fruits, nuts and plants that grow in the forest!" Saria explained taking another bite.

"Yeah, I remember when I first ate the food at Hyrule Market, it was a whole new experience for me." Link nodded.

"Na ha ha!" Togau laughed, "Glad yer takin' a liking to it Saria, I make sure all our meats and produce 'round here are top quality, they fetch a good price from caravans as well."

"Yes, Link mentioned you own an animal ranch." Saria said, "What kind of animals do you have?"

"All kinds, pigs, cuccos, sheep, cows, a few horses, if you'd like I can take y'all to the ranch to meet em!" Togau grinned.

"I'd... I'd really like that!" Saria smiled brightly in excitement.

Togau's head broke into a sweat as she turned away, trying not to look directly at Saria's beaming expression, "She... she's just too cute..."

"That does sound good, it's been a while since we went to the ranch." Link nodded.

"Alright! I wanna go see Togau's cucco friend Imra!" Aviel exclaimed.

"Makes sense, birdbrains of a feather flock together." shrugged Kesuta.

"Quit it with the birdbrain thing!: Aviel squawked at Kesuta while flapping her wings in a flurry.

"Hey, watch where you're waving those things!" Nemisa shouted, as she was getting loose feathers in her face and mouth. She pushed Aviel away and started running a hand through her long hair to keep it from getting knotted up.

Togau meanwhile looked to Nemisa, and how she had her long silk hair down, as opposed to before when she kept it in a bun. The farmer couldn't help but see how pretty she was now that she embraced her dancer side more, and her skin seemed shinier now since she started dating Link.

Though happy as Togau was for her and Kesuta to be Link's future brides, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about something...

"Togau, you alright?" Link asked, leaning forward to the girl.

"R-Reckon course!" Togau said, forcing a cheerful smile while blushing red.

Nabooru looked over to Togau, seeing the expression in her eyes and sported an amused grin.

'Jees Link, with the way you're going you might have selected all your wives faster then I figured you would.' she thought to herself.

* * *

"Baaahhh!" a sheep bleated out in the interior of Togau's livestock ranch barn. It was casually munching on plants from a trough while Saria slowly reached out a hand and rubbed the sheep's woolly body.

"Oooh... it's so soft!" Saria said with wide eyes, "And it's so cute! What do you do with them?"

"Well in the case of the sheep, we usually sheer them and use their wool for clothing or to sell to caravans!" Togau explained.

"Sheering their wool? That isn't cruel to them...?" Saria asked curiously.

"Nah, sheering's good for sheep! Keeps em from getting too woolly and overheated!" Togau said with a big toothy grin.

"You know a lot about animals." Saria said with a gentle smile, moving over to petting the sheep's head, who baaed out again and took to it affectionately, soon turning to Saria and giving her a friendly lick, making Saria giggle.

"It took a long time for me to learn. My niece Malon and my bro Talon taught me some of it, rest of it I learned from some travelers that would come by around here and the rest was just general experience." Togau laughed a little, she had a hard time getting over Saria's serene and pleasant demeanor, and she was happy to get along with her so well, she could see how Link and Saria were so close.

"Oh yeah... Malon and Talon, Link told me about him being friends with them." Saria said, "I'd like to see the two of them myself someday!"

"Yeah." Togau said, then sighed under her breath, "So would I..."

Saria couldn't help but overhear that last part, she paused and looked up to Togau, and realized the mistake she made by saying that. Link had told Saria about whet happened to Togau back at Lon Lon Ranch with the exile, but he had asked her not to bring it up with her. Knowing what it felt like to be separated from someone she cared about, the Kokiri couldn't help but be sympathetic about Togau's situation.

Togau noticed the look Saria was giving her, letting her know she was frowning, and forced herself to put on a big grin, "Na ha ha! Don't worry about me none, Saria!"

"Well, okay..." Saria nodded somewhat reluctantly, before going back to petting the sheep.

Aviel meanwhile was trotting around the barn with her wings out, as some some cuccos and their chicks were following her around clucking and peeping. Her little bird squad marched under a horse, along a catwalk, and through a hay bail, which resulted in Aviel having another cucco sitting on her head when she came out of the pile

Nemisa herself was busy being tutored by one of Togau's assistants with milking a cow. As Nemisa was getting into the routine, the cow suddenly let out a loud moo which startled Nemisa so much she jumped back and went into a defensive martial arts pose. He ranch hand assured her that it was okay, making Nemisa sigh and nod before going right back to the job.

As for Link, he was busy hauling some bags of feed as instructed by the other ranch hands, "You need these here, right?" he called out to them.

"Yeah, thanks a lot for this!" said one of the girls.

"The king is so strong isn't he?" exclaimed one of the other ranch hands.

"Yeah, and he's cute too!" giggled another.

"Is this alright to make him do this though? Mom says the previous king would had never done menial chores like this..."

Despite their attempts to be discreet about what they said, Link couldn't help but overhear them, "It's fine, I'm happy to do it." he called out with a grin.

"Aww, he's so sweet!" whispered one of the ranch hands to her friend "He's nothing like the old king!"

"Yeah, he gets along so well with everyone, he's even selected sister Nemisa, Kesuta and Korume to be his wives, I'm so jealous!" said another.

"I wonder if he'd be willing to give me a baby..." whispered one of them longingly.

"Hey! Get back ta work you dang girls!" Togau shouted, partially out of frustration of their conversation. She let out a sigh and looked to Link, reaching out her hands, "Sorry bout this, I'll take the bags myself."

"Nah, don't worry about it." Link shook his head, "I want to do this for you."

Togau's face flushed bright red, "T-Thank you Link..." before going back to see to Saria. The Kokiri girl couldn't help but notice the shy look on Togau's face as she and Link had spoke, and giggled a little.

"Hey Togau, we got a situation here!" called out one of the ranch hands, Togau and Saria went over to see the girl who was tending to some plants growing from the ground in a garden area of the barn.

"What's the problem?" Togau asked.

"It's these new plants we brought in for animal feed." the ranch hand said, "They seemed to be growing alright at first, but they're turning brown on the ends, I've been giving them water, and the windows are giving them plenty of sunlight, but they keep getting worse. We can't really feed them to the animals at this rate..."

"Let me see." Saria spoke up, kneeling down to the plants, she brought up one hand and felt the leaves delicately. Togau just looked to Saria as she was staring intently at the plant, before the Kokiri nodded to herself in confirmation, "These particular plants tend to have shorter roots, and can't absorb water as well because the other plants' roots are soaking them up. Try moving these plants over to another area apart from the other ones."'

"Huh, alright, I'll do just that." the ranch hand said, "Thanks sister Saria."

"Na ha ha! Well golly Saria," Togau said grinning widely, "You know yer way with plants!"

"Eh hee hee..." Saria laughed sheepishly, "I've studied a lot on horticulture when I was in the forest."

"You said you studied whore culture?" Aviel spoke up as she walked over to the group, causing them all to fault over.

"She said horti-culture! Horti!" exclaimed Nemisa from over at the milking area.

"It's another word for gardening, my research helped everyone know what to eat safely in Kokiri Forest, and it allowed me get a hang on my Deku Staff's abilities." Saria explained to Aviel.

Link had to admit how impressed he was at Saria, she had grown so much over the past years while he was away from Hyrule, "We should tell Nabooru about this, I bet she would be happy to have you on hand to help with the crops and pants around here in town as a botanist." he commented to his childhood friend.

"I'd like that." Saria smiled, feeling more now that she had a real purpose for the girls in Gerudo Town.

Meanwhile in another part of the ranch, Kesuta stuck her head up from behind a fence, as she eyed the others with a mischievous giggle.

"Keeheehee, nothing like a little prank to liven things up around here!"

The fire mystic then snapped her fingers, conjuring a fiery wisp like the ones she often used to spook people, she directed it over to a cow who was minding it's own business, munching on some grass in it's trough. The cow felt an odd warmth in front of it, and glanced up to see the fiery wisp floating around in front of it. The cow looked to the wisp in confusion, not sure of what it was, until the wisp then let out a horrifying wail.

"MOOO!"

The cow freaked out and started charging off in a hurry, it bashed through a coop of cuccos, who flew out in a large fury, as the cow continued to run through the barn, knocking things over and scaring the other animals.

"Hey, what the bahooty is going on here?!" Togau exclaimed.

"It's Mae," shouted one of the ranch hands, who now had a bucket stuck on her head that fell on her from the cow's rampage "Something's got her spooked!"

"MOOO!" Mae the cow shouted out as she ran through the barn like mad, bashing into things that only made her more startled and aggravated.

"Calm down ya dang bovine! Come on girls, gimmie a hand!" Togau said as she and some of the ranch hands tried to stop Mae but the cow shook and jumped around so much they just flew off her.

Togau in particular went flying into the garden area where she splattered into a puddle of wet mud. She just laid there for a few seconds before looking up to see a pig staring down at her.

"What're ya lookin' at?" she muttered.

The pig just grunted.

"Hang on, I got this!" Link shouted, running up to the upper rafters of the barn, before leaping off and mounting onto the cow, but she started to hop around, kicking her hind legs with shocking strength. Link clung to Mae, trying desperately to calm her down, but the cow then started running circles, making Link become dizzy before she came to a halt, sending Link flying off her back.

Meanwhile during all this Kesuta had fallen backwards to the ground laughing her head off at everything going on, before she saw Link go flying overhead and impact into a barn wall, seconds later falling right into a waste bin.

"Uh, maybe I made a mistake..." Kesuta said worriedly with a sweatdrop going down her head.

Mae continued to run around the barn until she suddenly realized she couldn't move her legs anymore, and saw strange vines that had bound her legs together, the cow squirmed around frantically to break free but to no avail, until she fell over on her side.

"Whew, there." Saria said, holding her Deku Staff, "That should at least hold her for a while, but she still seems too agitated..."

"Don't worry, I got it from here." Togau said, pulling out her fiddle and playing the song of Lon Lon Ranch, the bouncy tune filled the area and put the animals in a state of tranquil bliss. Mae finally stopped squirming and let out a gentle and content moo, indicating to everyone she was fine now.

"Oh wow!" Saria exclaimed with bright wide eyes, "You can play magical music too?"

"Eh... I dunno about it bein' magic or anythin', I think the animals just like hearin' it. I learned it from my cousin Malon." Togau said rubbing the back of her head.

"Either way you two did good work." Link said walking up to the two, covered in some cucco feathers. Along with him was Aviel and Nemisa, who had captured Kesuta and the latter was carrying her over her shoulder.

"Should have figured you were behind this." Nemisa scowled in annoyance to the fire mystic.

"Ah hee hee..." Kesuta tried to laugh innocently, only to sigh in defeat.

"So it was you ya dang mystic?! I why outta-"

Togau cut herself off at that moment saw the mud all over her own body and her hair a mess, becoming self-aware of how she looked, she gripped her arm and looked down a bit embarrassingly, trying not to look at Link directly.

"Hey, you okay there?" Link asked Togau.

"Y-Yeah..." Togau said, looking up and forcing a smile on her face, "Thanks everyone for yer help. I suppose I better go clean off this here mud..."

With that she ran off, leaving both Link and Saria uncertain of what to say.

* * *

"Graaah! That dang Kesuta!" Togau said in a huff. She had gone to her room to change out of her mud-covered yellow vest, wash off, then replacing her outfit with one of eleven other yellow vests in her closet, "I outta whip her rear til she can't sit fer a week!"

As she changed into her vest, she realized the way she was talking and get out an annoyed sigh.

"I've been getting' more frustrated then usual lately, what's wrong with me...?"

She took a glance in the mirror, seeing she still had some dirt on her body, her hair was disheveled from the chaos that had happened. In addition, she couldn't help but take a closer look at how her body was rough skinned from all the farm work she did, and a lean figure with no real womanly curves whatsoever.

Her thoughts drifted to the conversation her ranch hands had been talking about before about Link and the idea of having a child with him. She then thought about Nemisa and how beautiful and curvy she was, as well as a great dancer. She also thought about how full figured Kesuta and Korume were as their fused form of Dualsera. Then her mind drifted to Lady Nabooru and Princess Ruto, both royalty and beautiful women, all of whom had captured Link's heart, and even Saria, as small and child-like as she was, was very pretty and cute.

"I... just don't really stand out all that much to Link do I...?" Togau muttered to herself. She took her straw hat and put it back on, taking a moment to adjust the flower in the strap. She remembered the day Link gave her a flower for her hat to help compliment her looks, and she had taken to keeping a flower in her straw hat since then, giving her some more confidence in herself. Her thoughts then wandered to what Link had told her about how pretty she was back at the caravan trip which made her heart skip a beat. But now she wondered if she even had a chance with him at this point, especially with all the beautiful women that he had taken as his future wives.

"Ugh... I need to vent or somethin'..." Togau sighed, she then took a glance over at something that was laying on a chair in her room.

It was a strange headdress she had obtained back at the Wyvern Keepers' hideout in the black market storage. She had decided it didn't have much momentary value and casually left in her room one day, not sure of what to do with it.

"Hmm..." Togau said, lifting up the headdress, looking over the excessively hairy mane and the pointy, curled horns, "I wonder..." She grinned a little as she thought of a mischievous idea, of her popping out from a bush wearing the headdress and scaring Kesuta with it, as a bit of good-natured revenge for what happened back at the barn.

"Na ha ha, what's good fer the goose is good fer the gander!" Togau snickered, as she put the headdress on over her head. She turned to the mirror and adjusted it so the hair went down over her eyes to hide them, "Wow, I look like a barbarian or somethin'!" she took her hand axe from her belt and swung it around to act out the part..

Before she could plot out what to do with her disguise though, it was then Togau felt a strange sensation on her head, like the headdress was tightening on her. She was a little unnerved by it, so she tired pulling the headdress off, but found it stuck to her.

"W-What's goin' on?!" Togau exclaimed, she her head felt like it was stretching out, nd soon the rest of her body started to feel strange as well, her legs were growing weak, and she could feel an odd sensation from her back.

"I... grah... graaaah... GYYAAARR!" Togau screamed as her eyes turned a blank white.

* * *

Outside of the rancher Togau's house, Link was walking up with Saria to check in on their friend after what had happened with Kesuta's prank in the barn.

"Poor Togau, I can't believe Kesuta would do something so mean." Saria said annoyed, "Is she always doing stuff like that?!"

"Sometimes, though she's been getting better at holding back." Link said, "I guess old habits can be hard to break. For now though let's see if Togau wants to join us for lunch."

"Okay then!" Saria nodded.

It was then they heard a loud and odd scream coming from the second floor of Togau's house.

"Hey, did you hear that just now?" asked Saria.

"Yeah, it sounded like it was from Togau's bedroom." said Link, "Let's go check!"

The two of them ran into Togau's home, not bothering to knock out of concern for their friend, and ran up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Togau, are you oka-" Link's words were cut off at the shock of what he had seen.

In the middle of Togau's room was a strange sight, it was a creature with the upper body of a human, but with horns curling out of their forehead, and long, wild mane-like hair growing out from behind with strands that went down over it's chest. While it's face was very much that of a human woman, it's eyes and ears were cat-like, and it had pointy fangs lining it's mouth. The creature was lean with some slight muscle, and it's hands had sharp claws at the end. The lower half of the creature though was more like that of a horse, with powerful looking legs with hoofs at the bottom, and a tail sticking out in back.

The creature seemed to be trembling and shaking, looking down at themself. It slowly turned to Link and Saria and tried to speak, but couldn't say anything.

"What.. the heck..." Link asked, he took one close look at the face of the creature, mainly her human characteristics, and realized who it was.

"Togau?!"

* * *

**_And that ends the chapter. I think one of my favorite things in this chapter was doing callbacks to some of the earliest chapters when I introduced Togau. Feels like sometimes I try a little TOO hard to establish continuity in this series, but considering how long it takes me to write these chapters I feel it's important to remind readers of past events._**

**_Well leave a like, follow or review if you enjoyed it._**


	36. Changes

_**Time for the second part of Togau's new story. Having been changed into a strange creature, what can be done for her, and can anything be done...?**_

* * *

"This is... I don't even know what to say..." Nabooru said, standing in shock as she, Link, Saria, Aviel, Nemisa and Kesuta, along with Korume, Sarami and Reirousa had all gathered, and stood to see Togau in her house, now in such a strange form. The Gerudo rancher has mysteriously become a creature with a human upper body, but with horns growing out of her head, the eyes and teeth of a lion, and even more oddly the lower body of a horse. Link and Saria had done what they could to help get her down onto the ground floor of her house, as shaken as she was, and helped her to get used to standing on her four legs before the others arrived.

"Togau, just what happened to you...?" Nemisa exclaimed.

"I don't know..." Togau said, looking down at her body, "I was just putting on a headdress thing I got a hold of a while back and the next thing I know I turned into this... lion.. horse... thing-a-ma-jigger!"

"From the looks of things, Togau has been transformed into some kind of Lynel." Nabooru realized after a careful observation.

"A Lyle-what now?" Aviel asked in confusion.

"A Lynel, it's a large beast creature; indigenous to locations like Death Mountain, as well as High Gerudo Plains." Nabooru explained, "They're natural born competitive warriors, but very dangerous. They tend to attack any other creature they see for either hunting or just a battle challenge."

"I've seen a few of them during my seven year journey." Link said, "But I generally avoided battling them. Didn't know they were in Hyrule as well."

"Hmm.." Sarami said, examining Togau's body over carefully, "Aside from the obvious changes, there doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with you, you're quite healthy." she then took a second to lift up Togau's new tail and examine behind her.

"H-Hey, watch back it back there!" Togau exclaimed with a mortified look on her face.

"You seem quite healthy back here as well." Sarami nodded with a slight giggle.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, you look like you got a tough hide." Reirousa nodded with her arms folded, "You could probably take a spear to the stomach and not even flinch!"

"Uh thanks... I think?" Togau said sweatdropping.

"I'm definitely sensing a strange power coming from you..." whispered Korume, holding her hands out at Togau, reading her energy.

"Yeah, it seems there's a curse on you of some kind..." Kesuta said doing the same.

"You don't think that headdress works like my Roc's Wings do you?" Aviel asked the twins, holding up the feathered sleeves on her arms, "Maybe you can just change yourself back by concentrating really hard, Togau?"

"No, this power is something else," Korume clarified, "Something stranger... and yet somewhat familiar..."

"Togau, are you doing okay...?" Saria asked, walking up to Togau and placing a hand on her arm.

Togau looked down at Saria nervously, "I.. um... reckon course I'm fine! Na ha ha!" she said with a toothy grin, but showing her lion fangs in the process, startling some of the others. She quickly covered her mouth up upon realizing how weird it was. She took a long look at Link who was looking back at her back with concern in his eyes, making her feel even more embarrassed.

It was then Link realized something, "Togau, you said this happened when you put on a headdress?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"How did it feel when you put it on?"

"Like it was pressing itself onto my head, it was pretty painful and horrifying..." she shivered.

"Try this then, reach behind your head and pull at where the headdress was."

"What, like this?" Togau asked, reaching back and grabbing behind her head.

"No no, hold on, like this." Link said, walking up to her and putting his hands behind her ears and grabbing at her skin.

"H-Hey, what are ya doin'?!" exclaimed Togau, turning bright red at Link being so close and grabbing at her head, she could feel his gentle breath as he was so close to her.

"Trying to see if I can take off the headdress..." Link said, staring at her intently.

His hands wandered around until they rubbed against the back of ears, making Togau shake a little in nervousness. She felt some strange urges going through her in that moment, she wasn't sure what it was, but it wasn't long until she couldn't take it anymore and impulsively swung her head down and up, smacking Link with her horns and sending him flying backwards across the room and bumping into Reirousa, who caught him in her arms.

"Ack, sorry Link! Are you okay?!" Togau exclaimed.

"Woah, nice one Togau, you got some distance there!" Reirousa said.

"That ain't something fer me to be proud of!" Togau shouted in frustration.

"So just what was it you were trying to do?" Nabooru asked Link.

"From the way she described the sensation, it was pretty similar to my own masks." Link said, getting down from Reirousa's arms, "I was trying to remove the headdress from Togau like I used to."

"Wait, your... own masks?" Nemisa asked, "You mean you used to own something like Togau's headdress?"

"It was during my seven-year journey." Link said, "I had fallen through a secret passage and was pulled into a strange world called Termina."

"Termina... now where have I heard that name before...?" Nabooru muttered to herself in thought.

"While I was there, I was cursed by..." he paused, "...a misguided person, and was transformed into a Deku Scrub."

Needless to say, Saria and the Gerudo were in shock again by what Link said.

"A Deku Scrub? You mean like the ones from Kokiri Forest?" Saria exclaimed.

"Yeah, I admit I was pretty horrified about it originally, but it came with some interesting skills I couldn't do as a Hylian. I eventually got the hang of it and worked on finding a way to change back." Link said, "In fact, let me try something."

With that, he pulled out his Fairy Ocarina and put it to his lips, and started playing a soft and soothing melody. It was a very familiar sensation to Aviel, Nemisa, Reirousa and Togau.

"Hey... I remember this song..." Aviel said with a relaxed look in her eyes, while Nemisa was unable to help herself and slowly started dancing around the room to the music.

"Hey, that song sounds nice..." Saria said smiling, "What is it exactly...?"

"This is the Song of Healing, it's what I used to soothe the souls of others." Link said, as he continued the song.

As the melody played, Nabooru found herself closing her eyes, absorbing the melody in her ears as she thought of memories of her past, namely someone walking away from her as she reached out to them. She then took a heavy sigh and shook off those thoughts, focusing on what was going on at that very moment with Togau.

Togau meanwhile had her eyes closed, listening to the music as she herself thought of past memories; ones like her father's death, then her sister Murin marrying Talon and having Malon, her sister then showing off her family to her mother, and the beautiful smile her mother made in reaction. Then her thoughts went to her sister's own death after that, and her mind wandered back to something Talon once told her some time after her sister's passing...

* * *

_Flashback_

"Hey Togau, what's got you mopin' around here fer?" Talon of Lon Lon Ranch asked, walking up to a young Togau who was sitting back against a barn, pulling absentmindedly at the grass.

"Oh uh, sorry bro... guess I was just thinkin' bout sis..."

"Ah yeah, Murin was such a sweetheart, goddesses rest her soul." he said, pausing on that thought for a second, "Listen, I know it's gotcha down, but there's no need to take it out on the grass!" he chuckled.

"So how come you aren't sad? Don't you miss her at all?" Togau asked.

"Course I miss her, but I can't let that drag me down forever. She wouldn't want me going around mopin' like that!" Talon nodded.

"I guess..." Togau muttered.

Talon could tell she was taking her sister's death badly, but had a way to cheer his little sister-in-law up.

"Tell ya what Togau, remember that smile your Ma made when Murin showed Malon off to her?" he asked her.

"Course reckon I did!" Togau nodded, thinking back to that time she saw her mother's smile, "It was the first time I ever saw her smile like that, I'll never forget it..."

"Well, maybe you outta try smiling like that too! Even in the bad times when life's got you feeling down, it'll perk you right up! I'm sure Murin would like to see you smiling as she's lookin' down at ya from above!" Talon suggested.

Togau paused, looking up at her brother-in-law, then up to the sky, seeing some clouds overhead. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Y-Yeah... yer right bro... in fact you're really right!" Togau said, looking to him and sporting a big grin,"I need ta stop sulkin' and get on with my life!"

"That's my sis!" snickered Talon with a big smile of his own, "Now come on, let's go check on Malon!"

"Alright!" Togau nodded, getting up and following after him.

* * *

Togau couldn't help but smile back in reality after thinking of those happy times. She then looked down at herself and saw she was still a Lynel. She wasn't sure what she expected to happen, but instead continued to think about what Talon had told her...

"Hmm, it didn't work..." Link muttered.

"So what were you trying to do just now?" Nabooru asked Link.

"I was trying to to see if I could remove a cursed spirit from inside her." Link said.

Everyone gasped out in unison at Link's words, Aviel in particular yelped out and hugged Sarami with her bird wings.

"A-A spirit?!" Aviel exclaimed, recalling her past trauma from when the palace had been haunted.

"You sayin' you think I got some kind of ghost inside of me?" Togau exclaimed.

"Yeah, what happened to you sounds very similar to when I was first transformed into a Deku Scrub." Link said, "I eventually met someone who taught me this song to soothe regretful souls and allowed them to pass on to the world of spirits, and their bodies would become enchanted masks that allowed me to take on different forms." he explained.

"That's so weird." Aviel said with her jaw dropped.

"You don't know the half of it." Link said flatly, remembering a lot of the crazy things that happened in that world.

Kesuta and Korume meanwhile both nodded to each other and went back to scanning Togau over with their mystic power.

"So do you still have those masks you mentioned? I haven't seen you use them yet." Nabooru asked.

"No, they eventually lost their power overtime after that incident with the curse." Link said.

"Wow... I kind of wanted to see you as a Deku Scrub." Saria pondered, tapping her mouth with her finger, "I've always wanted to observe one up close without it attacking me..."

"What is he, a guinea pig?" Nabooru asked.

"I think Link is correct..." Korume said, focusing her powers on Togau, "I can sense a spirit deep within Togau... judging from the intense feeling I'm getting it could very well be a troubled soul..." She paused on that note and thought about something else that had been bothering her for a while.

'If the headdress was an enchanted mask, where could it have come from...' Link thought to himself, 'Could it have been because of... him...?'

"But do we get it out then?" Aviel asked, "Does she have to push it out like what sister Maifeki did to have her baby back at the medical clinic?"

Everyone else faulted over from Aviel's idea.

"Having a baby isn't like an exorcism!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"I'm not entirely sure about what we can do." Kesuta pondered, "Trying to forcefully remove a tormented soul that's possessing someone can be pretty tricky and dangerous, especially if we don't know the level of power that spirit has, there's a chance that the tormented soul might take the spirit of it's host with them."

"I-Isn't there any other way... somethin' that doesn't have a chance of killin' me?" Togau gulped nervously.

"Well, the safest solution would be if the soul of the Lynel left on it's own accord, likely when it's relieved of it's past regrets..." Korume said.

"That's what I was hoping the Song of Healing would do, guess there's something different about this one." Link said, "Tell you what, I'll try to get in contact with the man who taught me the song and see if he knows anything about this to help us."

"And I'll look into my books and scrolls to see if it's possible to pull the soul out of Togau without causing harm to herself." Korume said, she sighed and looked to Togau, "I'm sorry we couldn't be much help."

"... ...nah, don't you worry none about it." Togau then spoke up, she raised her head up and sporting a big grin, showing off her sharp lion teeth, "I'm sure I can get used ta this until the Lynel decides to vacate my body!"

"Y-You're taking this really well." Saria said surprised.

"Well nothin' I can do about it, right? May as well live and let live, ya know?" she asked, "Course 'letting live' might be the wrong word since the Lynel's dead and all but..."

"You sure you're going to be alright?" Link asked Togau.

"Reckon course, thanks fer everything guys!" Togau grinned, "Well I better head out then, I got some chores to catch up on!"

"No need to rush yourself out the door Togau, your assistants have been handling things up until now." Nabooru said.

"Nah, I can't go sittin' any longer while they're all breaking their backs, I gotta help now that I have two backs to spare!" she joked, slapping the back of her horse half.

"Well if you insist Togau..." Nabooru said hesitantly.

"Now then, time ta get goin' to work!" Togau stated, putting her straw hat back on, and adjusting the flower on it to stay in place, before taking her time to walk on all four of her horse legs out the door, stumbling a few times as she walked. When she went through the door however, she accidentally broke the top of the frame off with her horns.

"Uh, oops." As Togau wiped off the debris and started trotting out the door, Link watched on with a bit of worry of his own in his eyes for his friend. She seemed like she was back to her old self, but it still bothered him somewhat.

"Link, will she be all right...?" Saria asked quietly, so Togau wouldn't hear.

"I hope so..." Link whispered back.

"Well I guess we better get to work then on finding a way to drive out the cursed spirit!" Kesuta said brightly to her sister, before being grabbed by Reirousa and being held into the air, "Hey, what th-?!"

"Not so fast Kesuta." Nabooru said narrowing her eyes, "There's still the matter of the prank you pulled back at the barn with the cow to answer for."

"Uh... isn't Togau's situation a little more important though...?" Kesuta asked meekly with an innocent smile.

"I can handle the research until your punishment is over." Korume said to her sister, "You have fun with Lady Nabooru, Sister... kukuku..."

"Goddess Aifet help me!" shouted Kesuta as Reirousa hauled her off after Nabooru.

* * *

"Howdy girls! I'm back ta get to work!" shouted Togau's familiar voice, alerting the ranch hands at the barn that she was back.

"Oh, we're glad you're okay!" exclaimed one of the Gerudo girls who was in the middle of carrying some heavy bags, "Lady Nabooru and King Link wouldn't tell us what had happene-"

The Gerudo girls' enthusiasm was cut off when they all saw Togau trotting towards them, they saw her half-lion, half-horse body and froze up.

"T-Togau?" exclaimed a ranch hand.

"What the hell happened to you?" asked another.

"Na ha ha! It's a weird story, turns out that headdress I got back at the slaver hideout had a curse on it that turned me into a half Lynel, pretty funny, huh?" Togau asked with a grin, showing off her sharp teeth, which shocked the girls.

"Y-You're sure you're alright...?" asked one of the ranchers.

"Course reckon, I feel as healthy as a horse, or at least half of one!" Togau joked, "Now let me help you guys with these bags!"

"O-Okay..." said one of the ranch hands, as Togau went over and started lifting up bags of animal feed, taking time to get double the amount the other girls were carrying as she was usually accustomed to back as she was a normal Gerudo.

As Togau walked off to haul them to their destination, her legs started to wobble a bit from the weight of the bags she was carrying, and she stumbled over, causing her to crash into an unoccupied stable which broke apart on top of her, the bags then hit the ground afterwards and split open, scattering the contents everywhere.

"Ack, Togau, are you okay?!" exclaimed one of the ranch hands. The girls rushed over to help Togau, as she wiped off the things that had fallen over her, and she laughed nervously.

"Na ha ha, sorry 'bout that, guess I haven't gotten my land legs back yet!" Togau said rubbing the back of her head, "I'll just go see about repairing that fence out back then..."

Togau got herself up, staggering a bit on her legs, then walking through the door out of the barn, only to break the frame with her horns.

"Uh, guess I'll fix that later too..." Togau said sweatdropping.

"Hey... um... Togau? Why don't you just let us take care of things... you know, until you get used to your body...?" asked one of the ranch hands somewhat nervously.

"...used to it, huh...?" Togau muttered, looking down at her clawed hand.

"Or... you know, until you change back!" another one of them clarified desperately.

"Heh, y-yeah, maybe you're right... sorry. I'll just go check on the animals I guess!" Togau nodded, then went on her way.

* * *

Togau trotted up slowly to an area where the horses, sheep, goats, cows and other animals were grazing on some plants growing in the field.

"Howdy guys!" Togau waved, "How yall doin'?"

The animals all looked up, seeing before them was a half-lion and half-horse creature with powerful looking horns on it's head. To them it looked somewhat familiar, yet very strange and different...

"Uh... guys...?" Togau asked.

Some of the animals backed up out of worry of what the creature before them might do, while some of the stronger others snorted and went into defensive stances.

"H-Hey, don't you worry none, it's me Togau!" the rancher said in panic, pointing to herself and sporting a big grin to win them over, but showed off her sharp pointy lion teeth.

The more aggressive animals, all startled and threatened by the sharp teeth, let out angry cries and charged at Togau.

"Uh oh..." Togau said, as she tuned and ran as fast as her awkward body could carry her, with the animals in hot pursuit.

* * *

"Ugh, dang goats..." Togau muttered later that night, rubbing her horse half's back. Her rear end was rather sore from the animals attacking her, but she couldn't reach far enough back to rub it, "Well, guess it's my fault, shouldn't have expected them to recognize me like this."

She walked off back to her home, taking a moment to look up at the entrance door frame, and was reminded she broke that door too. She simply let out a deep sigh.

"I need to remember to duck under doors from now on..." Togau muttered, she walked in and saw her two pet animals, Imra the cucco and Oseg the pig, both hanging out in her living room.

"Hey there you two, how's things?" Togau said with a small smile, with the hint of a fang sticking out.

Imra gave a modest cluck while Oseg snorted, and Togau smile grew just a little, while the other animals were pretty hostile towards her, the two of them remained as loyal as ever, even as she was now.

"Man, whatta day." sighed Togau, "I think I'm going to turn in early tonight, hopefully this wears off by tomorrow... Night you two." she went over to her bed, which Link and Reirousa moved downstairs since she was still trying to get used to her new legs, and stairs didn't really agree with her. She went ahead sat herself down on top of the bed, ready for a good night's sleep...

...only for the bed to break down under her horse half's heaviness. Togau just sat there with a blank stare on her face, mortified by what she had just done. Imra and Oseg both sweatdropped as they watched their owner just continue to sit on her broken bed in disbelief.

"Gwaaar! I hate this!" shouted Togau in frustration, getting up and going out the door, breaking off more of the door frame with her horns, "I'm headin' to the barn ta sleep!" she shouted out.

* * *

Eventually Togau made it into the barn and looked around. The ranch hands had already gone to their homes, and the animals were asleep save for a few. Those few took one look at Togau and backed up a bit, making threatening noises to tell her to back off from them. Togau just sighed and ignored their threats, as she walked over to a pile of hay and plopped down on it. Sleeping in the barn wasn't anything new to Togau, as she would sometimes be too tired from overworking herself to go to her home and would just pass out on the hay. Usually by morning she'd wake up with a few animals sleeping beside her which always provided her with a bit of comfort no matter how bad her previous day was, but knew that wouldn't happen tonight, what with the way she looked now...

"Well good night, yall." Togau said to anyone she hoped would be willing to listen, and snuggled into the hay, her cat-like eyes growing heavy and falling fast asleep. The full moon in the night sky shined overhead through a window, a small light casting over Togau's sleeping form.

As Togau slept, she had a very clear and vivid dream. She was fighting against what seemed like a Lynel while other ones watched. Her opponent drove her back, then it got a strong hit in before knocking her to the ground. Before she would even try to get up, the other Lynel roared at her and started pummeling and stomping her into the ground without even a hint of hesitation. After they all left, she slowly crawled off, weakened, battered and bruised, until she saw a mysterious person walking up to her. She weakly looked up at the man as he gazed down at her with squinty eyes and a somewhat creepy smile...

As Togau slept, she whimpered in her sleep. She shifted around on the hay, trying to get comfortable. She growled a little, then made a slight moan, her legs shifting, then slowly stood up. She was still sleeping as her shaky horse-like legs started moving her through the barn, out the main door, and down the road towards Gerudo Town...

* * *

Meanwhile far off in the back of Gerudo Town itself, Kesuta sat in the prison Link and Remo had been confined in some time ago, as punishment for what she had done at the ranch. She was to be released by noon of the next day, but she was still feeling kind of down about what had happened, not just with scaring the cow, but she also had a strange feeling she was inadvertently responsible for what happened to Togau with her transformation.

"I really need to properly apologize to her..." sighed Kesuta.

"Hello sister," she heard a voice say, looking up to see Korume holding a small box tied up for her "I took some time from my research to sneak you some food tonight."

"Oh, thanks sister!" Kesuta said relieved, after being only able to have nothing but bread and water for her lunch and dinner while in prison she was ready for anything at that point. She eagerly took the box and opened it to see it was a fresh omelet with a bakery roll on the side, along with a bottle of milk, "Alright, this looks delicious!"

Kesuta took a fork full of the egg dish and stuck it into her mouth, and then in that moment immediately realized what this was and who prepared it. Sweat started to trickle down Kesuta's head as her body shook slightly and her eyes teared up. She looked down nervously to see the omelet was filled to the brim with spicy hot red peppers like how Korume would typically make her own food.

"Kukuku... I'll leave you to your meal then.." Korume said darkly, turning and walking off.

"KYAAA!" screamed the punished fire mystic, left alone in the jail cell for the remainder of the night.

* * *

_**Well that ends the chapter! As you can see, despite her seeming to take this whole thing in stride, things just seem to be going from bad to worse for Togau, but what will await her when she wanders into Gerudo Town? **_

_**Like a like, comment or follow if you like, your feedback is really appreciated!**_


	37. The Beast Within

_**Alright, time for the next part of Togau's new arc. There isn't really anything to say so here we go!**_

* * *

It was a calm late night in Gerudo Town, the weather was cool, and most of the residents had long ago gone to sleep. The only ones awake at that time where a few restaurants and bars, the night club where Nemisa often performed as Madame Scarlet (though it was her day off that night), and some guards who were patrolling the town's streets for intruders, including but not limited to the Ebony Sisterhood rebellion.

"You know, as much as I don't like the rebels going after Lady Nabooru or King Link, I can't help but want to run into a couple of them around here to fight. You know, just to have some excitement once in a while." said one of the guards.

"Meh, I'd rather just have it be peaceful myself." said the other guard patrolling alongside her, humming to herself.

"Well maybe just something like a Moblin or a Lizalfos or some monster coming through here at least." the first guard said.

It was then they heard a strange clomping sound, accompanied by a slow growling noise. The two guards stopped their tracks and looked around.

"What was that?"

"Sounds like it came that way, let's go check."

With that, the two guards ran off, rounded a corner, and came to see a large beast creature with four legs slowly walking down the street.

"W-What is tha-" the guard was quickly hushed by the other.

"That's a Lynel, keep it down!" whispered the guard loudly, prompting the other guard to nod.

"What's it doing exactly...?"

"I don't know, but it looks like it's heading towards the palace! Let's sneak up and see if we can get the drop on it."

The two guards nodded to each other, and slowly crept after the creature, making sure their footsteps couldn't be heard.

The Lynel as they put it was actually Togau, still stuck in her form as a Lynel. While she was indeed heading towards the royal palace of Gerudo Town where Nabooru, Link, Aviel, Nemisa and Saria lived, she was completely unaware of it, as she was sleepwalking; a bad habit she was known to do from time to time, and being turned into a Lynel hadn't changed that. Togau's eyes were shut, but she had a dopey smile on her face, as she was dreaming as she sleepwalked.

In her dream, Togau was her normal self again, wearing a beautiful royal Gerudo garb, looking much like a desert princess or queen. She had a flower in her long flowing hair, and the outfit did little to hide a large pair of breasts and curly hips that could turn the heads of any man, but there was only one for her. She turned to see Link before her, tall and handsome, and dressed like a true Gerudo king. He slowly approached her and wrapped his arms around her, pressed her body against his, and the two drew each other into a deep and passionate kiss, before Link then lifted her up with no trouble and carried her off to the bedroom...

"Ooh... Link... yer so dreamy I could just eat you up..." she muttered with a bit of drool hanging from her mouth.

"Did... that thing just say it was going to eat King Link?" exclaimed one of the guards in a whispered voice, just far enough away that she couldn't hear Togau's full sentence.

"Sounds like it, that's all I needed to hear. Let's strike this beast down!" said the other guard, gripping her halberd.

The two guards slowly sneaked up behind Togau, their weapons at the ready, before Togau suddenly stumbled forward on her awkward legs, causing her to snap out of her slumber. Togau's sleepy eyes opened as she looked around in a groggy state.

"W-What the heck? Don't tell me I went sleepwalkin' again..." Togau muttered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She looked around to see where she was, before looking behind her and seeing the two guards with their halberds.

"Uhh..."

The three of them all stood there blankly, frozen in their tracks.

"Oh hey, sorry bout that." Togau laughed, rubbing the back of her head, "I tend to do this a lot an-"

"So that's a confession of it's motivations! Stop it before it eats the king!" shouted the guard, dropping being discreet, and the two of them charged at Togau.

"W-Wait a minute!" Togau exclaimed frantically, "That's not what I mea-"

Togau's words were cut off by one of the guard slashing at her with her halberd, barely missing her but slicing her vest open, revealing her lean abs and flat bare chest.

"Ah shootfire!" Togau gave up trying to reason with the two guards and ran off, covering her chest with her arms and doing everything in her power to not stumble, "I gotta get to the palace and get help from Link and Lady Nabooru before these two turn me into a pin cushion!"

"It's heading straight for the palace, alert the other guards!" shouted one of the two chasing Togau.

"Would it kill you to listen to what I'm tryin' ta say?!" shouted Togau in frustration.

"If it's going to try and kill us, strike it down first!" shouted one of the guards once again misinterpreting what she was saying, charging faster after her.

Togau had no choice but to concentrate on running. Some more guards leaped off the roof of a building to launch an aerial attack, but Togau dodged to the side. Some more fired arrows at her, but she ducked down and they got embedded in a wooden plank.

Togau soon arrived at the steps to the palace, she broke out into a cold sweat, knowing steps would be difficult with her legs the way they were, but she knew Nabooru and Link were the only ones who could help her in that moment. She charged up the stairs to the entrance door, stumbling a few times as she did, but managed to keep far enough away from the guards and their attacks. Four guards at the door were about to attack her, but in that moment, Togau felt a strange rush of instincts kick in and knelt down, before leaping into the air over the heads of the guards, then dashing into the palace.

"It's infiltrated the palace, someone stop it!" shouted a guard.

"I... I pulled it off!" Togau exclaimed, "And even after all that runnin' I'm barely even tired! Now to find Link and Lady Nabooru!"

She sprinted down the halls, using her knowledge of the palace's interior from her frequent visits to help her. Eventually she managed to track down Link and Nabooru's room where she yanked open the door and went in, slamming it shut behind her, making sure to press her horse-like lower torso against the door to keep it shut tightly. She took a deep breath and spoke out.

"Listen, Link, Lady Nabooru, I need yer help ta-"

She then saw a large group of Gerudo guards all standing before her, with their halberds out, ready to attack her.

"Ah crud." Togau muttered sweatdropping.

"You didn't think you'd get to our king so easily, did you monster?" shouted a guard, "We Gerudo are not to be trifled with, now prepare to meet your en-"

"Wait, hold on girls, it's Togau!" shouted a voice, the guards all looked down in confusion, and Togau got a good look to see Link and Nabooru, both in the nude. Link was covering his loins with a pillow out of modesty from all the guards in the room, some of which were taking glances at him. Nabooru herself just stood up in the nude, not even caring about modesty.

"You heard him, stand down!" Nabooru demanded.

Even despite the dangerous situation she was currently in, Togau couldn't help but take a look at Link laying back on the couch nude, save for the pillow covering himself up. Her face flushed bright red as she took a long look at his lean physique that had developed over the course of his time in town, and she quickly realized what he and Nabooru had been doing before the guards arrived to protect them, before her head started to vent steam and she fell over outcold.

Everyone just stood there blankly at the sight of the half-Gerudo, half Lynel laying on the floor.

"So do I just impale it through it's head now or...?" asked a guard.

"NO!" Link and Nabooru both exclaimed.

* * *

The next morning, the group were gathered at the dining room table; Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and now Togau were all waiting to have breakfast as they were discussing what had happened.

"I'm so sorry for what happened last night!" Togau shouted to everyone in a panic, "I went sleepwalkin' again and I couldn't think to do anything but get to you guys before my head would be decoratin' a fireplace!"

"It's quite alright, it's my fault for not addressing the night guards about your situation." Nabooru sighed.

"I still can't believe that happened to you Togau... you shouldn't be hunted down like some kind of monster..." Aviel said sadly.

"Ah heh... don't you worry none about it Aviel..." Togau said, looking like she was doing her best to force a smile, but not a grin, so as to not show off her pointy teeth, "I don't blame the guards for thinking I was a threat..." she sighed as she rose up her hands and looked at the claws growing out where her fingernails used to be.

Saria frowned and put her hand on Togau's, "Don't say that Togau, you're not a threat to anyone."

"She's right." Link nodded, "You're just the same Togau we all know, just with a few differences."

"T-Thanks..." Togau said, "Just wish they were less scary differences..." she muttered under her breath.

Soon after that the servants brought in everyone's breakfast, Togau in particular got about three times the amount of food the others did. She stared down at the meal a bit uneasy. According to Sarami she had to increase her food intake to sustain her bigger body and stay healthy, but all it did was bring attention to herself.

"You guys sure 'bout me eatin' here? I don't wanna put you out or nothin'..." she spoke up.

"No, don't worry about Togau, remember that you do so much around here for us, and we're more then happy to help you." Nabooru said.

"Y-Yeah... right..." Togau muttered, as she recalled how bad she was at handling things at the farm the other day, her inability to help with the chores, and the animals being terrified of her, not to mention the amount of damage she caused just by walking around.

"Well onto business for today." Nabooru spoke up, "I have great news for our progress towards improving the relations with the other tribes in Hyrule!"

"Oh really?" Link asked.

"Yes, and it has to do with that trip you went on in Kokiri Forest!" Nabooru grinned to Link, "When Kesuta and Korume reported what they saw there, Korume mentioned some strange shrines located around the Lost Woods, and how you had told her that they're passageways to Zora's Domain and Goron City!"

"Yeah, that's right." nodded Link, then realized, "Wait, are you suggesting we use those passageways to get to those places and meet with the tribes?"'

"That's right!" Nabooru nodded, "My original plan to use the Sand Rod to create a path to Zora's Domain for a trade route turned out to be more complicated then I thought, and with the rebels attacks I had to prioritize our defenses anyway, but something like this would be a much easier and more practical way."

"Wow, I never would have thought of using the warp shrines for something like that!" Saria said.

"Hmph, but how can that help us? " Nemisa asked folding her arms, "Link may have been able to travel over the border, but we're all still stuck here in the valley, so we can't use the passages in the woods anyway."

Aviel nodded, "Me, Kesuta and Korume can all fly over the border, but we can't transport everything and everyone between here and the forest."

"Well that's the interesting thing. You see, a few weeks ago Reirousa was taking the soldiers out for field practice, and in an area of the canyon not too far from town, she discovered a passage to a temple we weren't aware of." Nabooru started to explain.

"Reirousa discovered something like that?" Link asked.

"Well... more like she was showing off her Bombos Warhammer and accidentally blew apart an area of the canyon that the temple was buried in." Nabooru coughed awkwardly, "But that's not the point, when our scouting team went investigating inside the temple, they found a strange doorway. We wanted to see what was in there, but the door was sealed up with vines of some sort."

"Wait, vines?" Saria asked tilting her head.

"Yes, we tried anything we could to move the vines; swords, fire, explosions, ice, nothing seemed to make them move. Kesuta and Korume said the vines were enchanted and wouldn't be moved by conventional means. The other day Korume told me she sensed a power coming from the door, and she felt that same power coming from the shrines in the Lost Woods." Nabooru said.

"Wait, you're telling me that temple door might be a path to the Lost Woods?" Link exclaimed.

"Yer kiddin' me, all the way out here in Gerudo Canyon?" Togau asked rubbing the back of her head.

Saria meanwhile took note of what Nabooru said and thought deeply.

"That's right, if we can get in through that door, we can establish a convenient trade route through the Lost Woods that'll get us to Kokiri Forest, Goron City and Zora's Domain. That way we can meet and trade with the various tribes without ever having to cross the border!" Nabooru said proudly.

"That's ingenious!" Link exclaimed.

"So it's just a matter of moving the vines, but how can we do that if not even things like fire can get rid of them?" Nemisa asked.

"Well, that's where our newest sister comes in." Nabooru grinned, looking to Saria.

"Yes, I think I get what you mean!" Saria nodded, "If those vines came from the Lost Woods, I might be able to use my Deku Staff's power to move them out of the way and allow us to use the warps!"

"Well that worked out really well!" Aviel said astonished.

"Still, I wonder why that shrine in particular was blocked by vines... the other doors weren't, not even during the time the Poe's curse was on the forest..." Link pondered.

"Regardless, today our goal is to head down to that temple and see if Saria can open the path to our new trade route!" Nabooru stated.

"Okay, I'll do my best!" Saria nodded.

Togau looked to Saria, seeing how important her skills were quickly becoming to the Gerudo, she turned away, feeling a little more uneasy about her own situation, before she took a deep breath and spoke up.

"W-Would I be able to go along with you guys?" Togau asked, "I'll do anything to help, even if it's just something like carrying your supplies!"

"Of course," nodded Link, "But will everything be okay over at the ranch without you?"

Togau paused on that question, "Yeah... I'm sure they'll do just fine without me..." she muttered.

Link just looked to Togau with concern in this eyes. He couldn't help but pick up on what she was going through with her transformation. He was mentally beating himself up for not being able to do anything for her at the moment. He was still waiting for his acquaintance to get back to him with a reply, but even then he wasn't sure if he'd be any help to them. He looked to the others and saw they all seemed to be thinking something similar.

"Come along with us then Togau." Link nodded, hoping it would make Togau feel better to be able to work with them.

"Yeah!" Saria said encouragingly, "We could use your help!"

"Thanks everyone..." Togau said, smiling weakly.

* * *

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Togau and two additional guards all stood before a brick temple entrance, the door itself was quite tall and wide, even someone like Togau could fit through it, and there was a small five step staircase that lead up to the doorway. There were also statues of Gerudo women on the sides of the doorway.

"So this is the place?" Saria asked.

"Yes, it's just a simple hallway that leads to the main room where the supposed warp door is." Nabooru said.

"Huh, this place is a lot closer to Gerudo Town then I thought." Aviel said, "I never saw it back when I was a lookout, I thought it was just a pile of boulders."

"At some point some rocks from the canyon collapsed over the entrance." Nabooru explained, "It was due to Reirousa's hammer that they got cleared out of the way."

"Well, chalk one up for Reirousa." smirked Nemisa.

"If we can open the path it'll be perfect for that trade route you mentioned!" Togau said, she herself was anxious for this opportunity as well, since she could help organize the trading between the various tribes Nabooru mentioned. She adjusted a belt strapped around her horse half that was carrying bags of food and supplies for the trip out there, among them were some lunches she had bought from the diner earlier to surprise everyone with as a nice lunch when they completed their mission.

"Okay, then let's head in and check things out." Link nodded.

"You two watch over the entrance, and alert us if something comes up." Nabooru told the guards, who complied.

As the six started to head up the small stairs into the temple, Togau went up herself, only to trip her legs over the steps and fall forward, knocking Link down with her.

"Hey, watch what you're doing Togau!" shouted Nemisa.

"Ack, sorry Link!" Togau exclaimed, seeing her king with his face pressed against her chest, causing her own face to burn bright red with embarrassment. She quickly stood herself up and tried to help Link to his feet.

"Oh, are you two okay?!" Saria asked.

The two guards couldn't help but snicker at the sight of Togau's blunder, "Wow, she's even klutzier then Aviel the Birdbrain!"

"Graawwr, ya wanna start somethin'?!" Togau growled to the guards, baring her sharp teeth, causing the guards' faces to pale and shake their heads frantically. Togau then realized how unnerved she made them with her appearance and let out a sigh.

"I'm fine Togau, now let's get going." Link said rubbing his head, as he tried to make sure everyone didn't see the light blush on his cheeks from how close Togau was when they impacted.

The six of them proceeded into the temple, and after a somewhat short trip down the hallway they all arrived in a large room with a door familiar looking to Link and Saria in front of them. The white marble frame itself had numerous thick vines sticking out and wrapping around themselves, completely covering the way through the door.

"This definitely looks like the doors in the Lost Woods." Link observed.

Saria meanwhile walked up to the vines and placed her hand against them, her eyes shut as she focused. As the others watched, they could start to see small traces of tears in Saria's eyes.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Togau asked worriedly.

"...these vines are indeed enchanted with forest magic, they must have been placed here by the Great Deku Tree himself to cover up the passage." Saria explained.

"The Great Deku Tree... you mean the previous guardian of Kokiri Forest you mentioned?" Aviel asked tilting her head, "But why would he cover up the door like this?"

"Perhaps..." Link realized what was going on, and his own expression saddened as well, "It was because of Ganondorf. He had been after sacred treasures of the Kokiri, the Goron, and the Zora, and he caused all three of them great amounts of trouble and pain to try and get to them."

"Yes, including cursing our Great Deku Tree to die..." Saria added sadly.

"That's horrible..." Aviel gasped with her hands over her mouth.

"That monster..." scowled Nabooru, clenching her fists, "He would just stop at nothing to further his sick and twisted goals."

"So that means Ganondorf was probably using the warp path here to travel between the forest, Death Mountain and Zora River. That explains how he was able to work his plans so quickly." Link realized, recalling how much damage Ganondorf had done in such short time.

"Exactly, and that way he could commit all his crimes behind the King of Hyrule's back as well." Nabooru said.

"That's probably why these enchanted plants are here then," Saria said, "If Ganondorf was using the warps in the Lost Woods to get from place to place, the Great Deku Tree must have used the vines to seal up his secret way of getting around..."

"And to think the Ebony Sisterhood rebels want to free that man." Nemisa muttered.

"I swear, that guy was a real piece of work." Togau muttered in annoyance, "What I wouldn't give to meet him and stick one of my horns up his-"

"Okay, so do you think we can move these vines?" Link asked Saria, cutting off what Togau was about to say.

"I'll try." Saria nodded, pulling out her Deku Staff and holding it up to the vine-covered doorway. She closed her eyes, concentrating.

It took some time, but her staff gave off a gentle glow and the vines over the door responded. The vines started to shift a bit, before they slowly unraveled and slid away, opening up the doorway little by little, until they were completely cleared away. Saria lowered her staff and took a deep breath in relief that she was able to pull it off.

"Woah, you did it Saria!" Aviel exclaimed, running up and hugging Saria with her bird wings.

"Nice going." grinned Link, taking a deep breath, "I can already feel the forest wind from the Lost Woods drifting through!"

"This is monumental, with this we can finally start working on establishing relations and trade with the other tribes in Hyrule." Nabooru said, "We're proud to have you here as our sister, Saria!"

"Thank you..." Saria said smiling lightly.

"Geez, whatta hard worker, she really gave it her all." Togau smiled softly. She looked down at her Lynel body and sighed a little. "What I can do now, I wonder...?"

"Everyone, we have an emergency!" shouted a voice. The group turned to see the two guards Nabooru had stationed outside running up to them, "We're under attack by monsters!"

"What?! Great, of all timing." Nabooru said sarcastically, "We can't allow any monsters into this passage, who knows what kind of trouble they could cause in the other areas if they had access! Everyone, prepare to battle!"

"Good to hear." smirked Nemisa, rolling her hair up into a bun and punching her fist into her palm, "I've been itching for a fight."

"Ready when you guys are!" Aviel said, loading an arrow into her crossbow.

"Okay, I'll do everything I can!" Saria said, gripping her Deku Staff.

"You sure you're ready for this Saria?" Link asked, pulling out his sword and shield, "The monsters we fight around here are a lot tougher then the Deku Babas and Scrubs from the forest."

"All the more reason for me to fight them." Saria nodded, "I'm not going to let them hurt any of you!"

Togau looked to Saria and her desire to protect Link and Lady Nabooru. She clenched her fists and nodded to herself.

"Count me in too, I won't let anyone get hurt!" Togau said, pulling out her hand ax.

Link grinned, "Alright then, let's go!"

* * *

After Nabooru appointed the two guards to watch over the warp door, Link and the group ran outside of the temple, only to be confronted by a group of monsters. The majority of them were beast creatures, like the Wolfos they fought back at the Forest Temple entrance, only these ones stood more upright on their hind legs, and had brown ragged fur. The monster that stood out the most was a large green giant with a single eye who towered over everyone, it held a giant club that only someone like it could hold, and it also wore a large animal pelt that resembled the beast creatures it was surrounded by.

"You got be kidding me, a Hinox here in the canyon?!" Nabooru exclaimed, referring to the giant cyclops, "I thought those things only stayed in caves and dungeons, not out in the open like this."

"Guess no one told this one that." Nemisa said.

"I've never seen Wolfos like those before either... and in the desert?" Link said, noticing their brown fur.

"Indeed, those are Desert Wolfos, kind of an obvious name." Nabooru nodded.

"But what are these ones doin' with a Hinox? Normally monsters like these would be at each other's throats, not workin' buddy-buddy like this." Togau said.

"Take a look at that pelt it's wearing." Nabooru pointed out, "That's from a large Desert Wolfos. It's very likely that skin came from the original leader of this pack."

"So that Hinox killed the Wolfos leader, put on it's skin and took over his group? Ugh..." Aviel said.

"But what do these things want here?" Saria asked, wielding her Deku Staff.

"I'm not entirely sure... but perhaps this one wants the temple as it's new home." Nabooru said.

"If it does, then it would have full access to the warp point, we can't let that happen." Nemisa said as she cracked her knuckles.

The Hinox rose it's club into the air and roared out, and the Wolfos all howled in response, ready to battle.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves!" Nabooru shouted, unsheathing her scimitars.

With that, the two sides went into battle, the Wolfos lunged out with their claws, while the Gerudo clashed with their weapons.

Link blocked off a Wolfos slash with his shield, before smacking it back with his sword. Two jumped at him, but he pulled out his Fairy Bow and shot them down in midair. He rolled out of the way of the first one that swiped at him, then performed a spin attack to knock them all away. He ran at the Hinox to attack it, but it nonchalantly swatted Link away and a group of Wolfos tried to get the drop on him, forcing him to roll away and concentrate on the giant's beast minions.

Nabooru flipped in with her twin scimitars, cutting a Wolfos down with one blade while using the other to block an attack by one trying to bite at her, then did a graceful upward slash to knock the Wolfos away. She then leaped on the back of the unsuspecting Wolfos, causing it fall over and slide across the ground quickly. Nabooru took to riding on it's back, and she started smacking and slashing at the wild beasts that tired to attack her.

"Whoo, take this you flea bags!" she couldn't help but smile brightly and let out a shout of enthusiasm as she rode around on the back of the Wolfos, taking down it's brethren before she jumped off the beast and it went crashing into the side of the canyon.

Aviel took perching herself at the temple's ceiling, carefully aiming and sniping the Wolfos who were fighting her sisters. Occasionally she'd try to get a shot in at the Hinox, but it simply held up it's hand to block the arrows, it's tough hide seemed to make the arrows bounce off harmlessly. She instead took to the sky and swooped downwards kicking a Wolfos before shooting it down with her crossbow, and then smacking another beast with the blunt side of it.

Nemisa sprinted in and swung out her legs, kicking away a group of Wolfos, one tried to bite her, but she stopped it with her steel band, before punching it so hard it flew back and smashed into the canyon cliff. One tried to attack her from behind but she flipped over it and kicked it in the back so hard it broke the creature's spine. Another Wolfos tried to attack her with a claw swipe, but Nemisa grabbed the Wolfos by it's arm and slammed it down on top of it's comrade.

Saria wielded her Deku Staff and spun out a pair of spiked boas, which she used to bash around Wolfos that attacked her. She flipped through the air and bashed one Wolfos on the head to stun it, then landed down and smacked it's legs to trip it, before slamming her staff down on it's head to finish it off.

Togau meanwhile charged in with her hand ax and slashed and chopped at the Wolfos as they attacked her. One came up at her but she instinctively headbutted it with her horns. One managed to lunge out and strike at her stomach with it's claws making Togau flinch, but then she realized she didn't feel a thing, as her skin was stronger in her Lynel form, allowing her to simply punch the Wolfos to the ground and crush it under her front hoof.

"Wow... Reirousa was right about this Lynel body's strength..." Togau muttered to herself, one Wolfos lunged out and bit her arm that was holding her ax, but she snarled and slashed the Wolfos with her hand claws, causing it to yelp out in pain before she bashed it away. It was then her lion-like ear twitched, as she turned to see a Wolfos creeping up on Saria who was busy fighting another one. Togau narrowed her eyes and charged forward, bashing the Wolfos out of the way. Saria took down her own opponent and turned to see what had happened, only to see Togau crush the Wolfos that tried to attack her.

"Hey, you holdin' up okay Saria?" Togau asked.

"Oh, yes! Thank you!" Saria said smiling.

"Na ha ha, no problem, now let's finish these guys!" Togau said flashing a big grin, which despite her sharp teeth showing, didn't seem as awkward to the others as before. It seemed she was really getting used to her new form.

It wasn't long after that the Wolfos were either destroyed or badly injured, the rest all backed off towards their boss, the giant Hinox as they whimpered. The Hinox growled in annoyance at the sight of the desperate and pleading Wolfos surrounding it begging it to save them. The Hinox forced itself up to it's feet and yawned out, before bringing up it's club. It roared out, ready to battle the group, as the Wolfos around it got their second wind, ready to fight as well.

"Looks like the big guy is ready to fight now," Link said, "Let's take em all down!"

The Hinox brought it's club up and slammed it down, causing a shock wave of earth to erupt up and shoot out at the group, who dodged the attack. The Wolfos charged in to back the Hinox up, and the group were forced to fight them.

The Hinox charged at Link, angry that he tried to attack it earlier, but Link quickly drove back his Wolfos opponent and flipped out of the way, pulling out his Fairy Bow and managing to shoot the Hinox in the eye, making it stagger back, while Nabooru struck her scimitars against it, but it didn't seem to react much to the blow and swatted them both away.

"Damn, this thing's got a tough hide..." Nabooru said narrowing her eyes.

"We'll have to concentrate on that eye as it's weak point." Link said.

The Hinox swung it's club again, but this time Nabooru leaped onto the weapon, and used it to jump up at the Hinox's eye and strike it, while Link fired another arrow, causing the Hinox to cry out in pain. It grumbled and covered it's eye with it's hand, as it started swinging it's club around recklessly. Nabooru and Link were forced to back off from it's attack, which as wild as it was, was difficult to counter.

"We need to figure out a way to let down it's guard!" Nabooru said, taking a moment to fend off another Wolfos.

"I got it!" Saria exclaimed, knocking away her Wolfos opponent and using her Deku Staff to shoot out some vines, which wrapped around the Hinox's legs, binding them and leaving the creature staggering around.

"Now it's my turn!" Togau said, charging forward with her horns and bashing the creature into it's gut, sending it down backwards and making it uncover it's eye.

"Perfect, go for it!" Link said, as he and Nabooru both leaped up with their blades and were about to strike the Hinox in it's eye... but that was when the Hinox's body started to go under a bizarre change.

It's whole started to turn red, and it's eye grew a particularly bright red, a strange energy built up, and it fired off a powerful laser, blasting Link and Nabooru out of the air and to the ground.

"W-What the hell was that?!" Nemisa shouted, running over to Link to help him up, as Aviel and Saria went over to help Nabooru.

"This thing has eye beams?!" Saria exclaimed.

The Hinox broke free of the vines around it's legs and stood back up, it's eye glowed red again and charged up.

"Uh oh, there it goes again!" Togau said.

"Everyone scatter!" Link shouted

This prompted everyone to run away from the monster, as it started firing off continuous beams down at them. Some of the Wolfos gang tried to escape from the blasts themselves, but a few were too weak to run, and the beam obliterated them, either the Hinox couldn't differentiate between friend or foe or just didn't care.

Link and Aviel tried to shoot the monster in it's eye to weaken it, but the beams were too rapid, and each arrow were blasted out of the air before they could hit.

"This is insane!" Link exclaimed, "I've never seen power like this from a Hinox!"

"Yes, it's hide is unusually tough... and while there are some Hinox capable of shooting eye beams, the rate that this one's firing them is unnatural for it's kind... not to mention that strange color change... something's not right here." Nabooru observed.

"Doesn't matter how strange it is, we'll take down any monster that tries to hurt our people!" Link stated.

"Right!" Nemisa said, then asking, "But how do we go about doing that?"

"At this point I think we might need more help..." Link said, pondering his next action.

"Everyone get down!" shouted Nabooru, as everyone ducked a laser blast. Another beam then shot out through the air, barely missing the warp room temple.

"Crap, if that thing blasts the temple enough we could risk losing the trade route!" Nabooru shouted.

"I'll go hurry and get some more help from town!" Aviel said, spreading her wings and flying off.

"Then I'll go retrieve the guards inside!" Nemisa said, charging into the temple to get their aide.

Togau just stood there, as she saw the Hinox was just wildly firing lasers in each and every direction, it seemed like there was absolutely no way to stop it at this rate, and if they didn't do something soon, her friends could get hurt, and the warp temple could be damaged.

"That's it... I gotta do somethin'!" Togau said, taking a deep breath, before jumping out and charging at the monster.

"Togau, get back here!" shouted Link desperately, while Nemisa had soon got back with the guards to provide assistance.

The rancher though just ignored her friend and ran forward, dodging laser blasts and lowered her head, using her horns to bash into the monster in the gut, sending it back a bit. It tried to smash her with it's club, but she sidestepped out of the way, stumbling a bit, before charging forward and bashing into it again. She went in for another attack, but tripped a bit on her horse legs, giving the Hinox a chance to directly hit Togau with a powerful beam attack, sending her flying backwards and into a rock.

"TOGAU!" Link shouted,, as he Saria, Nabooru, Nemisa and the two guards ran at the monster to help their friend. They all went all-out on the Hinox as best they could, but the creature's unnatural strength was beginning to be too much for them.

Togau meanwhile was laying back in a daze, her head was dizzy, and she wasn't sure what was going on. She weakly looked out at the battlefield and saw Link, Saria, Lady Nabooru, Nemisa, and the two guards battling the monster, but the creature was getting the upper hand on them. She looked weakly to Link and Saria in particular, feeling the urge to get up and fight with them, but she was too weak from the attack.

"I need help..." Togau growled a little as she was started to lose consciousness, "I need to save them..."

It was then a sensation went through her mind, and an instinct surging through her body, she closed her eyes tightly as a voice called out to her in that moment...

It was then Togau slowly stood up with her head lowered, then rose upwards, roaring out loudly with her arms swung out. She opened her eyes, revealing them to be blank white. She snarled, scraped at the ground with her hoof and then charged right at her target, opening her mouth and baring her sharp animal teeth. She plowed into the giant monster and started slashing, kicking and charging into the monster recklessly.

Togau just went outright ballistic on the Hinox, she couldn't even see anything around her in that moment, and while her ears could pick up strange human voices, she couldn't make them out too much, nor care about what they were saying over attacking her target.

"Tog... hat's wr... ...her?!"

"She's... out of co... ...stop!"

"Look o... ...Sari...!"

"Kyyyaaa...!"

* * *

Togau panted heavily, as she started to calm down, and her white eyes started to change back to the typical golden color the Gerudo were known for. She looked down to see the Hinox laying on the ground, and saw it was battered, bruised and bleeding. While she didn't know how, it seemed to have been delivered a fatal blow, and the monster groaned out one last time before it burst into purple and odd yellow smoke.

"Whew... I dunno where that rush came from... but at least we took that thing down..." Togau panted, not sure what just happened to her in that moment, she then started to call out, "Is everyone o-"

"Saria are you alright?"

Togau stopped and froze up in that moment, a chilling sensation went through her, and she turned to see what had happened during her blind attack.

She saw her friends, along with the remaining Wolfos themselves, were staring in shock of what had just happened.

"Togau... you..." Nemisa stammered.

"W-What...?" Togau asked, until she realized what they were talking about.

She saw Saria laying on the ground, as Link and Nabooru were looking the Kokiri over to see if she was okay. She was in clear pain, but the most notable thing was the round hoof mark on her chest. Only one individual in that area at that moment could have left a mark like that...

"Oooh..." Saria groaned.

"N-No..." Togau said, backing up, sweat running down her head, "I didn't... possibly..."

"Togau...?" Link started, turning his head to her.

"I... I..." Togau stammered, her eyes starting to fill with tears, "I'M SORRY!"

With that, Togau quickly turned and ran off as fast as she could, the flower decorating her straw hat waved around until the petals started falling off and to the ground.

"Togau!" Saria shouted, having snapped out of her daze and called out to her, though it was clear the rancher didn't hear her.

The Wolfos were a little shaken at what they had just seen, but decided to take advantage of the moment to attack their prey and avenge their leader, regardless of how ruthless he had been to them..

"Togau, wait!" Link shouted, only for two Wolfos to attack him at once, distracting him. He brought up his sword and shield to back them off, while the Gerudo went to fighting off the rest, with more Gerudo soon arriving by Aviel's lead to assist.

As Link fought his beast opponents, he worriedly turned his head to see his rancher friend running off deeper and deeper into the canyon...

* * *

_**So things have only gone from bad to worse to terrible for Togau, but the question is what will become of the livestock rancher? Find out next time!**_

_**Again, thank you everyone for your support! Leave likes, follows and comments if you like, it really helps motivate my work!**_


	38. Roar of The Wild

_**Chapter 38 time, with Togau having run away from everyone after what happened in the battle against the monsters, what will await her out in the wild?  
**_

* * *

In a vast landscape of dirt and weedy grass, a lone creature was running as fast as it could, dust flew up behind it, and it's horse-like hooves impacted into a mud puddle, creating a hard splash around it. The creature soon came to a stop, trembling and gasping for air.

"Wonder... where I am... now...?"

Togau took a deep breath, sniffling and sobbing to herself. She had ran for what seemed like miles, clear out of Gerudo Canyon. After what happened in the battle against the Wolfos and Hinox, and what she had done to Saria, she couldn't take the horrified stares of everyone, and just ran away. She couldn't think of anything but just running.

"C-Can I ever face any of em after that...? I was trying to protect everyone, but Saria got hurt because of me... I just can't seem to do anything right anymore, not since I became this... this... thing...!" Togau shouted, punching her hand into her horse half.

She could barely even remember what happened back at the canyon, she had been struck so hard by the Hinox's attack she felt something stir up inside of her, an uncontrollable urge to fight back in order to survive against the monster, and she went all out on it, without even realizing what she had done until she snapped out of her trance.

But that wasn't the only thing that bothered her, there was something else, a nagging voice in the back of her mind was telling her something she wanted to shut out...

"I can't do my job as a ranch hand, the animals are afraid of me, the girls don't even look at me the same way... I... don't even feel like I fit in with anyone anymore..." Togau said, "And with a body like this there's no way Link could-"

She caught herself in that moment, realizing what she had just said. She took off her straw hat she was normally known to wear and held it to her chest.

"He... he could never love me like this, not like a monster... " she muttered, remembering what her resolve had been. She wanted to introduce her mother to a family of her own, her husband and her baby, just like her sister Murin did when she showed Talon and Malon to her all those years ago, something that would make her mother give off that unforgettable smile she had wanted to see again.

And she had come to realize overtime the one she wanted to have that family with was the man she had came to love, the one who taught her what truly mattered to her mother, and to herself; and she wanted that family with her future king and best friend, Link.

But she knew now that could never be a reality. While she didn't know much about Lynels themselves, she had enough knowledge about basic animal anatomy to get an idea of how their mating process worked, even more so now that she was half of one, and knew even if Link could being himself to ever love a creature like her, that there was no way she could ever give Link a daughter as she was now.

She then dropped her straw hat to the ground, not caring anymore about it at that point. Her body staggered left and right as she continued walking, not knowing where she was going, not even noticing a wooden sign she past by that read the words:

_Now Entering High Gerudo Plains: Beware of Wild Monsters!_

* * *

Togau continued to walk through the fields. She had finally stopped crying, and was instead deep in thought about everything that had happened, and unwittingly bumped into a tree. She looked up at it and around the area, there wasn't much to see around her, mostly just trees, bushes and dry grass. A gentle breeze blew through the area, it was quite cool, as afternoon was coming to an end and the sun would start to set soon.

"This place is kinda peaceful..." Togau whispered softly.

She paused, thinking back to the words Talon once told her. She took another deep breath, and put on a somewhat faint smile.

"Yeah... I just need to smile my cares and woes away, just like what Talon-bro always says!" Togau said, "Guess I'll just hang out around here for a little while before getting back on the road."

She reached behind her and removed the bags from her back that had managed to stay on her after the battle and all the running she had done. They contained food Togau had purchased at the diner back in Gerudo Town to surprise everyone with, but given her new situation, she figured she should probably use it for herself, especially since her bigger Lynel body need more food to sustain herself. They were probably a mess inside the containers after the intense fight with the Hinox to give them to her friends anyway.

"Better hide this..." she realized, putting the bags inside of a bush by the tree she had bumped into, "There, I'll just need to ration this food fer a while until I find some wild animals to hunt! For now though I better go track down a source of water..."

She took a glance around the area, trying to get a feel for the atmosphere, before trotting off in one direction to track down a lake or stream.

* * *

"Nuts, I searched for an hour and didn't find a thing." sighed Togau in defeat as she went walking back towards the tree and bush where she kept her food supply. As she walked, she heard her stomach gurgle a bit. "I better just eat a little of that food now before I go out searching again."

When she approached the bush where she had hidden the food though, she saw the plants rustling, which was odd since no wind was going by strong enough to make it shift like that. She curiously crept up to the bush, preparing herself for whatever it could be... it was then she saw a large wild boar walking out of it with a sandwich halfway in it's mouth.

"What th-?! You get away from there!" Togau exclaimed, seeing the boar gobble up the rest of the sandwich. The boar looked over to see a Lynel glaring at it in a fury, and freaked out. Togau quickly stomped up and scared off the boar who squealed out and ran off in a hurry.

"Darn that thing... well I better be more careful with what's lef-" she knelt down into the bush to retrieve her food, only to see it was completely gone, the bags had been completely cleaned out by the boar. Her features darkened, as she slowly turned to the wild boar, was nervously sweatdropping.

"That's it..." muttered Togau, standing up and gripping her hand ax, before shouting out and running at the boar, "Come here piggy, imma cook ya!"

The wild boar freaked out and ran for it's life, while Togau went in hot pursuit of it. The boar was surprisingly fast for it's size, but Togau was proving to be faster, slowly catching up to the boar. Togau was in such a angry rage at the food thief that she didn't notice when the boar suddenly turned a straight right to get out of the way as Togau rammed right into a large tree. She twitched slightly with her face embedded into the wood bark, slowly sliding down to the ground in a daze.

"Dang it dang it dang it..." Togau groaned, she forced herself up and leaned against the tree for support. She just laid there, trembling and sniffling, she was fed up with everything that had happened to her; she had no food, no water, and worst of all, no friends or family she could turn to anymore...

"So Talon-bro..." she muttered, looking up into the air, "Is this the point where I'm supposed to keep smiling? Cause, I just can't do it anymore..."

The wild boar just stood there, watching the female Lynel, wondering why it gave up so easily. The boar decided that would be a good time to leave, and it started to turn away, before seeing a new sight in front of it. The boar gulped as it saw a new pair of angry eyes looking down at it...

It was then Togau's lion-like ears heard a loud squealing, recognizing it to be the wild boar, she turned to see what was going on, and saw a shocking sight, a large creature that resembled her in many ways, but it had way more differences.

The creature was a Lynel like her, but with longer curled horns, a more monstrous and lion-like face, with a large golden-orange mane, in fact pretty much it's whole body was large and had a tint of gold to it, from it's hair to it's skin. It had powerful muscles all over, compared to Togau's slim athletic figure. It was also wielding a strange black and red ax weapon in it's hand.

"A Lynel..." Togau realized, "A real Lynel!" she gulped a bit, realizing she and her old hand ax didn't stand a chance against a creature like that if it saw her. She was about to get up and run off, but then looked back and saw what the Lynel was doing.

The Golden Lynel was holding the boar by it's tail as the animal was trying it's hardest to run away from the monster. Togau was tempted to just forget about it and escape, but she then saw the look in the boar's eyes using the enhanced depth perception of her new Lynel eyes, and saw the pig was crying in desperation of escaping. She paused, staring at the animal, before she closed her eyes and gritted her pointy teeth.

Meanwhile, the Golden Lynel had a large grin on it's face, it was pretty famished and eager to make the plump wild boar it's next meal. But before it could bring it's ax down on it's prey, out of nowhere a creature came at the Golden Lynel and headbutted it right into the side, knocking it away from the boar. The Golden Lynel didn't feel much pain from the blow, but it was still enough fo a force to make it back off, and turned to see what it was; a female Lynel glaring at it, banishing a hand ax of her own.

"Get away from that piggy ya bully!" shouted Togau.

The boar stood there in shock of what had happened, seeing the two Lynels start to stare each other down, it was a bit hesitant, but decided to run away at that moment.

The Golden Lynel shook off it's shock of being attacked, and stood upright. It had lost his meal, and had been attacked, and took that as a challenge by this other Lynel. The Golden Lynel then roared out and charged forward at Togau.

"Hooboy..." Togau muttered, "Think I bit off more then I could chew..." she quickly sidestepped to avoid the Lynel's charge attack. The Golden Lynel then turned and swung it's ax at Togau, who quickly brought up her own hand ax to protect herself. The Golden Lynel was quickly gaining an advantage in strength and a better weapon through, as it easily knocked Togau away.

"I gotta scam..." Togau said, turning and attempting to run away. The Golden Lynel wouldn't have that though, and took a deep breath, before erupting out of it's mouth a large fireball that went streaking through the air and blasting Togau from behind, causing her to shout out.

"Graaaoouuuh!"

Togau fell over to her knee, gasping out from the burning sensation on her back. It was then her lion ears could pick up the sound of the Golden Lynel coming at her, and she quickly spun around to attack with her hand ax, but the Lynel easily knocked her away. She tried to get up and run again, but the Lynel then brought back it's arm and threw it's ax at her.

Togau could hear the ax spinning through the air and instinctively ducked under it. The ax went flying off and completely missed hitting her. Togau then came to a stop and looked at the Lynel curiously, who simply stood there motionless.

"Why would it throw it's weapon and leave itself unguarded...?" she muttered. She contemplated attacking in that moment, only to hear the whooshing of the ax getting louder again, but it was too late. She got slashed across the back by the ax coming at her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground in intense pain.

"Gwaaaarrrr!" roared out Togau, "How... did it...?"

Her body still seemed pretty resistant like before against the Wolfos and the Hinox, but the Golden Lynel and it's attacks were too powerful for her to withstand too much of them. Curiously, she saw the ax return right back to the monster, who caught it.

"That ax... returned to the monster like a boomerang?!" Togau exclaimed, rubbing her back.

The Golden Lynel then charged at her once more to bring down his ax on her. Togau brought her own hand ax up to block it again, but the Lynel slammed down on her with such force it broke Togau's ax into pieces.

"NO!" exclaimed Togau, she tried to turn and run away again, but before she could make enough distance she tripped over and fell forward on the face, her horse half standing up on it's back legs.

"Ugh.. gotta get up..." she muttered, trying to push herself up to her feet, but she was too weak. She then heard a clomping sound on the ground, and turned to see the Golden Lynel slowly approaching her. It was looking at Togau with a big grin his face. Togau then took one look at the Lynel's lower half and realized what was going on between it's back legs, as her own Lynel instincts going through her mind...

It was a male Golden Lynel, it had claimed victory and dominance over her... and now it desired to mate.

"Not on your life, ya bastard!" shouted Togau, trying to get up again, only to fall back down. She quickly tried to think about what to do in this situation, but she had nothing. Even worse, it felt more and more like the Lynel soul within her was reacting to the male one walking up to them, and a deep desire starting to form. Togau found her back legs fidgeting, as a heat rose from her...

"No... I can't let this happen... never..." Togau cried out.

But despite her words to herself, her mind was starting to be filled with strange thoughts; she started to think about her failures back at Gerudo Town, what she had done to Saria, and having nothing as she was now... She was close to being killed by such a powerful and dangerous monster, but it seemed he was willing to spare her for this instead... The instincts of a Lynel were flowing through her body, and she panted out a bit as her legs fidgeted more, it seemed increasingly obvious that there was something inside her trying to tell her she wanted this just as much as the golden male one did...

'Maybe..." she muttered with a light growl, as her legs fidgeted, "Maybe I should just let it happen, I'm nothing more then a wild animal now anyway... I outta just live like one... I have nothing else... nowhere to go..." She closed her eyes, preparing to lose the last traces of her humanity...

"...and no one to care about me..."

It was then in that moment she felt something brush against her face. She opened an eye and saw a white flower growing on the ground in front of her, it was a familiar looking one, but couldn't think of where she saw it...

That's when it hit her, this was the same kind of flower as the one that had been in her straw hat long ago; the very type of flower that Link had given to her, and she found her thoughts drifting to that time months ago...

* * *

_Flashback_

"I think you're a little hard on yourself. Like, you said before you're not very feminine but..." Link said at the campsite they had set up on the caravan trip to trade supplies, as he looked Togau over, "I think you look just fine to me..."

"Huh?" Togau exclaimed.

"I'm sure you'll have a good chance tomorrow." Link said firmly, referring to her old plan to meet a man at the trade site and have him impregnate her, "Frankly I think anyone who doesn't find you pretty is a fool, Togau."

"Ya... think I'm pretty?" Togau paused, her face flushed red.

"Y-Yeah, I... oh! I actually have something for you." Link realized. He reached into his travel pack and pulled out the white flower.

"A flower? Where'd you find that 'round these parts?" Togau asked in surprise.

"Found it while we were at the oasis. Hold on, let me see your hat for a second.." Link then reached up to Togau's straw hat and after working with it, he stuck the flower into the hat's strap, "There, maybe this will give you a little more confidence about yourself."

"T-Thanks..." she reached up and stroked the flower a little, then looked to Link himself and stared gently into his eyes, "Yer just full of surprises, ya know that?"

"Well..." Link started, a little nervous about the way she looked at him, "If I end up choosing to be king after all I need to think about my people, right?"

"Honestly, I think it's takes a lot more then just being a king to say things like you just did..." Togau smiled warmly

* * *

Togau's eyes were filled with tears as those memories went through her mind, she could hear the Golden Lynel getting closer, and her own Lynel instincts were begging to mate with the male behind her. Her body shook nervously, and her eyes shut tightly.

"Link..."

In that moment, in her mind's eye, she saw a young Hylian male with blond hair, a valiant swordsman that was soon to be King of the Gerudo, turning to show his gentle blue eyes and sporting his big goofy grin. It was in that moment she realized what she needed to do.

"No... I can't let this happen..." Togau muttered, snapping back to reality. She was snarling and clenching her pointy teeth, "I don't care what anyone thinks of me now, I don't care what _he_ thinks of me now, the only male I ever wanna be with is... him!"

With that, as the male Golden Lynel was about to get into a mating position with Togau, she brought up her hind legs and bashed the Lynel right between it's own legs with her hooves.

The Golden Lynel stood there blankly, with it's jaw lowered in shock, as it felt a sharp pain in it's loins, then let out a loud and painful roar across the High Gerudo Plains.

Togau managed to recover back to her feet and turned to see the Golden Lynel whimpering loudly in pain as it backed up. Togau clenched her fists, snarling angerly at the monster.

"You wanna piece of this..." Togau shouted, "Yer gonna have ta kill me first!"

The Golden Lynel growled and roared out, wielding it's ax, it charged right at Togau, who stood her ground, ready to battle with her bare fists if she needed to, even knowing it was futile against such a powerful opponent.

"I won't give myself to you or anyone else, except fer one person, the one who treated me right, the one who taught me what's important in life, and the one who I want to love and have a family with..." Togau shouted, seconds before the Golden Lynel swung up his ax to deliver a powerful strike to Togau, as she closed her eyes and shouted out.

"LINK!"

But it was then the Golden Lynel was stopped by a new figure leaping through the air and slashing the monster across it's chest with a sword, causing it to shout out in more pain and back up again. The Golden Lynel felt the blood from it's chest and looked up to see who it was that attacked him.

"Y-You?!" exclaimed Togau, seeing who it was that saved her.

"Togau... I finally found you!" Link shouted, he quickly stood between Togau and the Golden Lynel with his sword and shield out, "Are you okay?"

"I think so, but how did ya find me?!" Togau asked, in a combination of shock and relief.

"I followed the petals from your flower down the path of the canyon, and when I got to fields I followed your deep footprints from your running," Link explained, clearly gasping out from his running, "Then I saw you dropped your straw hat at the sign that was leading into High Gerudo Plains... I had trouble at that point since your hoof prints weren't as deep, but then a certain someone showed up and lead me to here!"

"Lead you here...?" Togau asked, she then saw off in the distance a familiar looking wild boar who stood watching, before it turned and walked off.

Togau paused, realizing what had happened, and gave a faint smile of gratitude in that moment, but it was cut off by the Golden Lynel roaring out, ready to battle the one who would get in the way of it's new mate, assuming the Hylian wanted to take her for himself.

"Togau, stay back and let me handle this." Link said, gripping his sword.

"Can ya handle somethin' like this thing here...?" Togau asked worriedly for him.

"I've fought a few Lynels in my travels, but never a golden one..." Link said, but sported a grin, "Not that this has ever stopped me before."

The Lynel roared out and charged at Link, swinging up his ax, but Link countered by swinging his sword, deflecting the attack. The two of them clashed with repeated swings of their weapons, neither side seemingly able to fend off the other. Link then brought up his shield to block the ax attack before slashing the Lynel again with his sword. The Lynel leaped back and growled, before roaring out and taking a deep breath.

"Link, look out! I think it's gonna shoot fire at ya!" Togau shouted.

"Fire?!" exclaimed Link,quickly dodging out of the way as a powerful fireball shot out of the Golden Lynel's mouth and across the field, barely missing Link.

Before the Hylian could recover though, the Lynel rushed forward and bashed into Link, sending him flying back. Link quickly pulled out his Fairy Bow and started firing shots of arrows at the Lynel which deflected them with it's ax, but Link managed to shot one into his forehead, causing the Lynel to stagger back, before Link gave him another series of slashes and then following up with a spin attack, sending the Golden Lynel backwards.

"Way to go Link!" shouted Togau with wide eyes.

The Golden Lynel forced himself up and growled, it threw out it's ax at Link and sent it spinning at him. Link quickly ducked and rolled under the ax, then stood ready to battle once more.

"Link, it's gonna come back your way!" Togau warned him with a shout.

Link realized what she meant quickly and turned to block the ax, sure enough it deflected off his Hylian shield, but the Lynel took that chance to rush forward and bash into Link from behind, before reclaiming and wielding it's ax and slashing Link with it.

"Gaaah!" Link shouted, falling forward.

"No... that thing's too powerful... and he must he worn out from fighting the Hinox and those Wolfos... then runnin' all this way to find me..." Togau said. She paused, looking down at herself, then to Link. She then nodded to herself, realizing what she had to do.

Before the Golden Lynel could deliver another blow to Link, Togau stepped up in front of her friend.

"T-Togau?" Link exclaimed, "Get away before it attacks you!"

Togau however took a deep breath, as her desire to protect Link surged through her, and it seemed in that moment the soul of the Lynel responded to it, and Togau could feel a new sensation. Before the Golden Lynel could strike at her, she opened her mouth and let out a powerful roar, one so strong it actually released a wave of sound out of her mouth and pounded right into the Golden Lynel, the monster reacted in shock as it was repelled backwards by the attack.

"Wha- what was that?!" Link exclaimed with his jaw dropped.

Togau gasped, not used to using an attack like that, and put a hand to her chest.

"I... think was called... the Lynel's Roar..." she explained, "A blast... so powerful it's like having a stampede of Lynels charge right into ya, least that's what I think the lady Lynel inside me said..."

Link was stunned that Togau was able to communicate with the soul inside of her, it almost reminded him of...

"Either way, nice work!" Link nodded.

The Golden Lynel rubbed it's head, frustrated to see the female Lynel it had wanted for a mate release such a powerful attack. It vowed to kill the human and prove it's superiority to win over the female Lynel though, and started to force itself up to it's hooves.

"Looks like he's getting ready for round two..." Link said, but looked to see Togau had turned her side to him, "Togau?"

"Link get on my back!" Togau said, patting her horse half's back, "We'll fight em together!"

Link was a bit hesitant,"You sure about that?"

"You said you rode horses like Epona before, right?" Togau asked, "Well I'm practically one now, so hop on quick!"

"O-Okay!" Link said, climbing up onto Togau's back as he did when he rode Epona. She didn't have a saddle like most horses he rode, but they had to make due with what they had.

In that moment, Togau felt a strange sensation through her body as Link straddled her horse half. His legs were strong and she could feel them press against her body. Her face flushed a little red in that moment, and the Lynel soul within her felt like it was begging out for something, but she shook it off.

'Now's not the time...' Togau thought to the soul inside her, then shouted to Link, "Come on, we got a monster ta fight!"

"Alright, then let's go!" Link said.

"Neeeighh!" Togau shouted, charging at the Golden Lynel, who looked up to see the two rushing at it as Link gave the monster a slash across it's chest. The Lynel was about to hit him with it's ax, but Togau quickly rode out of the way of the attack.

"You know, you didn't have to neigh." Link pointed out.

"Na ha ha, couldn't help myself, right now I'm yer trusty steed!" laughed Togau.

Link couldn't help but smile in that moment, glad to see Togau was back to her old self, even in this situation.

The Golden Lynel swung it's ax again, but Link blocked it with his shield and Togau ran off once more. The Lynel shot off some fireballs, but Togau's developing instincts were making it easier to run, and she was easily evading each attack, her small, agile body made her a difficult target for the monster to hit. Meanwhile Link brought up his Fairy Bow and with his experience in Gerudo Horseback Archery from the dark future, fired off arrow after arrow at the Golden Lynel. The monster couldn't even react in time and started getting struck by the arrows coming at it.

As Link and Togau charged at the Golden Lynel for another attack, the creature brought up his ax to throw again, but this time Link was ready and shot an arrow at the Lynel's forehead, causing it to drop his ax and growl out in pain, allowing Link to slash it with another sword swing. Togau quickly got away before the Lynel could swung at them again, but the creature decided to try something else, an started sucking in air to prepare another more powerful fireball.

"That thing's hide is too tough, we need a bit more force..." :Link muttered, when an idea occurred to him, "Togau listen, run at the thing and then launch me off your back!"

"You serious?" Togau exclaimed.

"I have a plan, just follow my lead!" Link said.

"Reckon course!" Togau said with a nod, sprinting at the Golden Lynel before coming to a stop, kneeling her legs down and closing her eyes to concentrate, trusting in Link's plan that they would be safe from the attack.

'Come on ya lady Lynel...' Togau thought to the soul deep within her, 'Help me out here and lead me your strength!'

She then opened her eyes, full of determination, and thrust her legs up, sending Link flying upwards into the air. The Lynel looked up and was about to blast Link out of midair with it's fireball, but Link quickly puled out his Longshot and fired it, sending a hook flying through the air and jamming itself into the Golden Lynel's shoulder, causing it to gag and roar out in pain. Link then used the Longshot to pull himself directly towards the Lynel at high speed with his sword out. The Lynel was about to release the fireball, but Togau charged up and bashed it in the stomach with her horns, stunning it just long enough for Link to thrust his sword forward and impale the Golden Lynel through it's tough hide and into it's chest.

The Golden Lynel stood there as Link forcefully jammed his blade into the creature, and it let out last roar before it fell to it's knees and collapsed dead, before exploding into purple mist as monsters in Hyrule usually do.

Link let out a heavy and relieved sigh, spinning his sword in his hand before sheathing it.

"We did it..." Link said.

"Link, that was awesome!" shouted Togau, coming up and hugging Link tightly, "You took down that thing like it was just a little Octorok!"

"Ha ha, couldn't have done it without you Togau." Link chuckled, a little embarrassed at Togau holding him like that, "I'm glad you're okay... but... um... could you..." he trailed off.

"What the matter?" Togau asked in curiosity.

"Well... it's just that you're..." Link trailed off, as Togau took a look down at herself and realized at some point her vest had been torn off, and her somewhat womanly chest was exposed to the world.

"Gack!" Togau blushed bright red, covering her bare chest with her arms, "S-Sorry..."

"No biggie..." Link said, thinking for a moment, before removing his own red vest and handing it to her, "Here, this should hopefully fit a little."

"Y-Yeah..." Togau said, a little red faced at Link now being shirtless, as she put the vest on over her. It was a little awkward between the two in that moment, neither knowing what to say.

"Link..." Togau spoke up, "Thanks so much fer comin' to save me..."

"It's no problem, I'd do anything for you." Link nodded, "Now let's head back home before anything else happens."

She was about to say okay, but she saddened, remembering what had happened back at the warp temple with Saria.

"N-No, I can't..." Togau stammered, "I... don't think I can go back... not after what I've done..."

"Huh?"

"I really appreciate what you did for me, but... I just don't belong in Gerudo Town anymore..." Togau said sadly, getting down to her knees to rest, "I'm stuck in this dang Lynel body and it sucks... I can't do my chores properly, I scare the other girls and spook the animals, I have to eat too much, I keep breaking stuff, and..." she gulped nervously as tears formed in her lion-like eyes as she hung her head down, "I can't even be a bodyguard fer you guys... I try to help and all I did was hurt Saria... I hurt that poor little sweetheart while she was trying to help you..."

She gulped and sobbed as Link stood there, patiently listening to what she had to say.

"I can't do anything anymore... can't work... can't fight... and I definitely can't even have a family to show off to Ma..." she cried out, "And... and... I..." she gulped, her emotions in that moment making her speak out something she had been suppressing for so long from him.

"...I can never expect you love a monster like me..."

Link's face flushed in that moment at her confession. He had always had some kind of feelings towards Togau, but he never said anything, feeling as if she wasn't quite ready for it. But even now as she was crying out in misery she had managed to confess to him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. Link decided then in that moment that he had some things to say to her himself.

"Togau..." Link said, "First of all, don't worry about what happened with Saria."

"Huh...?"

"She's a lot stronger then she looks, she spent years training with her Deku Staff to protect the Kokiri before she came here." Link said, "In fact, almost immediately after you ran off, she got right back up and helped us fight off the rest of the Wolfos, and she pleaded for me to go find you."

"She did...?"

"Of course, I mean I was going to do it anyway, but she was as worried about you as I was." Link said.

"Saria..." whispered Togau.

"But more importantly Togau, you're not a monster in the slightest, you're still the girl I've always known you as; the kind, hard-working, lively woman that I met after an incident with a cow pie, and no curse is going to change that." Link said smiling, "And I don't think you always have to force yourself to smile to try and hide your true feelings."'

"Link..." Togau muttered, realizing that Link caught on to what she had been doing all this time.

"I know how much this whole thing has been affecting you, and I'm sorry for not talking to you about it sooner... but now I want you to be honest with me and how you feel. If you want to cry, then go ahead and cry, I'll be here for you no matter what." Link said, he paused a bit, then blushed and smiled deeply gazing into her eyes as he spoke.

"After all, I'd do the same for any of the other women I love..."

Togau's eyes widened, realizing that Link had finally accepted her as his next marriage candidate. New tears were starting to form in her eyes, and her body started to tremble, "Link.. you... you can't be serious... I... I can't be your..." Togau took a gulp.

"I mean every bit of it." Link said nodding, "I'd like you to marry me and become my next wife... I want to give you that family you wanted... And I want you by my side, forever..."

Togau was in shock of Link's words, and her tears were falling from her eyes faster then ever, as she took a moment to look down at herself.

"But, aren't I too weird for you to marry? I mean, I got these horns, and these teeth and... and..." Togau paused, "I got a horse fer a butt!"

"Togau, I'm a reckless forest swordsman about to be king of the desert, and I'm engaged to a fish woman, a pair of elemental twins that fuse together, and a martial arts exotic dancer, what exactly about our family is considered 'normal'?" Link asked with a cheeky grin.

"You're... you're really serious about this...?" Togau asked as tears ran down her cheeks, "You'd take me as yer wife, even as I am now...?"

"Of course." Link nodded once again.

With that, Togau wrapped her arms around Link and held him tightly, as Link returned the hug back.

"D-Dangit... I... I can't believe this, why'd ya have to go and say somethin' like that?! I was just fine being yer friend! Why's my heart dancin' around like this? Why do I love you so gosh dang much?!" Togau shouted, she cried out uncontrollable tears of happiness as she held Link tightly.

"It's okay Togau, go ahead and just let it out." Link said in a calm voice and with a gentle smile.

As her tears started to die down a bit, he remembered something. "Oh right! Here, I found this." Link said.

Link went and took out Togau's straw hat that she had left by the sign earlier and put it on her head, adjusting it behind her horns. "Hmm... still needs something..." he then said, taking a glance down and seeing the white flower Togau had found earlier. He plucked it from the ground and placed it into the strap on Togau's hat.

"There we go, perfect!" Link nodded.

"Link..." Togau whispered, bringing her hand up and gently stroking the flower in her straw hat "Thank you..."

The two of them went back to the hug, and held it for some time, before looking at each other eye-to-eye. Togau was entrapped in his gentle blue eyes, and he was captivated by her exotic golden cat-like ones, and then the two drew their lips towards each other...

But before anything else could happen, they heard a loud roar in the distance, the two of them pulled back and looked around to see what it was.

They saw Lynels, a lot of them, all approaching the two from a distance. Some of them were red haired, some blue and all brandishing weapons like swords and axes. They were all looking around and seeing what had happened in the area before spotting the two of them.

"Uh oh, what are they doin' here...?" Togau asked nervously.

"They must have overheard the battle and came to investigate." Link said carefully surveying the monsters, "These ones are way weaker then the Golden Lynel we just fought, but there's a lot of them..."

Togau paused on that note and looked down to see the black and red ax that the Golden Lynel had dropped earlier. She reached down and picked it up, holding it up into the air and gazing at it.

"Togau?" Link asked.

Togau then swung the ax down, to the side and then threw it, causing the ax to spin through the air and come back to her like a boomerang, and she caught it easily.

"Woah!" Link exclaimed, shocked at how quickly she had gotten down how the ax worked.

"Looks like the female Lynel's soul saw how the ax worked and sent the message to me." Togau grinned, "This'll come in handy!"

The two of them stood beside each other, staring out at the Lynels all slowly approaching them.

"So what's the plan then?" Togau asked, gripping her new ax.

"There's too many of them for the two of us to fight alone, but if we can take down one or two, we could probably escape through the confusion..." Link observed.

"Well I ain't gonna let anything happen to either of us after we made our vows, let's do what we can and escape together!" Togau said with determination.

"Right!" Link nodded.

The two of them stood ready to battle, as the Lynels all roared out and charged forward, but before any fighting could actually start...

"Aaand... FIRE!"

It was then a bunch of arrows suddenly came down from the sky and impacted into some of the Lynels, causing them to back off. Link and Togau both turned in the direction of where the arrows were launched to see Aviel and her archery master Folura, along with multiple other Gerudo archers, all wielding bows and fighting arrow rains down on the Lynels.

"Link, Togau, we finally found you!" Aviel shouted in relief.

"Aviel?" Link exclaimed, seeing his bodyguard in the distance, "Nice timing!"

"Hee hee, we're not the only ones here!" grinned Aviel, as more Gerudo started to run in and show up.

Among the crowd; Nemisa, Dr. Sarami, Reirousa with Sovan and the Sandstorm Viper gang, Kesuta and Korume, Saria and of course Nabooru were all there, along with many soldiers, guards, and even oddly enough four of the Desert Wolfos from the canyon battle as well.

"The reinforcements I went to get for the Hinox all agreed to come help get back Togau!" Aviel stated.

"Gerudo, defend our king, and our sister from these monsters!" Nabooru shouted out.

Togau laid there in stunned silence as those words ran through her mind, and her eyes teared up slightly at that.

The Gerudo army all shouted out and charged into battle against the pack of Lynel, clashing against them. Despite the great strength the Lynel were known for, the Gerudo had an easy edge over them in numbers, strength, equipment and skill and started cutting them down.

Meanwhile Sarami hurried over to Link and Togau's side to help them with medical treatment, while Saria joined them to help protect the two with her Deku Staff.

"S-Saria...?" Togau asked, seeing the forest child standing no worse for wear. Togau saw the hoof print on her tunic, of which was now ripped quite a bit from the battling before.

A Lynel came at them with it's sword, but Saria lashed out some vines from her Deku Staff to bind it's legs to a halt, allowing some Gerudo soldiers to run in and impale it with their swords to destroy it.

"I'm glad to see you're alright Togau, and great work helping her Link!" Saria said, looking to the two with a smile, "Just let me protect you two now!"

"Of course, thanks Saria." Link said.

"O...Okay!" Togau nodded.

The Gerudo were quickly making short work of the Lynel during the time the two of them were being treated. Aviel and the archers kept their distance, stunning the Lynels with carefully shot arrows, while Nemisa and Reirousa used their strength to beat them down. Kesuta and Korume fused together into Dualsera and cast down fire and ice onto the battlefield, burning and freezing the Lynels and allowing their fellow Gerudo to finish them off with their weapons.

Meanwhile, the Desert Wolfos that had been standing beside the Gerudo before were all looking to each other, whimpering a bit at the sight of the fearsome strength of the Gerudo army.

"The four of you fight as well." Nabooru said, pulling out her twin scimitars, "Our king was generous enough to ask that we spare you since you were just under the control of that mad Hinox, so you have a debt to protect him now."

The Wolfos all looked to each other, confused about how the blond Hylian spared them like that. They looked out into the battlefield and saw that very man holding the female Lynel from before, and realized how strong and compassionate he was to her, it reminded them very much of their previous leader before he was slain by the Hinox...

"Arwwwooo!" the Wolfos all then howled out, as they ran in and joined the Gerudo in battle.

Nabooru simply smirked as she saw the wolf beasts all charge off to help her people in battle as well. A Lynel tried to strike down a Gerudo solider from behind, but the Wolfos all lunged out and bit into the Lynel, causing it to roar out while the soldier impaled the Lynel through it's forehead to destroy it, and the five of them went off to take on more opponents.

"That strength and influence you have is truly awe-inspiring Link..." Nabooru whispered to herself. She saw one Lynel try to come at her, but she struck at the beast with a rapid wave of slashes before dealing a killing blow, then running off to aide the group.

Meanwhile, three more Lynel charged at Link, Togau, Saria and Sarami, but the doctor took a glance over at them. She took out a potion bottle of orange jelly with a small explosive device attached to it called a Bombling and threw it into the air. While in midair the Bombing went off and burst, causing the bottle to explode as well and cover the Lynel in a gooey orange substance. The three Lynels all come to a stop and look the goo over, confused by what it was.

"What's that?" Saria asked in confusion.

"Fu-fu-fufufu..." Sarami said, adjusting her glasses as they gave off a gleam, "Orange chu jelly, harmless by itself, but when preserved correctly it's very flammable, even with the slightest spark of flame..."

It was then Dualsera flew up and grinned sadistically, before flicking a single ember of fire down on the Lynels, who all stared as the small flame came down and touched the orange goo, causing a massive explosion of fire in front of everyone, the Lynels all shouted out in unison until they were all reduced to a pile of charred corpses.

Everyone stood in shock at the power of Sarami's potion as Dualsera landed down in front of them. The fused mystic stood still for a moment, and seemed to gulp a little, before turning to Togau. She looked a little meek about something, then spoke up with a single voice.

"Togau... are you okay?" she asked.

Togau laid wide-eyed at Dualsera, recognizing Kesuta's voice from her. Despite her anger towards the fire mystic from the other day, she just found herself not able to stay mad at her any longer.

"Course reckon!" Togau shouted, grinning widely, "And thank you!"

"I think she forgives you now, dear sister." Korume said quietly to Kesuta.

"Yeah..." Kesuta said with a light smile, seeing that her friend and Link were holding hands at that moment. It was clear something had happened between them, and they quickly assessed that the half-Gerudo half-Lynel would be joining them at the wedding with their husband someday...

It wasn't long after that Reirousa brought down her hammer down on one last Lynel, making it fall to the ground and explode into purple mist, and with that the entire gang of Lynels had been taken down, with various remains and weapons left laying around form their defeat.

"We did it!" cheered out Aviel, raising her crossbow into the air, "The Lynels are no more!"

The entire group of Gerudo all cheered out raising their weapons as well in victory, even the Wolfos after a moment of hesitation, all collectively howled out with them.

As everyone celebrated, Nabooru walked over to Link and Togau, brought up her fingers, and lightly smacked her on the forehead between her horns.

"Hey, what the-" Toagu said, but was cut off.

"Honestly Togau, what were you thinking running off like that, especially into High Gerudo Plains?" she sighed.

"Na ha ha... sorry bout that..." Toagu said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"It's no problem, just don't go taking after Nemisa's habits." the Gerudo leader nodded.

"Hey!" Nemisa shouted in annoyance that Nabooru was bringing up the incident with the Wyvern Keepers again.

Nabooru then cleared her throat before speaking out, "Sisters, stand tall and proud for our accomplishments today!" she stated to the Gerudo, "This day shall be remembered for more then just the opening of the trade route, and our dominance over the Lynel, for our king seems to have selected his next wife as well!" she added with a smile.

The Gerudo all gasped out as they looked to Link and Togau, seeing them finally standing up and holding hands together, some of the Gerudo took a close look at how Link was currently shirtless and got a good view of his bare chest. Togau seemed a little meek about it with the strange form she was in, but soon the Gerudo all collectively gathered around and congratulated the two. Even Dualsera split back into her two selves and Kesuta ran up to hug Togau affectionately along with Saria.

"I'm so happy for the two of you!" Saria said happily.

"Nice work Togau." smirked Nemisa, trying not to look at Link being shirtless, "I look forward to having you as our sister in matrimony with Link."

"Thanks everyone..." Togau said, her eyes tearing up as she hugged Saria back.

Link smiled lightly as everyone were crowded around them. No one was even the slightest bit unnerved by Togau's appearance anymore it seemed, even the two guards that had chased her down the night before were there to congratulate her on becoming his newest fiance.

"See Togau? Nothing's changed." Link said.

"Yeah, yer right..." she paused, "Well, maybe just one important thing has really changed..." she said lightly, squeezing his hand.

* * *

**_And that ends the chapter. With Togau now a part of Link's harem of wives, what does their future possibly hold together? One thing's for sure, she's no longer alone. Next time, Togau has her old life to get back to, as well as some new experiences..._**

**_As always, leave a like, comment or follow if you enjoyed the story!_**


	39. Night at The Ranch

_**Well time for the next chapter, this time around. With Togau getting back to her life, can she [pull through? And what will happen between her and Link...?**_

* * *

"Togau! We're so sorry about how we treated you before!"

"Yeah, we were being way too awkward around you! We didn't even consider your own feelings!"

"Na ha ha, no problem girls! Just glad ta be back!"

After the group returned to Gerudo Town and healed up from the battles they were involved in, Togau returned to the livestock ranch so she could resume her duties. The ranch hands were quick to apologize profusely for the way they had disregarded her out of unease of her Lynel form.

Standing alongside Togau was Link and Saria, having come to watch and make sure things went smoothly. Togau had apologized herself to Saria for accidentally injuring her before back at the canyon battle, but the Kokiri girl was quick to assure her that she was fine and was particularly happy that she and Link had become a couple. A hug of forgiveness came right after that, and the two had become true friends.

"So what did I miss while I was gone?" Togau asked.

"Well, we just got a new stock of animal feed in..." one of the ranchers said, "But you let us handle it, I mean, after all you went through..."

"No problem, I'll handle em just fine!" Togau said grinning, trotting over the pile of bags and lifting up a large number of them, and started quickly going back and forth to get them all in their places. The other girls didn't even have to lift a finger as she enthusiastically took care of the whole amount on her own.

As Link was working on moving some other supplies around the barn, he took a look to Togau and watched her work as she always used to, seeing that she was getting the hang of her Lynel form so easily. As she was speaking to one of the ranch hands about what they had to do with a piece of equipment, he noted the bright smile on her face as she spoke. Despite how much she had changed physically, she was very much the same person as before.

"I'm so happy for her, especially after everything she went through." Saria said, taking some feed and spreading it out to feed some cucco, before looking over her shoulder to Link with a small blush, "Really, I'm happy for both of you..."

"Yeah, I'm going to do everything I can to keep her happy, so she can keep smiling genuinely, and she doesn't need to ever force herself." Link nodded.

Saria smiled lightly as she saw the longing stare Link was giving his newest fiance, then went into deep thought about something...

'I wonder... would he possibly...?'

"Hey Saria, how's the vest holdin' up?"Togau spoke up as she past by her.

"Oh, just fine, I can definitely feel a difference with the desert heat in this!" Saria said, pulling on the yellow vest of Togau's she was wearing. After Togau accidentally damaged her old tunic during the battle with the Hinox, she had loaned Saria one of her vests to wear. Due to Saria's smaller stature, it went down to her knees, making it look more like a short dress on her. "I'll give it back to you once Nabooru's seamstresses complete my Gerudo wardrobe." Saria added.

"No problem, just hang onto it fer as long as you need Saria!" Togau assured her as she went on her way.

After a while, Togau soon set down the last of the bags and stood upright, placing her hands on her sides and grinning.

"Well with that over with, how 'bout the three of us go check on the animals then?" Togau asked to Link and Saria, who both went ahead and followed after her outside.

As Togau was heading out the barn door, the other ranchers paused and watched as they saw her taking a moment to duck her head down to avoid hitting the recently repaired door frame. They all nodded to each other with relieved smiles and went back to their tasks.

* * *

The sheep, goats, pigs, cows and other animals, previously walking and running around, as well as eating at some of the plants growing out form the dirt, all stopped in their tracks and stared at Togau as she approached them. They all still seemed unnerved and potentially hostile towards the beast creature coming up once again. Saria looked on with concern as she saw a slightly uneasy look in Togau's eyes, and reached up to put a hand on the rancher's arm to comfort her. Meanwhile Link took Togau's hand, and the two looked to each other eye-to-eye.

"Go for it Togau." Link said.

"Yeah, we'll back you up." Saria added.

Togau took a deep breath and nodded, she took a step up and shouted out.

"Hey yall, quit yer cowerin' and come' ere!" she shouted, clapping her hands together to get their attention.

The animals all stood startled and confused at the Lynel's authoritative attitude, then after a second quickly recognized it as the rancher boss who would always come out to greet them, feed them, play them music, and occasionally sleep by them in the barn. They all slowly came up to her, letting out their various animal noises.

Togau sported a big grin and she started reaching out petting them all affectionately, her smile was genuine now, and really did the job of calming any aggregation they might have had towards her. Link and Saria looked on at their friend as she rekindled her place with the farm animals, before the two of them joined Togau in petting the animals. Pretty soon after that Togau got down on her knees and pulled out her fiddle.

"Now then, how about a little music everyone?" she asked, and started to play the song of Lon Lon Ranch, the one her cousin Malon taught her all those years ago. Most of the animals settled down beside her in bliss as they heard the snappy little song play in the air.

Link and Saria both looked to each other without a word and nodded, before pulling out their ocarinas and they started accompanying Togau in the song. The rancher took a look to the two of them and smiled, adjusting her fiddle to sync up with their ocarina music. It took Saria a little time to learn the Lon Lon tune, but it wasn't long before the three all played out the music together beautifully. Saria soon mixed her own song in with the music, and Link and Togau going along with it, and the animals took to the remix quite well.

Togau took a moment to glance over at Link and Saria, smiling lightly as she went back to concentrating on her music.

'It really feels good to have friends like them to back me up...' she thought to herself, and not just referring to playing music...

* * *

Some days later, life seemed to finally wind down for Togau. While she was still stuck in the form of the Lynel, she was doing quite well at making the best of it. She found she could use her horse-like lower body to get around quite fast, haul around supplies and bags efficiently, and her stamina allowed her to do more then she thought before.

Most importantly though, was the people of Gerudo Town, no longer unnerved by her appearance, they all took to her just as they always had before she changed. Sarami kept having her come in for check ups to make sure her body's transformation had no side effects, and sure enough she was quite healthy.

Togau was also getting a better understanding of her power as a Lynel, including wielding her new ax she claimed from the Golden Lynel and it's boomerang function. She was also getting a hang of the sonic sound blast of the Lynel's Roar, both of which proved valuable against attacks by monsters and rebels that attacked the town. Of course she also had the assistance of Imra and Oseg whenever she called on them, but she found herself requiring their aide less often then before thanks to her new abilities.

Eventually Link's contact, a mask selling man known only, fittingly enough, as the Happy Mask Salesman sent them a reply from Hyrule Market Town. Sure enough Link's guess about the origin of the headdress was correct.

It turned out the salesman once had a run in with a female Lynel, fatally injured. She was a weaker one that was the laughing stock of her clan, and in an effort to prove herself tried to fight the mightiest of them. She lost miserably, and the others took to beating up and banishing her from their kind as punishment. The dying Lynel would soon after come to meet the Happy Mask Salesman, who took pity on the beast and used the Song of Healing in an attempt to relieve her burden and allow her to pass on to the world of spirits.

The process didn't quite go as planned though, as the Lynel's regrets were too strong, and while the body of the creature became the Lynel's Headdress, the Lynel's soul remained dormant inside of it, still tormented after all that time. The Happy Mask Salesman took the headdress with him in the hopes of finding out what went wrong, but some time after that he was attacked and mugged by some members of the Wyvern Keepers, who ended up taking the mask with them, something that the Happy Mask Salesman commented in his letter happens a few times too often for him.

It was after hearing that Togau had developed much more of an understanding of the Lynel's soul within her. She didn't even hold any resentment towards the creature for it changing her into the form she was now anymore. Togau did have to admit had it not happened to her, she wouldn't have made as much progress in things like her battle abilities, and even more importantly, her relationship with Link.

Speaking of that last point, Togau knew eventually that she had something to do, to satisfy a desire that was building up within her...

* * *

"Hey Link, glad ya could make it tonight!"

"Thanks, sorry if I was late. Nemisa was insistent I comb my hair first."

Link had arrived at Togau's livestock ranch one night to have a date with her. He had originally proposed to go out to a restaurant, but Togau herself had other ideas in mind and insisted they meet up at the ranch after the other ranch girls had gone to rest for the day. He had shown up wearing his usual red vest and green pants, though he kept the vest open like Nemisa insisted he do, and Togau found it difficult to take her eyes off his physique. His hair was combed straighter then usual, Nemisa wanting to make sure Link looked good for his date with Togau that night. He was also carrying a bottle of sweet fermented chu juice to complement their meal that night.

Togau had forgone wearing her typical yellow vest, and by the suggestion of her ranch hand friends was now wearing a long sleeved flannel shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and the shirt was pulled up and tied together at the chest area. While she didn't have much of a chest to show off in a top like that, it was instead doing a good job showing off Togau's abs and waist. She wasn't wearing her straw hat, but had the flower Link gave her last week sticking out in her hair, the hair having been combed by her friends to be a little less wild and more wavy then before. Link had to admit he was having a hard time not gawking at her, as he wasn't used to her dressing so boldly. She was also wearing some kind of travel bags on her horse half.

"S-So um, you said you had something planned for dinner tonight?" Link asked with a bit nervousness at the way she was dressed.

"Y-Yeah, reckon course!" Togau said with equal nervousness, she then put on a big grin and said, "Tell ya what, I'll race ya there!"

"Oh, uh, okay?" Link asked before realizing, "Wait, isn't that cheating with your horse half?" he accused her.

Togau seemingly ignored him, as she was in position to start the race, with her hooves scrapping against the dirt, "Alright, ready... set...!"

"Hey, you didn't say where the finish line is a-" Link pointed out, but was cut off by Togau shouting.

"GO!"

With that, Togau charged off down the road, leaving a cloud of dust in Link's face. Link shrugged his shoulders and sighed, before strapping the juice bottle onto his belt to keep it from breaking and starting to run after her.

Togau had gotten pretty fast during her time as a Lynel, and wasn't even faltering in her steps like she before. She turned back to see Link was trying to catch up with her, so she slowed down a little, allowing Link to start running up by her side.

"So where's the finish line?!" Link exclaimed, panting out as he tried to keep up with her.

"Na ha ha!" Togau laughed, "Beats me, but I'll let ya know when we get there!"

Link just grinned as he ran alongside her, realizing she wasn't really wanting to so much race, but just run together, "Alright, let's get there then!"

The two of them didn't seem to have any direction to go, and just took to running around the ranch. Link was impressed at how well Togau had taken to her body as it was now. He could still remember back when he was trying to cope with his Deku Scrub form from back when he had been cursed himself in the land of Termina, and found himself understanding and respecting her more then ever.

Eventually the two arrived at a somewhat grassy area of the ranch and settled down at a small clearing. Link was gasping out while Togau wiped sweat from her head off with her half sleeve. She glanced down at Link and saw how tired out he was, and she really admired his determination in keeping up with her. She also couldn't help but linger at seeing the sweat rolling down his body, and she felt a familiar urge going through her, but she decided this wasn't the time... ...at least just yet.

"Neh heh heh, sorry bout that Link, when I go running nowadays I get so into it! You should see me running around with the horses some days, the girls have to lasso me to get me to stop!" she said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Nah, it's no problem." Link took a deep breath and sighed, realizing his hair was probably a mess again, "I'm just glad you're taking so well to your new self."

"Yeah, it was weird at first, but it helps that you and everyone have been so encouraging." Togau said smiling, she then heard a loud growling sound, realizing it was coming from both of their stomachs, "Now how about we eat then?"

"Sounds good." Link nodded, pulling out the chu juice bottle to have with the meal, "So what did you have in mind for dinner?"

"I went ahead and... uh, prepared somethin' fer the both of us!" Togau said proudly, taking a picnic blanket from her travel pack and throwing it out onto the ground to give them something to sit on.

"Nice idea, been a while since I've eaten outdoors like this." Link said, sitting down on the blanket.

"Well I hope yer plenty hungry then!" Togau said, pulling out some boxes from the travel packs, getting down on her knees and opening them up, revealing a nice meat and potato dish; Togau's serving of course was larger then Link's due to her size, though not by much since she knew how much of a big eater Link was. Togau had to admit she felt a little less embarrassed about the quantity of food she had to eat when around her fellow glutton and new boyfriend.

"Did you make this?" Link asked curiously, "When did you learn to cook?"

"Well like I said, I did prepare it..." Togau said blushing, seeming to trail off a bit as Link took a bite of the meal.

"Hey, this is delicious!" Link said, "The meat is really tender and seasoned, the potatoes are soft and creamy... ...and you totally bought this from Sovan's diner, didn't you?" he added with a knowing grin, recognizing the taste of the food.

"Na ha ha, can't pull the wool over yer eyes can I?" Togau said sheepishly, "I tried making something myself for real, but it didn't work out too well..."

She pulled out another box from the travel pack and opened it, revealing a strange purple mass with smoke rising from it.

"This was a grilled fish with rice at some point." Togau said sweatdropping

"Ah... I see..." Link said blankly, "I feel like we'll need to give the thing a proper burial so it's spirit can find peace."

"I... um... sorry I couldn't just make you something ma'self, I've never been too good at home-maker stuff like that..." Togau said, a bit ashamed of herself.

Link just looked to her and smiled warmly, putting his hand on hers, causing her to jump a bit.

"Honestly I think you're just fine as you are." Link assured her, the double meaning didn't no unnoticed by the rancher and she smiled back.

"Thanks..." she said softly, "Now let's get ta eatin'!" she then said in her usual loud and enthusiastic tone.

"Alright!" Link agreed, and he poured out the chu juice into glasses to have with it.

Some time later the two had finished their meals, Togau leaned back a bit and patted her full stomach.

"Aaah...what a meal! Ya know I used to be embarrassed about my portions I had to eat as a Lynel, but in a way I think I kinda like havin' an excuse to eat as much as I am now!"

"Glad to see you're handling this so well... you know, for real now." Link said.

"Yep! Not sayin' I don't want to have my old body back, but I think I'm fine fer now." Togau nodded.

"Kesuta and Korume both said they're still trying to find a way to safely get the Lynel soul out of you," Link said, "They have a lot of book and scrolls to go through."

"Well they can take their time, I think I'm pretty at peace with myself for now." Togau grinned, "It does make me happy that they're workin' so hard to help me..."

"Of course they would, you're not just their friend anymore, you're a part of our family now." Link said with a blush, putting his hand back over her clawed one.

"Y-Yeah..." Togau said blushing as well, enjoying the feeling of Link's hand on her own, "Hopefully they'll be able to change me back before the weddin', I don't wanna know how much a dress would cost to fit someone like me!"

As Link chuckled at her words, it was then he felt some drops of water falling on his head. He looked up to see more drops were coming, "Uh, Togau?"

"Huh?" Togau looked up and came to a realization, "Uh oh, looks like it's starting to rain!"

They quickly started gathering up everything as the rain was coming down faster and faster. By the time they got the bags together it was starting to pour down.

"Gack! I haven't seen it rain like this before around here!" Link exclaimed, covering his head with a bag.

"It doesn't rain much round these parts, normally I'm all for it cause it helps grow wild plants for the animals, but we gotta get outta here!" Togau said with a bit of a laugh as she trying to cover herself from the rain, even though it was almost impossible with her body the way it was, "Quick Link, get on my back before we get waterlogged!"

Link jumped up onto Togau's horse half and she rode off towards the closest indoor area, the livestock barn. Despite how muddy and slippery the ground was becoming from the rain, Togau was able to keep her balance perfectly.

Soon the two got into the barn and Togau came to a slow stop, Link hopping off of her.

"Well it's not perfect, but at least we' won't get drenched in here." Togau said, taking some towels she kept in the barn and tossing one to Link so they could dry off.

"Yeah, thanks." Link said, he took a look outside and saw the rain continuing to pour down, "Jees, doesn't look like it's going to be letting up any time soon."

"Guess we're stuck here fer a while then." Togau said, starting to wipe down her own body.

As Link took a look over to Togau, he saw how the rain has made her wild long Lynel hair sleek and smooth, with some small strands hanging over her face. It also left the flannel shirt she was wearing over her chest soaked, and due to the way she had been wearing it, it seemed to be slipping off a bit from her shoulder. He found himself blushing at how beautiful the tomboy Gerudo/Lynel rancher looked in that moment.

Togau herself was also having some trouble, she saw how some of the water was dripping off Link's boyish blond hair, and how his vest and pants were clinging to his athletic body. She watched as a trickle of water went down from his head and down to his chest. She blushed red at the sight, and could feel a powerful sensation within her, the soul of the Lynel she was possessed by was calling out to her in the same way as before...

"So uh... maybe we outta go lay down together and warm up...?" Togau said with a heavy blush.

"Y-Yeah..." Link said.

The two went over to a pile of hay to lay back on, Link folding his arms behind his head as Togau laid on her side. The two of them cuddled together for warmth and just watched the rain coming down from a high window. They listened as the water pounded down on the barn roof. Since it was a rarity for it to rain like this in Gerudo Valley, they both decided to appreciate the weather while it lasted.

Link glanced to his fiance, then going ahead and wrapping an arm around Togau's waist, holding her close to him, causing Togau to flush red, as a deep sensation started to stir. The warmth the two felt between each other was intensifying that feeling within her, and she could hear something faintly wanting her to go forward on those feelings. She didn't want to ruin the moment the two of them were in, and tried to resist it, but it was getting difficult.

"Togau, you alright?" Link asked.

"Y-Yeah..." Togau stammered, her legs were squirming a bit a heat rising from deep within her, "Just uh... hope I'm not comin' down with a fever or somethin'..."

Link paused at that thought and looked at her shirt, and how soaked it was in rain, and a small smile formed on his lips.

"Well maybe we should get out of these wet clothes then...?" he asked suggestively.

"Wha-?" Togau stammered at his forwardness, as Link leaned forward and kissed her deeply on the lips. Togau had frozen up in that moment, it wasn't just her first kiss with her boyfriend, but her first kiss in general, and it was a great sensation she had been wanting for so long. She melted into his kiss as his hands slowly trailed around her rough Lynel body, He was undoing her shirt to get the wet cloth off of her, and the warm sensation within her was growing, and it was clear her body was begging to mate with Link.

She broke the kiss for a second to gaze into his blue eyes, as he stared into her golden cat-like ones.

"Thank you Link..." whispered Togau as she pulled him into another kiss. The two held each other for so long like that, the rain continued to pour down outside, but they couldn't even hear it anymore, it was just the two of them together as they were as lovers. It was then in that moment Link heard something rather odd; it was a new feminine voice he had never heard before...

"_Thank you... for accepting me..."_

Link broke the kiss a little as he looked around, wondering who that was. It didn't sound like Togau, and she wouldn't have been able to say it while they were making out, so what...?

It was then Link realized something else, he looked to Togau, who was leaning her head against his chest, and saw something was very different about her, one major thing being she seemed a lot shorter then before now.

"Togau...?" Link asked, looking her over, his eyes widened, "Hey Togau, look at yourself!"

"Huh...?" Togau whispered, the bliss she was in from finally being kissed by Link dulled her senses, making her not understand what he was talking about right away, and glanced down at herself.

"I... I'm not a Lynel anymore?!"

Sure enough, Togau was back to her normal self, her horse half was gone, replaced with human legs and feet. She looked down at her hands and saw the claws were gone, then reached up to her mouth, seeing her teeth weren't pointy anymore, then up to her forehead and realized the horns were gone as well.

"I'm back... I'm back to my old self!" Togau said, tears of happiness and relief filling her eyes, and she stood up from their embrace. She rubbed her legs over, as if to get reacquainted with them, hopping up and down a few times and running in a few circles, before turning to her boyfriend, not even seeming to care that she was completely nude, "Link, I'm normal again, I don't have a horse butt anymore!"

"That's great! But... how do you think it happened...?" Link asked in curiosity, gazing over her body.

"Who cares, just feel these!" Togau said, jumping onto Link's lap and taking his hands, putting one on her thigh and the other on her rear end out of pure enthusiasm.

"I got my legs back, I'm a full Gerudo again!" she said smiling brightly.

"Y-Yeah..." whispered Link, gazing into her eyes as his hands slowly and sensually rubbed her leg and rear, "You are..."

It was then in that moment Togau realized what he was doing, and what she had just provoked. Her face turned red as Link leaned forward and kissed her once again, as his hands ran across her body. She turned and laid back into the pile of hay, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him towards her, and the kiss between the two grew into them making out heavily, the sensations from before had dulled a bit now that she wasn't a Lynel anymore, but the desire was definitely still there.

"Link..." Togau gasped out from the kiss, "Quit beatin' round the bush and let's do it, I want ya right now!"

"... all right then." Link nodded, as he brought his lips to hers once again, their hands moved all over each other's bodies, and eventually Link's clothes went flying off.

As the rain came down over Gerudo Valley, the future king of the Gerudo and the head of the Gerudo Town livestock ranch shared a wonderful night together...

* * *

By the next morning, the stormy clouds had already drifted away, and the sun was slowly rising up. A sunbeam was coming down through a window of the barn, and the ray brushed over Link's closed eyes, causing him to stir a little and open them. He looked to see Togau sleeping beside him, and he smiled softly at the sight of his newest fiance. He gave her a gentle kiss, and she murmured a little in her sleep, before her eyes slowly opened as well.

"Mornin' there lover-boy." Togau said softly.

"Morning to you too," Link said, "So how was it for you last night?"

"You were amazing, never woulda had you pegged as such a master in bed." Togau said as she sported a grin, "Then again, with all the girls yer bonkin' I guess I shouldn't be surprised you'd learn so much."

"I aim to please." Link said, running a hand along her strong thigh as he thought about her situation last night, "So what do you think it is that changed you back...?"

"Dunno, ya think it might have been somethin' as corny as true love's first kiss?" she snickered.

"Well, maybe it did have something to do with it." Link said, recalling the voice he had heard before.

"Na ha ha! I was just jokin', but maybe yer right..." Togau said, she ran a hand on her own rear end, "I think I understand that Lynel that was possessing me a little more now... and what she really wanted."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, you mentioned before from that friend of yours that the Lynel had fought the strongest of her clan to try and earn their respect, right?" Togau said, "I think what she really wanted was to be accepted, and to feel loved... You accepted me for who I was, even stuck as a Lynel, and I think that was enough to satisfy her."

"So the Lynel's soul is gone from you then?" Link asked, looking her over.

"Yup, sure feels like it. A lot of those weird feelings I had before are gone." Togau nodded, taking a look up out of the window as the sun was slowly rising up, "I think she finally left in peace to the world of spirits."

"Glad to hear that." Link nodded.

Togau then paused, looking down at her hand, and clenched it with a small smile on her lips.

"Ya know what though? I think that lady Lynel left me somethin' else before she left..."

Link watched in curiosity as Togau stood up and walked forward a little. She closed her eyes and raised up her arms, taking a deep breath, before thrusting her arms out and shouting, and in a wild burst of wind around her, she was back in her Lynel form once again.

"Woah!" Link exclaimed with wide eyes.

Togau looked down at her herself, her clawed hands, her firm skin, the horse half with powerful and swift legs, then reached up and ran a hand through her longer and wild hair, then up to her hard curved horns. She nodded to herself and took another breath, thrusting out her arms with a shout, and in another burst of wind, she was back to her normal Gerudo self.

"T-Togau that's amazing, you can change back and forth between your forms now?" Link asked, getting up and walking over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Sure looks like it!" Togau said with a grin, "I think this power is gonna come in handy big time!"

"Yeah, and I think we really need to celebrate, the girls are going to be happy to see what's become of you." Link said.

"Course reckon!" Togau said, then turning to Link and grinning mischievously, "But before we go doing that, I wanna have a little more fun with you..."

With that, she pushed Link backwards onto the hay and jumped on top of him, kissing her firmly, as their hands went back to wandering around each other...

* * *

About five minutes later, a couple of the ranch hands were walking through the entrance of the barn talking among each other about what they had to do that day. One of them thought about their boss and spoke up.

"...so how do you girls think the date Togau had with King Link went?"

"I dunno, think they did it with each other last night?"

"You mean already? I don't think Togau's the type to-" but the assistant was cut off by someone shouting.

"Oooh Link, ya sexy beast!"

The ranch hands all stopped in their tracks as they saw what was going on between their boss and the future Gerudo king. They all had thousand yard stares, and their jaws practically fell to the ground in shock of what was in front of them.

"...uh, you know what, maybe we came a little early!" exclaimed one of the assistants, a little too embarrassed about what they were seeing to even commentate on Togau having been changed back to normal.

"Y-Yeah, let's go uh... get off... I mean, pull some weeds or something..."

"Do you think they would mind if I joined them...?" asked one of the girls staring particularly at Link's nude body.

"Let's just get out here before they see us!"

The other ranchers agreed, and all hastily rushed out.

* * *

**_So that ends the chapter! With Link and Togau successfully copulating their relationship, there's another task the ranch girl has to see to, something that she's been waiting years for..._**

**_Thanks for reading everyone! Leave a like, review or follow if you liked it! Your encouragement is a great motivator!_**


	40. A Daighter's Vow

_**And now it's time for chapter 40, and the conclusion of Togau's latest character arc!**_

* * *

Togau being changed back to normal was the talk of Gerudo Town, so soon after the news that she changed in the first place. While everyone had pretty much accepted her as a Lynel for a while, they were more then happy for her that she was back to her old self.

Kesuta and Korume were a little frustrated that they weren't able to do anything to help Togau drive the Lynel's soul out from her body, but in the end they were just happy to see she was completely out of her grief. They did at least make the effort to check her body over to make sure this new power she held didn't have side effects though.

Meanwhile, thanks to the opening of the warp path at the temple, Nabooru was finally able to start sending her people into the Lost Woods to speak with the Zoras about establishing a trade route. With the help of Link and Saria's knowledge of the forest, they were able to plot out a path through the woods to the warp shrine that led to Zora's Domain, and negotiations could soon begin.

The four Desert Wolfos left over from the Hinox's gang ran off sometime after their assistance in the defeat of the Lynels and left to parts unknown. The guards would see a Wolfos or two near the town on rare occasions, but they never approached the gate or attacked anyone, and it wasn't clear if they were the same ones from the pack or not...

As for Togau herself, as fulfilled as she was now that she as free of her curse and would marry Link someday, she knew there was something else she needed to do now...

* * *

In a somewhat remote Gerudo Town residence, an older woman sat in a bed, staring out her window with a deadpan look in her eyes.

"Afternoon Ms. Tusimu, I got your medicine, courtesy of Dr. Sarami!" spoke up a voice, as the woman turned to see a Gerudo nurse from Sarami's medical clinic with a small bottle of chu jelly capsules.

"Ah, thank you..." Tusimu muttered as she looked to the nurse.

This was Tusimu, the mother of Togau and her late sister Murin, as well as the grandmother of Malon. She was falling ill from a disease similar to that of Murin's, but Sarami had vowed to do everything in her power to help Tusimu's condition, including appointing a personal nurse to bring over medicine and help with any physical tasks in her house.

Tusimu's attitude was a stark contrast to Togau's usual upbeat and outgoing personality. It all went back to the deep depression she went under after her husband's untimely death from defending his family from a band of raiders, and Murin's death shortly after that only worsened things for her. It had been many years since then, but she still felt the pain of those losses from time to time. It was especially bad right now since her late husband's birthday was coming up soon, which only served to worsen her grief these days.

"Have you been trying to get some exercise at all?" the nursemaid asked, examining Tusimu's body as she handed her a capsule to take.

"...not particularly, the pain has been too much for me to move around much at all." Tusimu muttered, taking the capsule and swallowing it with some water.

"Oh come on, it's only going to get worse if you don't try!" the nurse said in annoyance.

"I'm perfectly content with staying here until the death goddess Nerif takes me to the world of spirits." Tusimu said.

"Oh come ooon!" the nurse repeated with a pouty face, waving her fists, "Don't be such a fuddy-duddy!"

"What are you, a child?!" Tusimu exclaimed in annoyance.

"Hey Ma?" they then heard a voice call out, "Ya home?"

The two of them turned to see Togau walking into her bedroom, "Hey there Ma, how ya holdin' up?"

"Oh, hello daughter." Tusimu said, "I'm glad to see you're doing fine, especially after I heard about that Lynel curse you were inflicted with..." she then narrowed her eyes, "...which you didn't tell me about."

"Na ha ha... sorry bout that Ma..." Togau laughed nervously, "I just didn't wanna trouble ya with it."

"Hmph... so what did you come here for?" Tusimu asked as the nurse worked on taking her pulse.

"Hey comon, I just wanted ta see you!" Togau said defensively, "You tryin' ta keep yerself active at least?"

"Well actuall-" the nurse was cut off by Tusimu stuffing a beard roll in her mouth.

"I'm quite fine, thank you." Tusimu said annoyed.

Togau sighed, her mother could be stubborn as a mule about many things, and it only made her more nervous about what she had to tell Tusimu. Despite that, she decided to just come out and say what she wanted, and took a deep breath.

"So Ma, there is something I did wanna tell ya..." Togau said, she looked out the room and motioned to someone, and soon coming into her mother's bedroom was Link, he stood upright and adjusted his vest to straighten himself out, while Togau cleared her throat and spoke up.

"I'm sure ya know 'bout the future King of the Gerudo, Link? Well... he's decided ta select me as his next bride, and I'll be marryin' him someday!" Togau said with a light blush on her cheeks.

Her mother's eyes widened in shock in that moment. With her condition, Tusimu didn't get to spend much time outside of her house, so she was surprised to finally meet the king face-to-face. He was much younger then she thought, especially after everything she had heard about him and his accomplishments, and was even more shocked to hear this news about him and Togau.

The nurse practically spit out the bread roll in surprise, not having heard the news herself, "Woah, really?"

"A pleasure to finally meet you, maam. You should be proud of your daughter's work that she does for the town, and I myself have come to fall in love with her. We're here to get your blessing." Link said, bowing politely.

"You.. you're going to be marrying the king, Togau...?" Tusimu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"R-Reckon course!" Togau said, still unnerved by her mother's tone, but held her ground, "In fact... I-I also got some others to introduce ya to..."

With that, Nemisa, Kesuta, Korume and even Princess Ruto of the Zoras all came in to greet Tusimu as well. Togau took the time to introduce all four of them to her mother.

"It's good to meet you Ms. Tusimu." Nemisa said bowing, "As the bodyguard to my king, I'll be watching over your daughter as well and seeing to her well-being, you can leave her in my care."

"Our mother Koleima told us much about you in the past, that you were a great warrior of valor and might." Kesuta said.

"Togau is our beloved family now, and we hope you accept all of us within your sight." Korume rhymed with a polite curtsy.

"Yes, an honor to greet you, as I'm sure you find it an honor to greet me yourself!" Ruto spoke up with a giggle, "She accepted me into your tribe back when we first met at Lake Hylia without hesitation, and I now accept and welcome her into our royal family!"

Princess Ruto of course was enthusiastic about having the trade route established, as it allowed her to come visit Link whenever she wanted to now. She was also overjoyed to see Nemisa and Togau were now both Link's future wives, though it was a little awkward when she started trying to probe them on how he was in bed with them. At that moment though, she just stood proudly alongside the others.

Tusimu paused, seeing the six of them as they stood there. She put a hand to her chest for a second, but then clenched her hand and narrowed her brow.

"...so Togau, this means you're going to be a part of this Gerudo King's harem then...?" Tusimu asked with a stern tone, the last words seem to have been spoken with a bit of venom added to them.

"W-Well..." Toagu stammered.

Link looked to Togau who just stood there and gulped a little, as he recalled what she had told them all before they came to meet Tusimu...

* * *

_Flashback to earlier that day..._

"Oh, it's so good to finally talk to you like this! I haven't properly congratulated you on your engagement to my darling husband!"

"Y-Yes.. thank you, P-Princess Ruto..." Nemisa stammered to the Zora as they sat at a table.

Link and Togau, along with Kesuta, Korume, Ruto and Nemisa had all gathered at Sovan's diner to discuss what the rancher wanted to do, that she wanted to introduce everyone to her mother. After coming together, Ruto was quick to chat with Nemisa, of whom was a little embarrassed about it. Having been acquainted to speaking to royal people formally, it was difficult for Nemisa to talk to Ruto as casually as the Zora wanted to.

"Oh enough with the formalities, Nemisa." Ruto said, waving her hand dismissively, "As Link's fiance, you'll soon become a queen as well, yes? That'll make us equals!"

"Thank you Princess, but I... don't really know about seeing myself as a queen..." Nemisa said, looking to the side sheepishly.

"Are you kidding? Think of all the great perks you'll get with the royal lifestyle!" Kesuta leaned forward on the table and spoke up with a big grin, "You get to go around wearing really fancy clothes and jewelry, you'll have servants waiting on you hand and foot, and you'll get all kinds of fancy VIP privileges when you're visiting other kingdoms with Link! You can even quit your bodyguard job and spend your days being pampered by Link and your servants; just lazing around getting fat from eating whatever your heart desires, and having sex with Link constantly to birth all those children you said you wanted!"

"What?! I refuse to allow myself to live in such a sedentary lifestyle!" Nemisa exclaimed in annoyance.

"You say that now but just wait until you get the opportunity to lay on your bed all day and have servants take peeled candied grapes and feed them to you!" Kesuta said with a longing look in her eyes.

"Don't tell me that's the reason you wish to be Link's wife, sister..." Korume said sweatdropping.

"Of course not, I love my husband!" Kesuta defended herself with a pout, hugging Link around the arm tightly, "...but I also like the idea of the side benefits of royal life as well." she added with a small voice.

"So what was it you wanted to tell us about, Togau?" Link asked his newest fiance, casually patting Kesuta on the head as she nuzzled him affectionately.

"Yes, you said before you wanted us to meet your mother today, correct?" Korume asked, trying to pull Kesuta away from Link so she could hold him for a while.

Togau nodded, "Yup, but before we go, there's... a few things you outta know about her."

"What, is she allergic to fish?" Kesuta asked, pointing at Ruto.

"Hey!" Ruto shouted.

"Nah, it's just that... I don't know if she's going to approve of me marrying into our group." Togau said.

"Why not? Doe she not know about the tradition for the Gerudo King to marry multiple women?" Ruto asked.

"Well yeah she does, but that's the problem." sighed Togau, "There's something I haven't told any of you about Ma. Back when she was younger, she was a tough-as-nails warrior, and was actually selected to be one of the former king's harem of wives."

"Former king... ...wait, seriously?!" Link realized, "Your mom was going to marry Ganondorf?"

"That sounds like a match made in hell..." Korume muttered.

"So what happened then?" Nemisa asked.

"Well from what I heard from Dr. Sarami, she was pretty excited about becomin' one of the royal Gerudo queens, but Ganondorf wound up neglecting her for the longest time, favoring the more curvier and beautiful wives, before eventually tossin' Ma out on her rear end, after that he selected someone else to replace her." Togau explained.

"That's terrible!" Nemisa said scowling in anger, slamming her palm on the table.

Togau sighed and continued, "Yeah, Ma was pretty peeved off about that herself, she ended up hating the idea of the king having a harem due to girls being chosen as favorites over others. She even gave up on love for the longest time before she met Pa, because she thought she wasn't pretty enough to be a wife..." Togau's voice sounded somewhat strained when she said that last part, which Link couldn't help but notice.

"Hmph, that man was such a cruel bastard." Ruto said folding her arms, recalling what he had done to Lord Jabu Jabu back at her home, "I hope he has to feast on filthy rats in his dungeon!"

"Not while we're eating, sister Ruto." Kesuta said with a pale face.

"I think I'm beginning to see where you got some of your insecurities about your looks from." Link realized as he commented to Togau.

"Heh, ya can read me like an open book, huh Link?" Togau smiled lightly, "Yeah, Ma wasn't too much help fer my self esteem when it came ta meetin' a husband, that's the reason I wanted to bang one of those guys during our caravan trip all that time ago."

"So what happened to make you change your mind about that?" Korume asked, not having been there herself for the trip.

"Link happened." grinned Togau, "He taught me that I was plenty pretty in my own ways, and rather then just havin' a kid, that I should show off a family to Ma that I can be proud of!"

"How sweet, you and Link were like that even all that time ago?" Kesuta asked with a small smile.

"Yeah, I really took to getting along with her quickly when we were on the caravan trip, though at the time I wasn't even aware of the idea of marrying anyone, let alone all of you." Link blushed, rubbing the back of his head, "I just... you know, wanted to help her make the choice she really wanted."

"That sounds like you all right, husband." Ruto smiled as well, poking her fiance on the cheek.

"Yeah, that brings me to this; I just can't bring myself to marry Link til I get my Ma's blessing like my sis Murin and my bro-in-law Talon did. I hate to put this on you all, but I can ask for yer help to win her over?" Togau asked.

"Of course." Nemisa spoke up without hesitation, "You're part of our royal family now, right? We'll do what's necessary for your mother to accept you into this marriage."

"That's right Togau, we'll all support you in this, and we'll see to it you get to see that smile of your mother's again." Link nodded, along with Ruto and the twins.

"Thanks everyone..." Togau grinned.

* * *

With those memories from earlier recapped, Link looked to Togau, who was trembling a little, before taking a deep breath and speaking out to her mother.

"T-That's right, I'm going to be part of Link's harem of wives..." nodded Togau, "But we all get along great and care about each other, and we're all gonna work hard ta keep ourselves healthy and safe! And someday we all plan ta have kids with Link, not just to repopulate the Gerudo race, but to have and hold as a family! Link means everything to me!"

"Yes, our beloved husband even fought against a Golden Lynel to save your precious daughter, she matters just as much to him as any of us do." Ruto said, smirking lightly.

Tusimu's eyes widened, this was the first she had heard about her being under attack by a Golden Lynel. She had fought one once back when she was a warrior, and the idea that her young daughter had been in that sort of danger disturbed her. There was also a part of Tusimu that was annoyed her daughter didn't mention this information before either, but then she started to reflect on the idea that she didn't know so many things like this about Togau...

Togau herself continued to speak though, "Ma, Link thinks I'm a beautiful woman, even back when I was cursed in that Lynel form. In fact there's somethin' else you outta know..."

Togau stepped forward, took a deep breath and thrust out her arms with a shout, transforming into her Lynel form, which shocked Tusimu, the nurse and Ruto.

"T-Togau?!" Tusimu exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Oh my!" gasped Ruto, Link and Togau had mentioned her Lynel form before, but this was her first time seeing it for herself.

"This is my other self; a gift from the Lynel that cursed me." Togau continued to explain herself, "Despite how scary I was to everyone, Link always stuck with me, and treated me well. He was even just about ready to get in the sack with me back when I was still stuck like this, he cares about me no matter how I look!" she then thrust her arms out again and changed herself back to normal, "I love him so much, and I'm tellin' ya right now I'm gonna to become his queen and have his cute lil' daughters someday, alongside the others!"

"That's right, the two of us have a special bond together." Link brought up with a nod, "Just as I have a bond with Nemisa, Ruto, Kesuta and Korume. I may be marrying them all, but I vow to treat each of them equally, regardless of their looks or social status. I'll probably be picking out other Gerudo women as well to take as wives, but I assure you that no matter what happens, your daughter will always have the same place in my heart."

Tusimu stared at Link after hearing that, as the girls all blushed, slowly gathering around Link and holding him close to them, Togau included.

"I'm not really ready to have children just yet Ma, not with my responsibilities at the ranch," Togau continued, "But someday when the time is right, I want to have a daughter to show to you, and I'm sure the others will be wantin' to do the same... We're all joined together for life, and beyond that... because ya see Ma..."

Togau then grinned widely to her mother, embracing Link tightly.

"This is my family."

Tusimu sat back in surprise, looking over her daughter and her smiling face.

She then looked to the king, and their four other members of their royal family. She closed her eyes, and thought to herself for a short while. It was kind of awkward standing there for all of them, unsure of what Togau's mother would say.

"To think my daughter... would have such an absurd arrangement, to marry our king like this along with so many others..." Tusimu muttered in a quiet voice, which bothered the others a little. Togau nervously gripped Link's hand, which he squeezed back as they waited to hear what her mother had to say.

Togau's mother continued, "But to see you all here... so happy and at peace with one another..."

It was then Tusimu looked up, and the sides of her mouth slowly turned up, and everyone was in shock of her expression.

It was one of the most beautiful and radiant smiles they all had ever seen, contrasting greatly from how Tusimu had been just a moment ago. It seemed to light up the whole room, much like how Togau could take on a whole new appearance in her beast form, seeing the happiness on her mother's face was a magnificent transformation of it's own.

"...you have a wonderful family, my daughter."

Togau was at a loss for words, her eyes were wide with tears started to form, as she remembered all those years ago the last time her mother made that smile, as her sister Murin had introduced Talon and Malon to her.

"Mama..." Togau said trembling, as she rushed forward and gave her mother a firm hug.

The others watched as Togau embraced her mother, unable to hold back smiles of their own.

"That's so nice..." Kesuta said, a little misty-eyed.

"Now I see what Togau meant all that time ago, she has a lovely smile." Nemisa whispered to Link, referring to when Togau mentioned her resolve.

"I'm sorry my daughter... perhaps I have indeed spent so long in this house, that I've missed how much you're grown as a woman..." Tusimu whispered in admittance to Togau.

"Thank you Mama..." Togau sniffled, holding her close.

Kesuta and Korume in particular were enjoying the sight of the mother and daughter hugging, it reminded them of their own mother, and how proud she was when they returned back from the Spirit Temple, having broken the 'curse' on their family.

Nemisa looked on and saw the smile of Togau's mother, in some ways, it reminded her of the motherly charm of her old friend Erien from back when she was a slave. She reached up to her customized dancer top, where she had the green jewel from the music box attached to the front of it some time ago, as a constant reminder of her old friend, and her own resolve.

Ruto meanwhile, looked at the two with tears in her eyes, and a look of reminiscence. This didn't go unnoticed by Link, who remembered what she said before about her mother passing away when Ruto was a child, and the words her mother said to give the Zora's Sapphire to the man that would become her husband. Link took and held his Zora fiance closely and she leaned her head onto his shoulder for comfort.

Some time after that, the group bid Togau's mother goodbye and left, Tusimu sat back on her bed as the nurse applied some lotion to her shoulders to help soothe her cramps.

"There you go Lady Tusimu, so are you ready to eat lunch now? You must be famished after all that!" the nurse asked.

Tusimu paused, looking down at herself, then out the window.

"Nurse, do... you think I could eat outside today?"

"Oh...?" the nurse asked tilting her head, then she realized what she meant, "OH!" she exclaimed with wide eyes, "Of course Lady Tusimu! Here, let me help you up!"

The nurse went ahead and helped Tusimu up onto shaky knees, as they started the task of getting her out the door to have her meal.

* * *

"Well guess I better get back to the ranch, I gotta go round up the animals back to the barn!" Togau said as the group were going down the street back to their homes, aside from Ruto who was clinging to Link and anxious to get him into bed that night.

"Okay, but make sure you come back to the palace later tonight, Nabooru wants to hold a feast for us in honor of our engagement." Link said. He turned to the twins and added, "You girls can come too if you want."

"Whoo! Sounds great!" Kesuta cheered out.

"Ugh, first that nice lunch and now a feast tonight, I really got to watch my weight when I'm around here." Ruto sighed out with a hand to her cheek.

"Well don't worry about it Ruto, go ahead and eat up! Fish tends to be high in fat anyway!" Kesuta teased with a cheeky grin.

"Oh like you're one to talk!" Ruto snapped, suddenly turning and grabbing at Kesuta''s waist, "Aren't you the one who wants to be our husband's fat and lazy wife? You're probably already concealing some rolls under this outfit of yours!"

"Hey, let go of me!" Kesuta exclaimed with a blush.

"Kukuku... perhaps Togau should put you to work at the ranch for what you did with that prank, you could lose some of that blubber if she works you hard enough..." Korume suggested to Kesuta.

"No way! I'm way slimmer then you, sister! Maybe you outta lay off the omelets!" Kesuta shouted.

"Maybe _you_ need to use that fire elemental power of yours to just burn off the fat from those pastries you always stuff into your mouth." Korume retorted coldly.

"This family of ours is so stupid." Nemisa groaned, only to suddenly get slapped across the rear end by Kesuta, "What th-?!"

"Don't act like you're innocent too Nemisa, not with a soft cushion like this!" Kesuta said, pointing to Nemisa's round rear.

"Hey, I'll have you know Link loves me like this, he certainly looks at it more then your nonexistent one!" Nemisa argued back.

"That's it!" Ruto shouted in a fury, "Husband, after the feast tonight we're all going to make hot love to you until we burn all the extra weight off!"

"But you girls all look just fine." Link said sweatdropping, seeing none of them even looking the slightest bit chubby, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. It looked as if either way he was going to have a busy night later...

"Guess there are some perks to being as scrawny as I am..." said Togau sweatdropping as well.

As the other girls continued to argue about their weights, Link let out a sigh and looked to Togau, the two of them then sported grins on their faces and laughed out together. After Togau's experience with changing into a Lynel, then joining up as Link's next wife, her future seemed to have changed as well, from the bleak fate she had been handed at one point to something brighter then ever before.

As they laughed though, Link thought to himself about what Togau had gone through... and something that had been bothering him since the day he arrived at Gerudo Town...

* * *

Meanwhile in the bustling town of Hyrule Market, a man was reading over his mail he had just picked up in his shop. He was known as the Happy Mask Salesman, who true to his title owned a business where he sold masks. Masks that could, as he often told others, bring happiness to all who wear them. His eyes were squinty and bore a somewhat wide creepy smile, as he took one particular letter that came from an old friend of his, Link.

"So my old friend has sent a reply so soon? Hee hee hee, interesting..."

The Happy Mask Salesman and Link went back a long way; once as a child Link worked for him as a traveling salesman of sorts, and later he was the one who helped Link change back from a Deku Scrub after being cursed so long ago using the Song of Healing, and continued to provide Link assistance to take on a dangerous threat to the land of Termina. After that adventure, the two parted and both eventually found their own separate ways back to their homeland of Hyrule.

"Ah, so the curse on the mask has been lifted and the spirit of the Lynel is at peace now. I suppose I wouldn't expect any less of him to pull it off." the salesman chuckled as he continued to read the note.

"...and the power of the headdress has become one with his friend... Hmm, a pity I couldn't reclaim the mask again, but it seems it's brought happiness to someone after all, which is truly what counts."

He paused on that note and pondered to himself, turning his gaze up at his collection of masks, settling on one mask in particular.

"The real question though... is whether you be able to handle what power is within _you_..?"

The Happy Masks Salesman took a sip of water and sported a somewhat eerie grin, as he went back to his mail.

"Hee hee hee... I guess we'll just have to wait and see..."

* * *

_**And that concludes the arc, I have to say I really liked how well I managed to make this ending work, even as observed as this arc was in general.**_

_**Next time, Link and Nabooru find themselves in a situation involving a looming threat, and Link's friend, adviser and mentor learns a little something herself...**_

_**As always, thank you for reading, and leave a like, follow comment or whatever if you enjoyed it!**_


	41. Diligence of a Leader

_**Okay guys, it's time for chapter 41, and a new arc! Sorry this one took so long for me to write, I was on vacation from work, and was catching up with my gaming backlog. I also admit I had a bit of writer's block planning out the notes for this new arc, but I hope it turns out well!**_

* * *

It was a cold quiet night in Gerudo Town, and everyone in the palace, save for the night shift guards, were nestled into bed.

Aviel was curled up in her blankets almost like a caterpillar in a cocoon, she had a soft smile on her face as she subconsciously shifted herself to the side, the blankets unflured a bit and allowed her to reach her hand out to grab at a near empty bowl on the nightstand beside her. It had been full of shaved ice just before bed, but the ice that remained was now reduced to water. Aviel stirred a little, then muttered something in her sleep that sounded like "-ndpa..." before knocking the bowl over with hand, which fell to the ground and spilled out the water. She seemed to not notice though and continued to sleep.

In Nemisa's room, the bodyguard and martial artist was laying back in bed sleeping as well; one of her arms were laying back above her head while her other arm was holding the Deku plushie Link won for her during the festival so long ago. She held the plushie against her and sighed contently. One of her long strong legs were bent upwards, her body position almost as if she was frozen in the middle of a dance. She giggled a little in her sleep, as her above hand slowly lowered down to her firm stomach and gave it a gentle rub, before she sighed out blissfully.

Saria meanwhile was in her own room. The furniture, including her bed, was mostly child-sized stuff now to accommodate her smaller form. She was laying on her side with her head resting on top of her hands. While she did have a pillow, it was habit for her to sleep that way from the days she spent in Kokiri Forest. Her tunic was laying on a chair nearby, but it was badly shredded and torn from the battling she had been doing lately, the clothes were getting too warm for the extreme desert climate anyway. Her guardian fairy Faete was laying on a small little hammock beside the bed, made from a folded handkerchief.

Link was in his bedroom, laying asleep on his bed of pillows beside Princess Ruto of the Zoras. She was clinging to him with both arms around his waist in her own sleep, but she was squeezing Link a little tighter then comfortable for him. The cold breeze blowing into the room, along with Ruto's moist scaly body, was causing him to shiver a bit and let out a little sneeze in his sleep. Ruto wasn't even fazed by it and just held him closer as she slept, with one hand stroking his hair affectionately.

As for Nabooru however, she wasn't having it so well. She was in her own private room tossing and turning in her bed, her sheets eventually falling over the side, as she moved and trembled. The bed was normally quite comfortable for her, but the actual problem was what she was experiencing in her sleep...

* * *

Nabooru found herself in the middle of a vast desert, with seemingly nothing around her for miles and miles. She looked around in confusion, before she saw a certain figure in the distance. She seemed to recognize the person, and started running towards them. However the faster she ran, the further the figure seemed to get. She shouted to the figure as she reached a hand out to them, but they soon faded away and she came to a stop.

She closed her eyes and gasped out for breath, then opened them to see a horrible sight; some kind of city whose buildings were destroyed and on fire, a large temple before her was devastated to the ground, and she looked down to see there were dozens of dead bodies all around her. Nabooru gasped out in horror, seeing all the destruction around her, then looked down to her own body and saw blood splatter on herself. Tears were forming as she closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to block out all the images she saw and screamed out loud.

* * *

It was then Nabooru woke up, drenched in a cold sweat. She gasped out and put a hand to her head. She looked around to see it was still dark out.

"Ugh, that nightmare... I haven't had something like that in so long... but why now...?"

Nabooru sighed and got herself up, going over to a fountain sink in her room and splashing water on her face, then leaned against the sink and sighed out, feeling a little better, bit still shaken.

"I need to relax a bit..."

She then walked over to her nightstand, pushing it aside and revealing a small compartment behind it with numerous bottles of fermented wine juice. She took one bottle, poured herself a cup, and drank it all down in one shot. She took a deep breath, stood there motionless for a second, before pouring herself another cup...

* * *

"Good morning everyone!" Aviel cheered out, "Who's up and ready to start the day?"

Aviel stood at the end of the dining table of the palace, where everyone was now gathered around as they usually did in the morning. Nemisa was sitting calmly and wordlessly as usual while Ruto was clinging happily to Link, though the Hylian himself was looking somewhat pale. While Nabooru was leaning over the table, burying her face in her arms, clearly with a hungover from last night's drinking.

"I'm up, but I'm not ready..." Link muttered in a groggy voice, with a bit of snot hanging from his nose, he then sneezed into a napkin, "I think I'm coming down with something..."

"I'm sorry husband..." Ruto said sympathetically, hugging him to try and make him feel better, "I didn't realize last night was so cold for you, I'll warm you up with my love for you then!"

"It wasn't the weather, it was your body!" Link exclaimed in annoyance, trying to push her away, but she absolutely refused to let go of him out of affection, and he just sighed in defeat.

"Please not so loud..." groaned Nabooru, now covering her head with her arms to block out everyone talking loudly.

"Too much to drink again last night Lady Nabooru?" smirked Nemisa.

"Shut your mouth Nemisa..." Nabooru said, raising up and pointing her finger at the dancer without even moving her head, "Ugh... where's that chu jelly capsule I ordered from Sarami...?"

"Strange though, I thought Link had the guards padlock the royal wine room from you after what happened last time..." Nemisa pondered to herself.

"Shut up that's an order by your leader!" Nabooru exclaimed.

"So what's this about 'last time'?" Ruto asked in curiously.

"Well you see one night Lady Nabooru was so tipsy she got up on the roof of Togau's barn holding a sheep and started singing loudly while nak-"

Aviel's explanation was cut off by getting hit in the face by a flying breakfast egg.

"H-Hi everyone! Um, s-sorry I'm late!" called out a new voice. Everyone turned to see someone peeking out from the doorway into the dining room. They could tell from the voice it was Saria, but she didn't seem too eager to show herself.

"Oh come on, let them see your transformation into a true Gerudo!" said another voice, who soon pushed Saria out into the room, giving everyone the opportunity to look at the Kokiri girl.

Saria was dressed in a traditional silk Gerudo garb, albeit a much smaller variation like what the children of the town typically wore, but her version was a little more formfitting then the kids. Most of the outfit was colored a light forest green, except for the sleeves which were a more teal color like her old sweater was. She didn't wear a hood, but kept her hairband on like usual.

"Um... the seamstress completed my wardrobe..." Saria said in a small voice as she clutched her arm timidly, her eyes looking away from everyone to avoid their stares at her.

"So what do you guys think?" the Gerudo seamstress asked as she stepped out from the doorway, she had her hair in a bun shape with sewing needles sticking out of it, and a tape ruler hanging off her shoulders, "Doesn't she look adorable?"

"Yay! Saria's just like a Gerudo now!" Aviel cheered out, flying over to the Kokiri and giving her a tight hug.

"This is really embarrassing..." Saria said blushing bright red, trying to avoid seeing Link's face in particular, but despite her protest, Aviel hurried Saria over to a seat beside Link so he could get a better look at her.

"Don't worry about it Saria, you look great." Link nodded. He then realized what he just said and looked away with a light blush, scratching his cheek, "Well, I mean, you look just fine... and... um, you know!"

"Right, right... I get it...!" Saria said blushing a beet red.

"Well, well, well..." Ruto whispered to herself, looking between Link and Saria and gave a knowing smirk. She got up and moved over to a seat to the left of Saria, to put the Kokiri between her and Link. "So you're Link's little friend from the forest, yes? We haven't really gotten a chance to talk together!" she said, "I have to thank you for opening the way to the Lost Woods so I can meet my husband regularly!"

"Frankly I think she meets with him a little TOO regularly." sighed a slightly annoyed Nemisa, reflecting how often Ruto seemed to be coming over now so she could hog up their mutual boyfriend.

"Um... h-hi... Princess Ruto, it's an honor for me to speak with you." Saria said with a polite bow of her head.

"As it should be!" laughed Ruto, "Link's told me a lot about you before, like how you've known him since he was a baby when he grew up in Kokiri Forest!"

"Y-Yeah... something like that." Saria nodded as she was looking at the Zora princess' own light blue Gerudo outfit, she was starting to feel a little less self-conscious about her own clothes, though Ruto definitely wore hers much more beautifully as far as Saria was concerned, "I just did some looking after of him as he grew up is all..."

"Don't be so modest Saria, you did a lot for me, I don't know how I would had ended up if not for your encouragement." Link said with a small grin.

"And from what the girls tell me you've been doing well to look after him more nowadays." added Ruto, "With how much my dear husband gets himself into trouble, I feel a lot better knowing he's in your care, along with Nemisa and Aviel's!"

Nemisa's previous annoyance at the Zora in that moment lightened at those words, and the dancer chuckled lightly, knowing that Ruto had a knack for winning people over like that.

"Hey, I'm ain't a kid anymore." Link said flatly to his zora fiance.

"Oh believe me Link; Nemisa, Lady Nabooru and myself know that all too well!" Ruto giggled suggestively, causing Link to fault over and Saria to lower her head as she blushed a brighter red. Aviel giggled in response to Ruto's comment and even Nemisa couldn't help but snort a little at that.

"S-So what have you got for us today Nabooru?" Link asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Nothing really today..." Nabooru muttered, getting herself up and taking a light blue chu jelly capsule finally handed to her by a servant, putting it in some water, then gulping down the water after it broke down and fizzled, giving her some relief from her headache, "But I will say tomorrow we need to meet with the head bookkeeper of the Gerudo Library. She's currently our on an errand with her assistants to track down a book that Dr. Sarami needs for her research."

"Research on what?" Nemisa spoke up.

"It's in regards to the Hinox that attacked us over at the warp shrine. The power it used really bothered me, so I'm having Dr. Sarami examine it's remains we collected to see what could had made it behave that way." Nabooru said.

"Yeah, in my travels I've never battled a Hinox that acted like that before." Link pondered, "It was abnormally strong too, if it hadn't been for Togau I don't know what would had happened."

"Could it have been some type of dark magic curse?" Saria theorized

"I had Kesuta and Korume look into it, but they didn't sense any influence on it like magic, whatever the Hinox was strengthened by was something else, less mystical..." Nabooru muttered, before clapping her hands together and smiling, feeling a little better now that her headache was cleared up, "Anyway, there's nothing for you all to do until tomorrow, so feel free to enjoy the day for yourselves!"

"Alright! Let's go into town then!" Aviel cheered out. Having finished her breakfast, she quickly got up, grabbed Saria by the hand and said, "Come on Saria, let's show everyone in town your new outfit!"

"Ah, wait Aviel, I don't think I'm rea-!" Saria said frantically, but was cut off and yanked away by the energetic Gerudo girl.

"Hey, be careful with her Aviel, she's too small for that!" Nemsia shouted in annoyance as she followed after them.

"Come along husband, I'm in the mood to shop today and we could use our loyal pack-mule!" Ruto called out with a teasing giggle as she followed after the others as well.

"Ugh, she's not even being subtle about it anymore." Link sighed, getting himself up. He looked to see Nabooru walking off into the hallway, most likely towards her study. He pondered to himself and called out to her.

"Hey Nabooru, did you want to come along with us?" Link asked.

Nabooru stopped and stood motionless, before speaking up to Link, "It's okay, I have work to do. Maybe some other time."

"You seem like you have work to do every time." Link frowned, "Why don't you give yourself a break and hang out with us?"

"... ..." Nabooru just continued to stand motionless, before looking over her shoulder and smiling lightly, "I'll be fine, you all go enjoy yourselves, you've earned it for the hard work you do!" she said in a good-natured tone, as she started to go off on her way again.

"But you've earned it too..." Link said softly.

Nabooru seemed to stop momentarily, before continuing down the hall, either she didn't hear what Link said, or was just ignoring it. Link realized he was fighting a losing battle with Nabooru in that moment and just went off to go catch up with the others.

* * *

That morning was spent with Link and the group showing Saria around town more, introducing her to the citizens, and visiting the various shop around town. The girls took to the Kokiri quickly, though some kept thinking Saria was Link's daughter or something. The Gerudo children took to Saria very well, as they were encouraged by their mothers to be nice to kids outside of their tribe like she was. Saria herself truly started to feel like she belonged in Gerudo Town, and despite her initial embarrassment about her revealing outfit compared to her old Kokiri tunic, she found herself becoming more comfortable with it now.

Eventually Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and Ruto were all gathered for lunch at the diner. Saria hadn't had the chance to eat there yet and the group were anxious to have her try it out, Aviel in particular wanting to share some favorite shaved ice treat with her.

"Aaah... it's so sweet and refreshing..." Saria said blissfully after having taken a bite of cherry-syrup covered shaved ice, "I've never eaten something like this before!"

"Hee hee, Link said the same thing when I brought him here for the first time!" Aviel said grinning.

"Just don't eat it too fast." Link warned her, "You'll regret it."

"Regret it how?" Saria asked, taking a large bite of of the ice, and in that moment froze up, clutched her head and squealed out, "Eep! What's happening? My head hurts!"

"It's just brain freeze." sighed Nemisa rolling her eyes.

"Oh you poor dear." Ruto said, taking an equally large bite of her own shaved ice.

"Hey, how come you're not affected?" Aviel asked Ruto.

"Ohhohohoho, I'm cold-blooded, so ice doesn't bother me!" Ruto laughed.

"Lucky." Aviel said annoyed, taking a bite of her own ice, only to suddenly freeze up and clutch her head with a brain freeze of her own, "Kyyyaaa!"

"You'd think after all this time you'd learn to avoid that Aviel." Nemisa said, taking a bite of her own ice, accidentally crunching down on a large piece of uncut ice that was hidden in the bowl, and she herself screamed out with a brain freeze, "Grraaah! Damnit!"

Link just chuckled at the girls, seeing them all get along well and having so much fun together. He paused on that note and took the time to look out the window, focusing on the palace in the distance, thinking about a certain someone who was in there. This didn't go unnoticed by Nemisa, who decided to speak up to him about it after her brain freeze dulled down.

"Something the matter, Link?" Nemsia asked, rubbing her head.

"I think I just... kinda wanted to check up on Nabooru, would you girls mind if I went ahead back to the palace?" Link asked, putting the payment for their meals on the table, "I'll foot the bill in exchange for leaving early."

"If that's what you want. Do you want any of us to go with you?" Ruto asked.

"Nah, you all go ahead and enjoy yourselves, I'll meet up with you at the pool later today." Link said, getting up. Before he left, he placed a quick order at the sales counter, before taking it and leaving.

"...he really cares a lot about Lady Nabooru, doesn't he?" Saria said with a light smile after Link had left.

"Yeah, Link said he's known her since he was little, I can tell he feels really connected to her." Aviel nodded.

"Just like with me and Saria." giggled Ruto, "He had a way with women even as a cute little squirt!"

"He mentioned once that he came to meet Lady Nabooru when he went to the Spirit Temple on some kind of quest." Nemisa said, "She mentioned to me how she admired his bravery at coming out there even as a child."

"Yeah, we've tried asking him why he would go all the way out there, but he was pretty vague about it." Aviel said.

"The Spirit Temple...?" Saria spoke up, "Is that place anything like the Forest Temple in the Lost Woods?"

"That's right," Ruto said, "From what I was taught in my lessons as a child, the temples were created by ancient sages from eons ago to maintain the balance of the world, and are often used for the worship of our gods. For example the Water Temple in Lake Hylia which honors the water goddess Lophela."

"So like how the Spirit Temple honors the desert goddess Aifet then, gotcha." Aviel nodded.

Saria paused on that note and thought to herself, namely about what Aviel mentioned earlier about Link's apparent quest, and the dreams she used to have over seven years ago, 'What connection does Link have to those temples I wonder... did it have something to do with that trip he went on when he left the forest...?'

Her thoughts were cut off by Nemisa going back to the original subject they were speaking of.

"But yes, I can tell Link loves Lady Nabooru dearly..." Nemisa said, leaning forward and gazing out at the palace with a soft smile, "She claimed Link's virginity the night we all met, and was one who taught him how to love and pleasure women. She seems to work endlessly towards making him into a fine king for us all. She certainly made a great impact on his life, and he always works so hard to please her, it's clear she has a special place in his heart."

"Yes, much like he has with us, Nemisa-dear." Ruto said, gently putting a hand on Nemisa's wrist.

"H-Hey, don't get so touchy!" Nemisa turned a little red at the zora's touch, yanking her hand away and turned her head to the side.

"Aw, so shy." Ruto giggled softly.

Saria blushed lightly at the words Nemisa said before about what Nabooru had done for Link, her mind wandered to the idea of her best friend becoming a king and what he said before about selecting who would become his wives and having children with them. She then looked down at herself to see the Gerudo outfit she wore, remembering she herself was a member of Link's people now...

"So do you think he'll ask Lady Nabooru to become his wife too?" Aviel spoke up excitedly, "I'd love to see that, I bet he'd even pick her to be the Grand Queen of the Gerudo!"

"A grand queen...?" Saria asked, "What is that?"

"Well you see," Nemisa went ahead and explained it to Saria, "While the Gerudo King has multiple wives, and they're all considered queens of the people, the king makes it a point to pick out one of them to be his Grand Queen, who stands above the others in rank and she's usually by his side in political matters." she took a second to fold her arms and smirk confidently, "And frankly I couldn't think of any other Gerudo who would be a better fit for the position!"

"Yeah, Lady Nabooru has done so much for everyone!" Aviel said, "And Link really admires her passion, I have no doubt if she married him that he'd appoint her as his Grand Queen!"

"How fascinating, I'd be honored to stand beside her when I become the queen of the zora!" Ruto nodded, then added with a smug grin, "But I can assure you all I won't be outdone in bed by her, or any of my husband's other wives!"

"Is that a challenge I hear Princess Ruto...?" smirked Nemisa to the zora princess, "I'll have you know Link has been unable to keep his hands off me when you're not around."

"Oh really? Very well then..." Ruto said sternly, sticking her nose up, "You're on, my beloved sister."

"Yes, a battle of pleasure for our beloved king!" Nemisa said, doing a graceful spin and bow, before standing upright and clenching her fist and stomping her foot down, "I look forward to it!"

Saria and Aviel just watched as Nemisa and Ruto stared at each other with confident grins, the competitive auras of a mighty water dragon and a savage flaming tiger seemed to cast over the two.

"...looks like Link is going to have it rough later tonight..." Saria said sweatdropping.

"Yup." Aviel agreed.

* * *

Back at the palace Nabooru sat at her study, where countless papers were littering her desk. She was working on forms to fill out in regards to the Zora trade routes, as well as some approval forms for possible meetings with the Hylian Parliament to discuss the potential of abolishing the banishment law, or at the very least offering some more leniency on it for now.

She reached over and took a sip of tea, only to see it was empty. She sighed out in frustration, it was clear the stress of the work she was doing was getting to her. She contemplated calling out a servant to get her some more tea, but then recalled something else more enticing at that moment. She had another stash of wine bottles beneath her desk like she had in her bedroom, smuggled in from the royal wine room before they could lock it from her. Nabooru was about to reach down for a bottle when...

"Hey Nabooru, you need a hand?" spoke up a new voice, startling Nabooru. She turned to see Link standing there in the doorway as he walked up to her. She saw he was holding a tray with a tea kettle and a couple cups on it with one hand and a to-go diner bag in the other, he went ahead and poured her a new cup of tea for her without waiting for an answer. "I thought you might also be hungry, so I got you some food from the diner." he added, placing down the bag.

"Oh, t-thank you Link..." Nabooru said with a light smile, looking down at the tea and food he had brought her.

"So can I give you some help with this work or something?" Link asked, taking a piece of paper and reading it over.

"Oh no, I couldn't ask that." Nabooru said shaking her head, "It might be a bit too complicated for you."

"It's no problem, I'll just... um..." Link muttered, looking at the sheet of paper. He narrowed his eyes at the sheet, and turned it at an angle to see if he could get a better look at it. His face turned blank in confusion, and Nabooru could have sworn she saw steam starting to rise up from his head, "Uhhh... I can do this... I just need to... to..." He paused, and pointed to something on the sheet, "...Nabooru, what does this word mean...?"

"Link, that's just my signature." Nabooru said sweatdropping.

"O-oh..." Link muttered, putting the sheet down, looking mortified. It was clear he wasn't very familiar with this sort of thing and it was making his head hurt.

"...Link, why don't you go cool off in the pool or something?" Nabooru asked with concern, she knew Link was a smart person in many aspects, but he was much more street smart then book smart, and in the time he lived here with her and during their lessons, she came to understand this sort of thing was a bit much for him.

"No, no, I can do this!" Link said desperately, grabbing at a large stack of papers, "Just tell me what you need me to write then!" in his haste to grab the papers however, the stack started to tip over.

"Link, wait!" Nabooru exclaimed, lunging at the Hylian to get him to stop, "That stack is already-!"

The papers shifted, Nabooru suddenly collided into Link and the two tumbled over, while the papers fell downwards and scattered all over the two of them. Even the tea kettle got knocked down and broke upon hitting the ground, splashing water everywhere.

Link and Nabooru snapped out of their daze, realizing the two were hugging each other, but also saw papers everywhere, some of which were splashed by the water from the kettle. Nabooru paused, then slowly sat up, glaring down at Link, as the aura of a giant desert serpent staring down at him formed around the Gerudo leader.

"Uh... oops?" Link asked timidly.

* * *

"I'm so sorry Nabooru..." Link muttered, using a hand fan in an attempt to dry off the papers that got water on them.

"It's fine," Nabooru sighed, organizing the papers that had fallen onto the ground and making sure they weren't damaged, "You were just trying to help..."

The two of them continued to clean up in awkward silence; Link was unsure of what to say beyond his apologies, and Nabooru was feeling both frustrated at her friend yet guilty for snapping at him. It was very rare that the two ever fought, and they always both always felt bad for it afterwards, desperate to make up with each other.

Eventually the two finished their clean-up, and they stood looking over what they had completed.

"Well, at the very least my desk looks a little more organized then before, I think I actually have a little space now." Nabooru nodded, looking at the empty spot in front of her chair, "So when did you suddenly take an interest in my work like that?"

"Well it's not so much that, I just wanted to help you along, so you could finish and do something else..." Link said scratching his cheek, "You know... something that's _not_ work."

"Something else...?" Nabooru asked in curiosity, then after a second she realized what he might have meant and sported a small flirtatious grin, sweeping a hand through her hair, "So you're in that sort of mood then?" Usually when they did fight and apologize afterwards, it would led to them having make-up sex, and it seemed to Nabooru that's what Link was in the mood for.

"No, I didn't mean that, though that's always enjoyable." Link clarified, "What I mean is... um... what I want to do is... Geez, how do I say this...?" he pondered on that note, seeming to be trying to come up with the right words to say, while Nabooru looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mea-"

"Hey Link! Where are you?!" they suddenly heard Aviel shout from outside, "We're ready to go swimming!"

"I hear you Aviel, I'm coming!" Link called out, then looked to Nabooru, "You wanna join us?"

Nabooru paused on that note but shook her head, "...thank you Link, but I need to get back to my work." she said with a light smile, "You go on, okay? Your fiances are waiting for you."

"...alright." Link said with a nod as he sighed out in defeat, then went out to go meet up with Aviel.

"There you are Link!" Nabooru could hear Aviel shout from outside her study, "Now come on, Ruto picked out a cute swimsuit for Saria that she wants to show it off to you!"

"I didn't say that!" Nabooru could then hear Saria exclaim.

"Okay, I just need to go change into my swimtrun- gack!" Link exclaimed as he was being yanked away by Aviel, but she could then hear him shout out "I'll talk to you later Nabooru!"

"Alright then." Nabooru said with an amused chuckle, before sitting down and going back to her work. As she was signing some more paperwork for the Zora trade route, her stomach growled a bit. Nabooru paused and took a look at the lunch bag that Link had brought her earlier; it was probably already cold after they had spent so long organizing her documents, but she was indeed getting hungry.

She opened the bag and pulled out what was wrapped up in it; a steak sandwich with melted cheese and garlic seasoning, her favorite meal from the diner, and what she always ordered when she went there with Link.

Nabooru just smiled warmly, taking a bite of it. Despite how cold it was, it still tasted quite good, and she savored the taste of each bite. She decided to take a small break after all, but promised to herself that she'd get back to her work afterwards.

* * *

_**And that ends the first part of this new arc. I'm going to try and focus a little more on Link and Nabooru at this point onwards, as I feel I've focused a little too much on the others to the point where I neglected Nabooru herself. I still have plans for the others to get important new arcs and such, but Nabooru will start being more of a focal point now that the story is starting to head towards the main plot itself.**_

_**Thanks everyone for reading! Leave a like, follow or comment if you like, it's always a great encouragement for me!**_


	42. Riddles of Knowledge

_**Chapter 42 is finally here! This time, we introduce a new character to the plot, and some new challenges await our heroes!**_

* * *

"I don't recall ever being here before..." Link muttered, looking at a somewhat tall building in Gerudo Town, along with Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and Saria who were all standing before it.

It was the next day after Link and Nabooru's accident in the study, and the group had all gone out to the Gerudo Library to meet with the head master of the place.

Ruto herself had already gone home to Zora's Domain that morning. She and Nemisa had wound up spending the whole night with Link, taking turns trying to see who could get him the most turned on. By the end however, they wound up completely wearing him out and just declared it a tie.

"When the town first opened we had most of the literature kept in the palace for safekeeping, and it really only consisted of the important and sacred books to our people that we took from Gerudo Fortress after the war, though most of them are considered forbidden by our laws." Nabooru explained, "We eventually moved the literature to this building and made it open to the public so they could borrow books we've acquired through trade or treasure hunts. The forbidden ones in particular however we keep in a locked saferoom here."

"And this book Dr. Sarami needs is among the forbidden ones?" Link asked.

"Yes, she believes it might help her get more information towards the strange abilities of that Hinox." Nabooru nodded, "Normally we wouldn't do something like this, but that thing's power concerns me, and I trust Sarami to not misuse the information."

"How fascinating... an entire building of books?" Saria said with awe, "We Kokiri only ever learned basic reading material from the Great Deku Tree, but I'd love to see what you have here!"

"Why don't you check out a few books while we're here then?" Link said grinning, "If you want I can help you read the tougher ones."

"I'd like that." Saria nodded with a smile.

Aviel and Nemisa both looked to each other with knowing glances as they saw their king chatting with his childhood friend.

"Do you think...?" Nemisa whispered to Aviel.

"Yeah, I do." Aviel nodded with a big grin, "Would you be okay with it?"

"Certainly, I would trust her with his life, so it's only fitting." Nemisa replied with a smirk.

"She would be so happy too... more then she is now." Aviel said.

"What are you two talking about over there?" Link spoke up to the two.

"Nothing!" The two bodyguards said in unison with innocent smiles, leaving Link a little dubious.

Nabooru meanwhile opened the door to the library and the group went inside, taking a moment to look around; there were about ten rows of shelves filled to the brim with various books, scrolls and tomes, the shelves going up to nearly the ceiling of the building.

"Wooow... there are so many books..." Aviel said looking upwards, getting a little dizzy just from looking, before she fell backwards from it.

"Sister Gutola, are you here right now? We're come for the book I asked you to retrieve for us!" Nabooru called out.

There was no response, just silence in the vast library.

"Maybe she's not here yet?" Saria theorized.

But it was then they heard a small little unfamiliar voice coming from somewhere.

"um... h-hi lady nabooru!"

"Strange, that didn't sound like the head master of the library..." Nabooru paused, then called out as she looked around, "We can't see you, where are you at?"

"b-back here!"

The group followed the woman's words towards the back of the library where they saw a bookshelf had fallen over and there were books scattered around everywhere.

"Jees, what a mess." Nemisa said looking around, then kneeling down to pick up a book, "These girls need to keep these things in better condition."

"Hey Ms. Librarian 'Head Master'!" Nabooru shouted out, clearly angry and annoyed at the library staff's neglectfulness, "Where the hell are you and your assistants? Have you seen this clutter everywhere?!"

"um... i'm down here..." muttered the small voice, and everyone looked down at the pile of books, with a hand sticking out from under the pile, "i'm kinda stuck... can you possibly help me out?" a voice called out from the books.

"She's trapped in that pile?!" Link shouted in shock.

"We need to help her!" Saria exclaimed frantically.

The rest of the group nodded and quickly went to work trying to free the girl; Nabooru, Aviel and Saria gathering up books to move out of the way while Link and Nemisa worked to move the bookshelf back to an upright position.

* * *

Eventually everyone had fixed up the shelves and books, and they got to meet the girl they just saved from the pile. The first thing Link noticed about her was that she was a Hylian, more then likely a half-blood Gerudo one; as she had pale skin and pointy ears. She had long light brown hair, and wore a traditional Gerudo silk wear in a light purple. The most unusual thing about her though was she wore a bright yellow bunny hood on her head, which looked somewhat familiar to Link.

"T-Thank you all!" stammered the girl, bowing at the waist, "I was trying to get a book from the shelf and the whole thing just tumbled over on top of me, I thought I would die before I made my debut!"

'Made her debut...?' Link thought to himself in confusion.

"It's no problem, we're just glad to see you're okay." Nabooru nodded.

"Oh wow... it's really you, Lady Nabooru... I admire you so much!" the girl said covering her eyes with her bunny hood ears, before letting go of them and straightening herself out, "Oh, forgive my manners, let me introduce myself! My name is Halei, an assistant to the library head master Gutola. It's a pleasure to finally meet both you and King Link!"

"Likewise." Link said waving his hand, "You can just call me Link. I'm honestly surprised we haven't met yet."

"Um, yes, I'm usually spending my days helping out in the library, or I'm out on assignments with Gutola to acquire new literature. It's not like I just suddenly appeared into existence to suit the events going on at the moment or anything!" Halei suddenly said in a panicky tone.

"What is she talking about...?" Saria whispered to Link.

"Beats me." Link whispered back, before speaking out loud, "So you're a half-Hylian?"

"Yes, I only just came to live here recently." Halei nodded, "I was a bit worried about living with the Gerudo because of their reputation with Hyrule... But everyone turned out to be very nice and accommodating for me here, I even got this job at the library."

"Well I'm glad to see you're taking to things well." Link nodded, though feeling a tinge of guilt still over his responsibility in the banishment, "I'm not officially king yet, but you just let me know if you need any help getting comfortable here."

"T-Thank you..." Halei stammered, obviously way too shy to look directly at him and Nabooru.

"So Halei, I wanted to get that book we discussed to the head master about before." Nabooru then brought up, "Sister Gutola was supposed to prepare it for us to hand over to Dr. Sarami."

"Oh yes, I know what you're talking about, and it's such an extraordinary tome!" Halei said suddenly with wide sparkling eyes, "While written in ancient text, it translates to 'Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts' and written by the ancient Gerudo people thousands of years ago during the birth of Hyrule! It's a hard back book, approximately ten inches wide and twelve inches in height, and five hundred and sixty eight pages long, and is said to document many forms of advanced alchemy science!"

"You... certainly got a knack for literature." Saria said sweatdropping.

"Oh..." Halei seemed to snap out of her enthusiasm, then turned her head away blushing bight red, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to outburst like that. It's just when I talk about books, I get all excited... it's like a defining character trait for me. I'd love to take the time to just sit down and read through the whole thing cover-to-cover, but the head master says it's considered forbidden reading material here in the library..."

"That's normally the case, but we believe it might give us information on a monster that attacked us recently, so we're making an exception for this." Nabooru said, "So if you just hand it to us we'll be on our way."

"We don't have it." Halei answered pointblank.

Everyone else promptly and collectively faulted to the ground.

"Why the hell not?!" exclaimed Nemisa in frustration.

"W-Well, me and the staff have spent the past few days going through the shelves... but we couldn't find it anywhere. We even consulted the list of checked-out books in case one of the staff lent it out on accident. After consulting our records, Gutola believes it must have been stolen sometime ago, and she's currently out investigating the theft." Halei sighed, before clapping her hands together outwards and bowing her head, "I'm so sorry we failed you Lady Nabooru!"

"Swell." sighed Nabooru rolling her eyes, "Were any other books stolen?"

"That's the strange thing... it was the only book missing." Halei said in thought.

"I wonder who would have stolen it?" Link pondered, "Sarami's really the only one here in town who would have any actual use for it."

"So what do we do then?" Aviel asked.

"Would there happen to be another copy we could acquire anywhere?" Nabooru asked.

"Actually yes, the head master consulted some sources, and says there might be a copy of it at the ancient Gerudo Hall of Knowledge." Halei said.

"The Hall of Knowledge?!" Nabooru exclaimed, "That old place?!"

"What's that exactly?" Aviel asked, "Is it any different from here?"

"It's an old temple in the far north, beyond the Spirit Temple, and was said to contain books and documents from ancient times that date back thousands of years ago." Nabooru explained.

"Then from what Halei told us about the book, it sounds like a place to check." Link said.

"Very well, we'll see about rallying some more troops and head out there soon." Nabooru nodded, "Thank you for your help Halei."

"Oh, course, and thank you for helping me as well Lady Nabooru." Halei said bowing, "I'd do anything for you after what you've done for me to settle in here."

"Alright team, let's go then!" Nabooru said. The group bid Halei goodbye, but she paused and watched them as they were walking out, before holding a hand to her chest and speaking out.

"L-Lady Nabooru!"

The group stopped and looked to Halei, who became a bit intimidated at the stare-down, but she forced herself to speak up, "Could... I p-possibly go with you to help?" she asked, fiddling with her fingers, "I feel bad for not being able to just give the book over to you..."

"I don't know..." Nabooru said, "You were almost done in by a pile of books just now."

Saria stared at Halei, before nodding to herself, "It'll be okay Lady Nabooru, I'm sure she'll be a good help, and I can protect her!"

"Yeah, same here." Link nodded.

Nabooru paused, before nodding herself, "...that sounds fine I guess, you'd have a better idea of what we're looking for anyway."

"T-Thank you, I'll do my best for you all!" Halei said, bowing her head.

* * *

The group later that day found themselves standing before the Hall of Knowledge after having journeyed past the Desert Colossus where the Spirit Temple was. It was a pretty large place with statues of an unknown woman surrounding the four corners of the building, and at the center was a giant statue of that same woman holding a giant stone stab that had been made into the likeness of a book.

Along for the trip was a few extra troops, as well as Reirousa, Link's dear friend, head of the Sandstorm Viper gang, and the current training commander of the Gerudo army. She stood alongside the group with her Bombos Warhammer resting on her shoulders and gazed up at the building.

"Thanks for coming along with us Reirousa. Since we don't know what to expect inside, we figured we could use some extra help." Link said.

"Uh, no problem Link..." Reirousa muttered, rubbing the back of her neck, "I'm not really into books 'n stuff, but I'm glad to be along for any heavy-lifting."

"Ha ha, I know what that's like." chuckled Link, remembering how he had been Ruto's shopping mule the previous day.

The group walked up the stairs to the entrance and took a look at the statue in front of the temple, and the book-shaped slab it was holding with strange writing, and large button to stand on in front of it.

"So who's the statue?" Reirousa asked.

"I believe that's Efaeme, the Gerudo goddess of knowledge." Nabooru said, "She believes knowledge is meant to be recorded and preserved, but understands the dangers of allowing just anyone to use it, that's why so many of those books we store in the library are considered forbidden by Gerudo law."

"Yes, we usually keep all the forbidden books in a hidden place in the library. We're still not sure how anyone could have gotten in there to get the alchemy book, as only the head master should have the key to get inside..." Halei said, lost in thought.

"Maybe someone stole the key and returned it without the head master knowing?" Aviel asked.

"It's possible that could be it... though I don't know how they'd steal it from under Ms. Gutola.." Halei pondered.

"Or maybe... the one in charge of the library took it herself?" Reirousa then brought up.

The group paused in shock at that idea, at a loss for words, until one spoke up.

"D-Don't say that!" snapped Halei suddenly, "There's no way Ms. Gutola would had done something like that!"

Reirousa flinched a little from Halei's outburst, contemplating what she said. The tall woman's intimidating glare, as unintended as it was, spooked Halei and she hid behind Nabooru, and it was then Reirousa sighed out.

"Uh, sorry... I was just rambling..." Reirousa said, mortified she was still scaring people just by looking at them.

"Well I don't like to think about the idea that the head master of the library would do that or why, but the possibility still exists..." Nabooru muttered.

"Maybe for now we should just concentrate on getting the other copy in here." Link said to keep the conversation from getting too ugly, as he saw how upset Halei was.

"Good thinking, but how do we get inside?" Saria asked.

The group just stared up at the temple to find an opening, but saw nothing, no door or wide enough windows anywhere.

"Weird, shouldn't there be a way in?" Aviel asked looking around with her goggles, "There's some windows, but they look too small for even me or Saria to squeeze through."

"Looks like this slab might be a door of some kind." Nemisa said, "I presume this switch here opens the door?"

She went ahead and stepped down on the foot switch, and the statue's eyes suddenly seemed to glow. Everyone stood in silence to see what was going on, but after a while saw there was nothing. Nemisa eventually stepped off the switch and stared back up at the statue, who's eyes stopped glowing.

"Strange... if it doesn't open the door, then what does?" she muttered.

"Maybe we should read what's on the slab, it might be a hint of some sort." Link said looking the slab over, "What kind of writing is this? I don't recognize it from anywhere in Gerudo Town."

"I believe it's ancient Gerudo text, though I'm not too familiar with it myself..." Nabooru said observing it as well.

"Oh! Allow me to do this." Halei spoke up, walking up to the slab and inspecting the letters. She then pulled out a book she had in a handbag hanging off her shoulder and consulted it.

"What do you have there?" Aviel asked, peeking at the book, but unable to read half the words in it.

"The Book of Mudora, a translation guide for ancient Hylian and Gerudo writing." Halei explained flipping through the pages, "It's not one hundred percent accurate because of how old the text is, but I think I can get a general idea of what it's saying..."

"Very well, good luck." Nabooru nodded, pleased that Halei came along after all.

It took some time, as Halei flipped through the pages, looking over each word on the slab and comparing it to what was in the book, before she finally spoke up.

"Okay, so it says, _'To those whom may seek wisdom of the yeast, one must decipher the griddles of each shoe of knowledge, only then shall the excretes of chime be made known'_."

Everyone stood there blankly as Halei just stared at the book herself.

"What... the hell does that mean?" Reirousa asked, "Am I just slow to hear what she said?"

"No Reirousa, it just makes no sense whatsoever." Nabooru said flatly.

"You sure you're reading that thing right Halei?" Link asked.

"I-I'm sorry! I said the translation isn't completely accurate..." Halei said, looking like she was about to cry, causing the others to shut up and allow her to get back to reading.

"Um... okay, I think what it means is if we're trying to seek wisdom for the past, that we have to decipher the riddles of each slab of knowledge, and only then shall the secrets of time be made known." Halei clarified.

"That makes a lot more sense." Reirousa said with relief.

"Very well, go on then." Nabooru nodded.

"Of course Lady Nabooru." Halei said as she continued to look over the inscription and compare it to the book, "_To answer the riddle, stand on the... bitch in front of the slab and... um, speak out to the hotness?_"

"...I think they mean stand on the switch and speak to the goddess." Nemisa said.

"Ah, yes... that makes more sense." Halei said embarrassingly.

"Okay, so what's the riddle?" Saria asked, looking up at the slab.

"Let's see... the wording written on this slab is..."

"Be careful with your translation this time!" Nabooru pointed out.

"R-Right!" nodded Halei, as she read it off to the group.

'_There is a house. One enters it blind and comes out seeing. What is it?'_

_Everyone paused and contemplated the words. Aviel in particular folded her arms, closed her eyes tightly and swayed her head left and right._

_"Maybe... a hospital?" Aviel asked opening an eye, "One that could do medicine on your eyes to cure being blind?"_

_"A house isn't a hospital, and Dr. Sarami's a genius, but I don't think even she could cure someone's blindness." Nemisa said._

_Nabooru paused, thinking deeply about what the riddle could be. As she thought about the part about being blind, she flinched a little, as her thoughts drifted to a distant memory of someone putting a hand on her shoulder, speaking with a sincere smile that made her the happiest she had been in so long..._

_"You okay Nabooru?" Link spoke up, putting a hand to her arm._

_"Y-Yes... I'm fine..." sighed Nabooru._

_"I don't know about that... you look a little tense, need a shoulder massage?" he proposed, "You've been doing pretty good to teach me in that."_

_"No, no, it's okay, maybe later. I just need to-" that's when it hit Nabooru, "Wait... teach?" she then slammed her fist into her palm, "I got it!"_

_Everyone watched as Nabooru then walked up onto the switch to press down on it, causing the statue to shift a bit, and the eyes of it gave off a glow, leaving the group to assume it was ready to hear the answer. Nabooru took a deep breath, and spoke out to the statue._

_"The answer is a 'schoolhouse'!"_

_After a few seconds, the eyes glew brightly and the slab shifted as dust fell down around it. The statue lifted it up into the air, revealing a passage inside the temple._

_"Hey nice work!" Link exclaimed, "Come on, let's head in and get that book."_

_"So how did you figure out the answer Lad Nabooru?" Halei asked Nabooru as the group started to head in, Aviel and Nemisa taking up the front to make sure everything was safe inside._

_"Well when the riddle said 'blind', it meant one who's lacking in knowledge, and the schoolhouse allows you to 'see', which referred to gaining that knowledge!" Nabooru explained._

_"T-That's amazing!" Halei said with wide sparkling eyes._

_"As expected of Nabooru!" chuckled Link, "That brain of yours is one of the things I admire so much about you."_

_"T-Thank you..." Nabooru said, a little embarrassed by Link's words. This didn't go unnoticed by Halei, who looked back and forth between the two of them, then bore the slightest of smiles, while Aviel, Nemisa and Saria all looked to each other and nodded._

_The group continued on through the door and into a narrow hallway, and soon arrived in a small room with a replica of the statue outside holding a slab like the one they entered the temple through, and had a foot switch as well._

_"Looks like we indeed have more riddles to pass." Nabooru said._

"Okay, allow me to read it..." Halei cleared her throat and spoke the riddle out-loud by consulting her book word-by-word, once again making sure not to mispronounce anything.

_"There was a green house. Inside the green house there was a white house. Inside the white house there was a red house. Inside the red house there were lots of babies." _

"Another house related one? How original." Link said sarcastically, as the group went into thought.

"Umm... is it... Nemisa?" Aviel spoke up, only to be bonked upside the head by her fellow bodyguard.

"What does any of that have to do with me, I'm not even pregnant!" Nemisa exclaimed.

"Do you think it's one of those little doll things? Like the doll within a doll within a doll?" Saria pondered, "What do they call those again...?"

"I think you mean a matryoshka doll." Link said, "I admit it sounds plasable..."

"Maybe, but then what would the 'lots of babies' refer to though?" Nabooru pondered.

"Uh, could I try?" spoke up a voice.

Everyone turned to see Reirousa standing there, looking a bit awkward from the stares.

"Do you think you know what it is?" Nabooru asked.

"I think so..." Reirousa said, licking her lips a bit before nodding with confidence, "In fact I'm sure of it!"

"Okay, give it a shot." nodded Link, stepping out of her way.

Reirousa nodded and slowly walked up, stepping down on the switch in front of the slab, then looking up at the Goddess Efaeme statue's glowing eyes.

"The answer is a 'hydromelon'!" Reirousa spoke out.

With that the slab shifted and rose up, revealing another pathway deeper into the temple, indicating she was right.

"She did it!" Saria said in shock.

"Alright, nice work Reirousa!" Link nodded, as the group continued on.

"So how did you figure that answer out?" Aviel asked Reirousa, hopping around the muscular woman as she herself was walking slowly along.

"Well hydromelons got green skin, that white layer under it, and then all the red juicy stuff inside... and the seeds are like baby hydromelons... so uh, yeah."

"I gotta say, not bad Reirousa, I'm impressed." Nemisa said.

"Uh, it's no big deal or anythin', I just really like to eat those things. Back when I was living in Gerudo Wastes with the Vipers we had to stick to what we could salvage or steal, so it was pretty nice when I tried a hydromelon for the first time after coming to town." Reirousa explained.

"Oooh... so is that what the produce farmers were talking about when they said they stepped up their hydromelon production by request of the war barracks...?" Nabooru spoke up with a smirk.

"That... um... I... SHAD UP!" shouted Reirousa in embarrassment, causing the others to laugh.

The group continued on through the hall, it was another straight and narrow corridor like the last one. They soon arrived in another small room with another statue and slab with a stepping switch.

"Jees, another riddle." Aviel said, "I don't get this place, if people are smart enough to answer all these riddles, then they wouldn't need access to the knowledge here!"

"Maybe that's part of the point." Saria commented, "Maybe the Goddess Efaeme believes those who are smart enough to solve these riddles would have the common sense not to misuse it."

"That's a good assumption." nodded Nabooru, "You're quickly getting a good understanding of our people Saria."

"Thanks." Saria blushed.

"Wait, there's something different on this one." Halei spoke up, reading off what was written on the slab, "_This is the final test of the Hall of Knowledge, those who lack the wisdom to progress will find themselves deemed intruders and thrown out by the hands of darkness, and banished from this temple for eternity_."

"Hands of darkness... I'm willing to bet this place must have Wallmasters hiding around here then." Link groaned, recalling the horrific hand creatures that were known for grabbing people and taking them out of dungeons. He looked up and saw in this particular room there was no ceiling, and nothing but darkness above, making him think his guess wasn't too far off.

"I'll get started on the riddle itself." Halei spoke nervously from hearing Link's words, as she consulted the Book of Mudora.

_"I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all.  
To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball." _

"I.. uh... what." Aviel said blankly, as steam rose up from her head, and she started staggering around dizzy.

"Someone solve this riddle quickly, I think Aviel's brain is starting to malfunction." Nemisa said.

"I can sympathize." Link said, recalling back when he tried to help Nabooru with her paperwork.

"So anyone have any ideas?" Nemisa asked with a shiver, "I don't exactly want to be grabbed and thrown out of here by one of those creatures."

"Well the terrestrial ball is obviously the Earth itself." Nabooru pondered, "The rest of it is rather vague though, could it be referring to a person, or possibly a thing...?"

"Maybe it's a goddess like Efaeme herself?" Aviel asked, "They don't go out of their way to personally meet with us mortals."

"But it says _'I never was,'_ implying whoever this is has never existed." Saria said.

"Then who or what would bring confidence to all people if it can't come to be?" Nemisa asked.

Link paused, staring up at the statue, when a thought occurred to him.

"Hold on guys, I think I have it." Link said, walking slowly up and stepping on the switch to make the eyes of the statue glow.

"Be careful Link, you know what will happen if we're wrong." Nabooru warned him, but he turned his head to Nabooru and she could see the confident look in his eyes.

"Don't worry, I got it." Link grinned, and the others all nodded to return his confidence.

Link looked up to the statue and closed his eyes, thinking back to his past memories, those of some of his closest friends from throughout his childhood, until one particular memory of a beautiful woman with blond hair and draped in an elegant dress, as she held a blue ocarina in her hands. She spoke to him and smiled gently as she put the ocarina to her lips and played it...

"The answer is... 'Tomorrow'." Link said with a light smile, opening his eyes and gazing up at the slab.

It seemed nothing was happening, and the group were nervous about if they were going to thrown out the temple by the Wallmasters.

However, after a few seconds the statue's eyes gave off a bright glow, the slab shifted and slowly slid open, allowing the group to enter the final wing of the Hall of Knowledge, where the book they were searching for was said to be held.

"Way to go Link!" Aviel cheered out, rushing forward and hugging him tightly with her bird wings.

"Nice work! We finally got access to the main area!" Nabooru said with a wide smile, peering through the doorway to see shelves and shelves of books.

"That riddle was actually rather beautiful in a sense" Halei said smiling, "What made you think of that answer?"

Link stayed silent, confusing the others, until he finally spoke up.

"Let's just say I had inspiration from another time." Link said, "Come on, let's go get that book!"

And with that, the group all went through the final door and into the Hall of Knowledge.

* * *

_**And that ends the arc for now, next time the group investigate the Hall of Knowledge for what they seek, but might end up finding something else! Stay tuned!**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you desire, your feedback is always welcome!**_


	43. Learning Experience

_**Next chapter, this time our heroes have entered the Hall of Knowledge, but what secrets await them there, and will the knowledge they find there truly just come from books...?**_

* * *

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Reirousa, Halei and the backup guards all made their way into the room that had previously been sealed off by the last riddle that Link solved. They all stood in awe of the place; while the Gerudo Library was quite large enough and filled with many forms of literature, the Hall of Knowledge made it look like a market magazine rack. The shelves went up high into the air, and each of halls stretched out as far as they could see.

"Oh wow..." Aviel muttered, looking up so high she staggered backwards, but was caught by Link because she could fall down.

"There's so many books here..." Halei said longingly with sparkling eyes, "I could spend my whole life here..."

"It's a shame we have to just get one then." Nabooru said, snapping Halei out of her trance, "We need to find the book, 'Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts' as soon as we can so Dr. Sarami can find out what was going on with that savage Hinox."

"Ah... yes..." Halei said with a small pout.

The group went to looking over the shelves, consulting what information Halei could give them to make finding the book they needed faster.

"Is this one it?" Aviel asked, holding up a tome to Halei, who was currently sitting at a table to check over her notes and the various books brought to her.

"No, that's a copy of Roads of Ikana, n historical piece about the rules of the distant valley of the Ikana and the battle of-"

"Okay, okay, I'll go find another one!" Aviel said, throwing the book away as she went running off, leaving Halei to quickly catching the book to preserve it.

"H-Hey, be careful!" Halei shouted to the bird girl, but she didn't seem to hear it as she went back to searching.

"How about this one...?" Saria asked, holding it up to Halei.

"Ah no." Halei said, taking the book and flipping it over, revealing Saria had been holding it upside down, "This is a light novel on the expedition of the frog prince Richard."

"Oops." Saria said sweatdropping, "Sorry, I can't read Gerudo text very well."

"Are any of these it?" Reirousa asked, walking up to Halei and Saria while holding a stack of twenty seven books effortlessly.

"Don't carry them like that, they'll get damaged!" Halei exclaimed.

"I think these are already pretty damaged as they are." Nabooru spoke up, pulling a book from a shelf and opening it, only for the pages to fall out in tattered shreds.

"You'd think this place would had been designed to make these books last." Link muttered.

"No..." muttered Halei, examining a book Reirousa had given her, "The shelves are expertly designed... and this interior should have protected them from wear and tear... But the damage these books have experienced look more... recent." she ran a hand along one of the pages of the book.

"You're saying someone might have come here before us recently?" Nemisa asked.

"Perhaps." nodded Halei.

"Maybe it was bandits?" Link asked, "We've had our share of thieves trying to steal Gerudo treasures in the past."

"It's a possibility, though if it was I'm surprised they were able to get past the riddles at the entrance." Nabooru pondered.

Meanwhile Aviel was rummaging through some books, she found one in particular and went running over to Halei, "Wait, I think I might have found it!"

"Oh! Let me see..." Halei said looking it over, "No, this is just a cookbook."

"Well, a cookbook is kind of like alchemy, right?" Link pointed out with a cheeky grin.

"Yes, but a lot more dangerous." Nemisa said, taking the cookbook from Aviel and reading it herself.

"I dunno about that, remember that time Togau tried to make stew for Link and it-" Aviel spoke up.

"Don't talk about that again, the servants were scrapping food off the ceiling of the palace for a week after that." Nemisa said annoyed.

"Speaking of cooking, I'm starting to get hungry." Saria said, pulling out a lunch box from her traveler's bag "Maybe we should all take a break to eat?"

"Sounds good to me." Nabooru nodded, "We'll continue searching afterwards."

* * *

The group had sat themselves down at a long table to eat their lunches they all had brought for the trip. Most of the group's meals consisted of food prepared by the palace cooks, though some of them like Aviel and Reirousa had brought takeout from the diner Sovan worked at. Halei herself though was just nibbling on some rice crackers while she was consulting the books the others had recovered.

"Is that all you're eating?" Nabooru asked Halei.

"Y-Yes, I'm not too hungry." Halei said, only for her stomach to give off a growl.

"You sure about that?" Nabooru raised a skeptic eyebrow.

"Um..." Halei didn't say anything else, but just buried her face into a book to hide her embarrassment.

"Here, why don't you eat up?" Link said, taking a small portion of his lunch and handing it to Halei.

"B-But I couldn't accept that... I mean, you're the King of the Gerudo... I'm just a commoner of the town an-" Halei stammered nervously, but her stomach growled again in protest of her refusal.

"Don't worry about it. I may become your king soon, but I don't want you to treat me differently then anyone else. You're doing a lot for us by coming out here, so enjoy the little pleasure in life." Link said with a grin.

"... ...okay, thank you," Halei said, sporting a small smile as she took a bit of the food portion Link gave her, though she seemed somewhat distant as well, "It's really good..."

"So I've been meaning to ask, but where did you get that cute hat, Halei?" Aviel spoke up, deciding it was a good time at that moment to bring up her bunny hood.

"Um, well... it was a gift..." Halei muttered, rubbing her hood's ear absentmindedly while she tried to think of the right words to say.

"It looks familiar, I think I remember Link wearing something like that once before himself..." Saria pondered with a small smile.

Link flinched a bit with a light blush on his cheeks, while the other girls perked up with big grins on their faces.

"Oh really?" snickered Nemisa, "Please, do tell us the information Saria."

"It was back when he was on his quest as a child. He came up to me one day wearing a hood like that, asking if I was interesting in buying it!" Saria giggled, "He looked really cute wearing it too!"

"Aw, I wish I could have been there to see that!" Aviel said.

"Would you let us borrow that hood for a second, Halei? I wanna test something." Nabooru said with a snicker as she looked to Link.

"I, um... don't really like taking it off..." Halei said embarrassingly.

"Yeah, how about no!" Link exclaimed. He then sighed and rolled his eyes, "You remember what I said before about being a traveling salesman for that mask-selling friend of mine?" he asked, referring to back when Togau had been transformed by a Lynel mask, "He hired me go out and sell that bunny hood to anyone willing to buy it."

Halei's eyes lit up when she heard Link's words.

"I wound up selling it to this one guy who runs around Hyrule Field all day, and for some reason he was overjoyed to have a mask like that, never really figured out why." Link continued, scratching his cheek.

"T-That..."

It was then everyone looked to Halei, whose head was lowered. The ears of her hood were hanging down over her eyes, but it was clear some tears were starting to fall from her face.

"Halei...?" Saria spoke up, "What's wrong?"

"That must have been my father..." Halei said softly.

"Your father...?" Link asked.

"Um, yes..." Halei trembled, "My father is a very energetic man, and he works as a traveling postman for Hyrule. Since I was little growing up in a Hyrule village, I've always loved rabbits, but mom is allergic to them, so I could never have one of my own. Father gave this bunny hood to me as a birthday gift just before... before..." she reached up and rubbed the ear of the headpiece, trying to force herself to speak up.

"...you were exiled." Nabooru instead finished for her upon realization of where she was getting at.

Halei simply nodded.

Link was pretty surprised to hear this news, it now made sense to him why that running guy would be so enthusiastic to get the bunny hood, and how much he had been willing to pay Link for it. Link could tell he had definitely been a good father to Halei, and found himself taking that moment to think about how important a father's love for their child could have on them...

"You going to be okay...?" Aviel asked sympathetically, putting a hand to Halei's arm.

"Maybe it'd help you feel better if ya told us a little more bout yourself?" Reirousa proposed.

"Yes, since you're still relevantly new to our people, I'd like to hear it too." Nabooru nodded.

"O-Okay, it's probably not as tragic or epic as you expect from the backstories of others... but I'll tell you..." Halei said, gulping a bit, feeling more nervous at everyone looking to her.

"My mother met my father while vacationing in the country of Fargent, and after I was born we lived there for my early years," she started, "We eventually decided to move to Hyrule just about ten years ago, where Father took a job as a postman. Unfortunately it wasn't too long after that until the Hylian vs Gerudo war. We couldn't make the attempt to move back to Fargent without getting caught by the immigration patrol, so we hid out in the village for seven years." Halei explained.

"But why wouldn't they just let you leave for Fargent then?" Aviel asked.

"From what I recall, the banishment law also forbids Gerudo from moving to other countries, it was to keep our people from staging foreign revolts against Hyrule." Nabooru explained.

"Fargent... isn't that the country you mentioned before?" Link asked, "The one whose prince is engaged to Princess Zelda?"

"That's right." nodded Nabooru, "Last I heard she's set to marry the prince in about two months from now."

"I see..." Link said, lost in thought on that.

"Did you have much trouble staying at the village after the law went into effect Ms. Halei?" Saria asked.

"No, the people in the village were quite nice, and despite the Gerudo Banishment Law they covered for us. But unfortunately a traveler eventually spotted Mother and reported her to them, and the two of us were forced to move here to Gerudo Valley." Halei sighed, taking a moment to rub at the ears of her bunny hood, "Father tried to help defend us, but he was powerless to do anything..."

"Oh, that's so sad..." Aviel said with sympathetic eyes.

"I-I'm sorry to hear that..." Link said, his guilt creeped back to haunt him at that moment, after what had happened to not just the Gerudo, but the half-bloods like Halei as well due to him having Ganondorf captured, and the idea of a kind father like the running man being separated from his daughter tore at him further.

This didn't go unnoticed by Nabooru, Saria and Reirousa, the only ones who knew about his involvement in Ganondorf's capture and they looked to him with sympathetic eyes, Saria put he hand on Link's and squeezed it to help reassure him.

"Damn Hylian mongrels..." Nemisa scowled, "They have a lot to answer for when Link and Nabooru meet with them for a peace treaty." She was pulling on an already ruined book, and managed to tear it in half with her bare hands.

"Just promise me you won't go punching any of them." Link said to his fiance while sweatdropping.

"It's alright..." Halei said smiling faintly, "It's been about half a year now, and I've gotten used to it. The Gerudo have been really accommodating for me, and I was even able to get my job at the library." she turned to Nabooru and smiled, doing a slight bow of the head, I owe you so much for welcoming me into your town, Lady Nabooru."

"It's quite fine..." Nabooru nodded with a light smile, "You're our dear sister now, and we'd never turn our backs on you."

Link smiled as he looked to Nabooru, the kind, mature gaze she gave Halei, and the sincere tone when she spoke to assure the girl of her place with them. It reminded him of when she welcomed himself into the town, and it made him think more about another matter he wanted to talk about with her...

"Yeah, we're honored to have you here supporting us." Link then added with a nod of his own.

"Thank you King Link..." Halei said, looking down at the food he had given her, "I was really surprised to see the new Gerudo King turned out to be a Hylian male, but you seem like a good, kind person... and quite handsome!" she paused for a second before turning and covering her face, "Oh goddesses, what am I saying?!"

"Ah, thanks...?" Link said with a light blush.

"That's you Link, ever the charmer of women's hearts." smirked Nabooru.

"So would you like to become one of Link's wives then?" Aviel brought up all of a sudden, causing everyone else to fault over from how blunt she was about it.

"Meep!" exclaimed Halei in shock of what Aviel asked, causing her to fall over out of her seat, and the books she had been working with to fall on top of her.

"I think I understand her accident back at the library now..." Nabooru said sweatdropping.

"Um, I'm not so sure about the idea of something like that..." Halei said, slowly getting up with a small whimper, "I-I don't really like the idea of joining the king's harem or anything... I'm... um, more of a traditionalist in terms of marriage, and someday I'd like to..." she nibbled at her finger a little nervously, "...meet a man who I can just love for myself."

"That's fine, I hope someday you can." Link nodded, "We're going to do whatever we can to make that peace treaty happen so you can do as you desire."

"Thank you... you're all so kind." Halei said bowing, "I hope not too cause all of you too much trouble in the future, don't think of me as a major part of your lvies, but maybe a.. um, more supporting role then anything."

"I still don't get what she's talking about." Link muttered sweatdropping.

As the others went back to their meals, Halei looked back down at the remains of the food Link had given her, and she sighed lightly with a sad look in her eyes.

'Would they be so kind to me If they knew the truth...?' she thought to herself.

* * *

Sometime after their lunch, the group went back to searching the archives for the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book they were seeking, but even with their numbers, they weren't having much luck. Aviel tried searching the top rack using her wings, while Reirousa used her strength to move loose shelves around to clear the way.

"Ugh... all this searching and still nothing." muttered Nemisa, flipping through one book.

"Don't give up, we'll find it soon." Link said.

"Perhaps, though I just still left wondering how the book was stolen in the first place." she muttered, "Do you think Reirousa might be right about the library head master being the thief?"

"I can't deny it's possible, though I don't like to think about someone inside the town being a mole for the rebellion. If I'm going to become a proper king for everyone, I want be able to fully trust them." Link sighed.

"That sounds like a great deal of pressure to put on yourself, my love." Nemisa said, "I mean, just about everyone has their own secrets, you know that from me..." she said, looking down at her wrist with the scar Jayde gave her on it, "And I'm sure you have your own secrets you would prefer to keep to yourself, not that I would judge you for it, of course."

"Y-Yeah..." Link said looking down, as he reflected on what he hadn't told Nemisa or the other Gerudo about yet, namely his involvement in Ganondorf's arrest which led to the war, or what he had done in the dark future...

"Just because you're going to be our king doesn't mean you have shoulder the burden of everything on yourself, we'll all be here for you." Nemisa smiled lightly.

"Thanks." Link nodded as he reflected on what Nemisa said. He was really impresed at how much Nemisa had changed over the time he had known her, or more likely she was always like that on the inside, and it was just coming out now after she had moved past her regrets.

Link paused on that note and thought back to a time from his past, back when he was still very young.

He stood with his sword out, protecting someone in a war-torn village from a group of monsters, who all jumped at him. He fought them off as hard as he could, though their numbers were getting too much for him. Then one monster leaped at him with it's weapon...

Then he thought to another memory of him cowering in fear in a lonely place as rain pounded down around him. He was curled into a fetal position, with his eyes closed, and tears running down his eyes. But then he saw a hand reach out. He looked up to see a woman with a ponytail holding her hand out to him and smiling warmly...

But it was then Link was snapped out of his thoughts by someone else speaking up.

"Hey Link, can you come with me for a bit?" Reirousa asked, walking up to the future king, "I need your help with something."

Link looked up to Reirousa, and saw she was awkwardly looking left and right, with a light blush on her cheeks. Despite her words, it was clear to him what she actually wanted to see him about, and he smiled lightly.

"Okay Reirousa." Link nodded, then told Nemisa, "I'll be back in a bit, Nemisa." As the two of them went off on their way, Nemisa just smiled lightly as she saw the two going off together and went back to searching for the book.

This didn't go unnoticed by Halei as well, who started following discreetly after Link and Reirousa out of curiosity to see what they might had found.

* * *

The bunny hood-wearing woman peeked into the secluded area of the archive where the others weren't around, only to see Link and Reirousa alone and hugging each other.

"...huh...?" Halei whispered to herself in surprise.

"T-Thanks Reirousa... I didn't want the others to see me like this right now." Link told his friend.

"No problem Link, I could tell that whole thing with Halei's exile earlier was gettin' to ya." Reirousa said calmly, holding Link in her large muscular arms.

"It seems like it just keeps coming back to haunt me... like so many things..." Link trembled.

"Hey, it's alright man. Just gotta handle it one day atta time, right? Just like what you told me." Reirousa nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, you're right... thank you." Link said, tears forming in his eyes as he was leaning his head against her abs, and he felt a close comfort in her strong arms.

Halei didn't know what they were talking about, but saw the tears in Link's eyes starting to spill down his cheeks. She stepped back and put a hand to her chest, feeling rather sad herself to see her king like that.

"Just what is it he's been through...?"

It was then however, a strange and powerful impact started going off somewhere in the Hall of Knowledge, causing the books littering the place to shift and bounce a bit.

"Huh? What was that?" Reirousa asked.

"Dunno... let's go check it out." Link said.

The rumbling got the attention of everyone else as well and they broke from their search to see where it was coming from, preparing themselves for anything that might happen.

But little did they know what they would encounter that day would reveal dark secrets some of them were holding back for so long...

* * *

_**Well that does it for now. Next part ended up being longer then I planned, so I had to split the chapter here. I promise to get it out as soon as I can!**_

_**Meanwhile, give me a like, follow or comment if you choose, your feedback really helps!**_


	44. Deception

**Now it's finally time for Chapter 44, sorry if it's been taking too long to bring out new chapters, while I don't know how long it will take for me to do this, I fully intend on seeing this story to the end, please bear with me!**

* * *

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Reirousa, Halei and the backup guards all stood before a bookshelf in the Hall of Knowledge, one that seemed to have strange sounds coming from it.

"It sounds like some banging sounds... and... does everyone else hear voices?" Link asked.

"You... don't think this place is haunted do you...?" Reirousa muttered in an uneasy tone.

"Haunted?!" exclaimed Aviel, causing her to vault into the air and fall into Nemisa's arms, of whom sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I somehow doubt that." Nemisa said dropping the bird girl.

"Oh yeah?! What about that time that ghost lady haunted the palace back in Gerudo Town?!" Aviel got up and shot back.

"Wait, the palace is haunted too!?"" Halei exclaimed with her bunny hood ears standing on end.

"It's okay, that was already taken care of a while back!" Nabooru assured Halei and sighed, "For now let's just see what this really is before we start jumping to conclusions."

"But what is it, and where is it coming from...?" Nemisa asked looking around.

"Hmm..." Saria pondered, noticing a lone book on one of the bottom shelves, "Despite all the shaking and banging going on, this book is still staying upright..."

She took the book and tried to pull it out, only for it to move slightly and click. Everyone looked in shook as the shelf started to shift and move away from the wall. The group stepped back and peeked behind the shelf to see a doorway concealed behind it.

"A secret door!" Link exclaimed, "Nice work Saria."

"Alright, stay on your guard everyone." Nabooru said, "Halei, since you're not a fighter, you stay behind us."

Everyone slowly went into the doorway behind the shelf, the guards going out it front to protect Link and Nabooru, as they went down a short hallway and eventually into a much larger and more spacious room then the book archive room they were just in. This room didn't have much of note other then tall pillars, as well as statues of Efaeme, the Gerudo goddess of knowledge.

The one thing that did stand out though was a large pile of rubble on the other side of the room, and standing before it was a group of Gerudo woman. Most of them were holding spears, swords axes and torches, and were all dressed in black colored Gerudo outfits.

One in particular however was a bit different, she had well-defined muscle, though not as bulky as Reirousa. She wore a short helmet which for some reason was painted a bright yellow, and she also wore a vest that was a bright orange with a black horizontal stripe across it, and she was holding a pair of strong looking pickaxes in her hands.

"And who are those people...?" Reirousa muttered, 'They kinda look like..." it was then she realized it, "Uh-oh."

"It's no good boss." said one of the black-clothed Gerudo to the pickax holding one, "This rubble is too heavy to do anything with."

"Hmm, this is quite a problem..." the pickax holder muttered, "We've investigated everywhere else, and this is the only way through, but these bigger stones blocking the way are too heavy for us to move..."

"Huh? Who are they?" Saria asked tilting her head, "They look like Gerudo women..."

Nabooru simply narrowed her eyes coldly and folded her arms.

"I recognize those outfits, they're the group we told you about before." Nabooru said, "...the Ebony Sisterhood."

"Yeah, the rebellion controlled by that Mother Eclipsis." Link said, preparing himself to unsheathe his sword and shield.

"S-So this is them... the ones that want to kill you and Lady Nabooru, and free Ganondorf from his prison..." Saria said nervously, gripping at her Deku Staff.

"Oh no..." Halei whispered, hiding behind Reirousa.

"Not them again..." sighed Reirousa, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Hoo-boy, just when we thought the worst part of this trip would be the riddles..." Aviel sighed, pulling out her crossbow.

"Stay on your guard everyone." Nemisa said cracking her knuckles in anticipation of battle.

"Hey boss, don't look now, but we got company." one of the rebels then pointed out to the Gerudo in the yellow helmet, gesturing to Link and his team.

The one known as their boss spun around and took a look at Link, Nabooru and the others. She titled her yellow helmet upwards to get a good look at the group, her golden eyes were narrowed and her expression was stern. Link just stared back, ready for anything she and her allies might try.

It was then however the Gerudo woman smiled brightly and waved a hand to them.

"Oh, hey there! The name is Faurugo; member of the Ebony Sisterhood, and these are my associates!" she turned to the other rebels, "Say hello, everyone!"

The rebels didn't say anything, but just glared at Nabooru and Link in particular, until one spoke up.

"Lady Faurugo, that's the false king and the traitorous Lady Nabooru, I say we kill them now while we have this chanc-!" the rebel started, but was cut off by Faurugo, who leaned forward with a large smile.

"Come on, I said to say 'hello' to them! It's not good manners to attack someone without proper introductions!" Faurugo grinned.

"But we're not supposed to be friendly with them! They're-!"

"I said to say hello. Do you need to see me in private later tonight to discuss your work conduct...?" the boss asked, while still sporting a wide grin, it was clearly unnerving the rebels.

"Uh..." the rebel gulped a little and spoke meekly, "No! Of course not! I'm sorry!"

The tension Link and the group had been feeling before was quickly extinguished when the rebels all dropped their threatening stances and all bowed at the waist to them, all politely shouting "Hello, a good day to you all from Lady Faurugo and her salvaging team!"

"Very good, that's the spirit!" it was then Faurugo turned back to Link and the others and waved again with her unusually big grin, "Sorry you all had to see that, just keeping my associates in top form! Good work ethic keeps morale up after all!"

"Uh, so what exactly are you doing here then?" Link asked, still on his guard despite Faurugo's friendly demeanor.

"Well you see, we're under orders from Mother Eclipsis to obtain a hidden archive of books and tomes located within this place, while we found the hidden passage like you just did, we haven't had much luck tracking it down in here." Faurugo said shrugging her shoulders.

"Lady Faurugo, don't give away our secrets to the enemy!" shouted one of the rebels, brandishing long metal claws on her hands.

"Ha ha ha, it's fine, it's not like they're going to see the light of day again, after all!" Faurugo smiled to her fellow rebel, clinking her pickaxes together, "And as soon as we strike down the false king we'll get right back to our assignment!"

"Now that's what I like to hear!" grinned the rebel.

"Eep! I'm sorry I can't fight everyone..." Halei gulped, as she hid behind Reirousa.

"Salright, just leave this to us rabbit girl." Reirousa said, pulling out her Bombos Warhammer, "We'll take care of these punks."

"O-Okay..." Halei nodded., looking somewhat downcast.

Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and the backup guards all stood firm with their weapons drawn, ready to battle the rebels, but then Nabooru herself stepped up and spoke out to them.

"Sister Faurugo, is it?" Nabooru asked with her arms folded, "Before we battle, tell me something; do you truly think Mother Eclipsis' plan to free the former king Ganondorf is the best path for the Gerudo? Do you truly think our people can prosper under his rule?"

"Ha ha, of course we do!" Faurugo answered with a big grin, "Mother Eclipsis is working to give us Gerudo the freedom to do as we please and pursue out dreams! You see, my passion has always been about exploring ruins and salvaging treasures. Problem is the Banishment Law keeps me from leaving the valley to go exploring, and our own Gerudo law keeps me from doing much around ruins like these, but Mother Eclipsis gave me the go-ahead to disregard our law so that we can get what the Ebony Sisterhood needs to succeed, so that we can all be truly free!"

"Hmph, our laws have a purpose. They exist so that the powers of these ruins cannot be used for self-gain." Nabooru clarified, "We only use that which is gifted to us by the Goddess Aifet like the Sand Rod. If you choose to violate those laws and defy our goddesses, then we have no choice but to punish you for it."

"Meeheehee! That's rich coming from you of all people Lady Nabooru!" laughed the rebel with the claws, "Weren't you not a rebel yourself once, breaking the rules and fighting against the great King Ganondorf? You of all people should understand why we're doing this!"

Nabooru narrowed her eyes and scowled before speaking out to them.

"...Ganondorf was a cruel tyrant, our people only suffered under his reign of power, and things would have been worse for not just us, but Hyrule as whole if he continued. As far as I'm considered this world is a better place with him imprisoned."

"Yeah, and we're not going to let you guys free him, or hurt King Link and Lady Nabooru!" Aviel shouted angerly.

"After what Ganondorf did to the Great Deku Tree, I can never forgive him!" Saria said, "I don't like to fight, but I will if it means stopping all of you!"

"That's right, as the new King of the Gerudo, I and my friends will never allow Ganondorf to rule over anyone again!" Link said, brandishing his sword and shield, while the backup guards all cheered out at Link and the group's triumphant words.

"Heh, so that's how it's gonna be? Fine then." grinned Faurugo, spinning her pickaxes in her hands, "I guess this is going to cut into our next break time."

As the two sides stood, waiting for the other side to launch the first attack, Link spoke up to his side.

"Listen girls, I know this sound weird, but hear me out." Link said, "Fight them with all your might, but try to avoid killing them if you can."

"Are you sure about that your highness?" asked a guard curiously, "You know what they intend to do to you."

"Yep" Link nodded, "But try to capture them alive regardless."

Nabooru paused, looking to Link and nodding, "Very well, you've heard your king everyone, fight with valor, but minimize the bloodshed. Now prepare to battle!"

"Gladly." Nemisa said with a smirk, punching her fist into her palm.

"Alright then, time to clock-in girls," Faurugo said, holding out one of her pickaxes, "Let em have it!"

And with that the two sides went into battle. Most of the rebels tried to charge in and gang up on Link, he brought is shield up to block their attacks, while getting in quick strikes with his sword. Thankfully his friends wouldn't allow it to go any further, as Reirousa charged into a small group from the side before impacting her warhammer into them. Saria spun out her Deku Staff and started smacking around some rebels to back them off from Link, while Nemisa did a flying kick across one rebel before landing down to do a sweep kick which knocked another to her back.

Aviel stayed back to protect Halei, using her crossbow to deflect the weapons being used by the rebels. Occasionally one would try to get a close up attack on them, but Aviel would just swing her crossbow as a blunt weapon to drive them back, allowing one of the other warriors to take down the rebel.

Nabooru went in with her twin scimitars against Faurugo, who brought up her pickaxes to fight back. The two clashed and slammed their attacks against each other. Faurugo jumped back, impaling her pickaxes on some smaller stray stones laying around, then hurling the blocks at Nabooru, who quickly jumped and flipped through the air to avoid most of them, then deflecting a smaller one with her scimitar.

Faurugo was shocked at how Nabooru fought off her attack, which gave the Gerudo leader the opportunity to rush in and smack away Faurugo's weapons. She was about to cut down the rebel with a fatal blow, but then remembered what Link said about sparing them. She nodded to herself, before delivering a spinning kick to knock Faurugo backwards into a wall. Faurugo fell forward and down to her knee as she saw another rebel go flying back from an attack Link delivered.

"Boss Faurugo, this is bad, the false king and Lady Nabooru are kicking our rears! He's just as strong as they said in the report on what happened to Big G Jousak and her Molderm!" a rebel gasped in exhaustion to her boss, referring to what happened back in Gerudo Wastes.

Faurugo gulped herself and stood there, taking in what she was told, then looking over to the Gerudo girls surrounding Link, all standing there to protect him. Faurugo was somewhat surprised by how close they all seemed to each other that they could fight so well, just to protect Nabooru and the false king.

But it was then Faurugo sported a small knowing grin, as a plan occurred to her to turn the battle in their favor.

"Ha ha ha, interesting!" Faurugo laughed, despite her injuries, "It makes a lot of sense to hear your resolve to prevent Ganondorf's freedom, especially after what Mother Eclipsis told us about you, false king!"

"What are you talking about?" Link asked.

"You see, just a while back Mother Eclipsis told us something pretty interesting..." Faurugo said, leaning forward a bit and spoke with a smug tone, making sure her voice could be clearly heard by the Gerudo on Link's side.

"...that you were the reason King Ganondorf was captured in the first place."

Link froze up, almost dropping his sword and shield in the process, as a cold sweat started to trickle down his head. The eyes of Nabooru, Saria and Reirousa widened at those words, while Aviel, Nemisa, Halei and the backup guards all looked to each other in confusion.

'You can't be serious.' Link thought to himself baffled, 'How did they possibly know that?'

"What...?" Nemisa asked in confusion, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"So he never told you?" chuckled Faurugo, "Mother Eclipsis knows full well what you did false king, and she told us everything! We all know that you're the one that told the royals at Hyrule Castle that King Ganondorf needed to be imprisoned, knowing that would provoke the late Lady Imono to attack Hyrule, and then you would seize power in the aftermath. This whole thing was your plan to become the new king of the Gerudo!"

Almost everyone's jaws collectively dropped in shock by what Faurugo had said, especially Halei.

"Isn't that right, 'King' Link?" grinned Faurugo.

"Is... this true your highness...?" one of the guards asked Link, who was staring at him with eyes as wide as dinner plates..

"Uh, that's a lie!" Reirousa, being one of the few to know what Link did, said frantically to try and cover for Link, "There's no way-"

"No... she's at least half right... I did come to learn about Ganondorf's plan, and used that information to notify the royals of Ganondorf..." Link admitted, then rose his head up, "But I did it to stop him from taking over Hyrule, I had no intention on taking his place as king back then."

"And yet here you are." Faurugo smirked, "I admire your work ethic, but getting the old king stripped of his power just to become the king yourself, that's pretty shady I have to say, and so many of our people suffered and died for what you did."

"Hey shut yer yaps, Link ain't like that!" Reirousa shouted with tears in her eyes, recalling her mother and friends who died in the war. In reality she held no resentment towards Link over what happened, but the pain of her loss still stung after all this time.

"Now wait a minute!" Nabooru stated, "Link may have been the one who had Ganondorf captured, but I'm the one who selected him to take over!"

"Heh, doesn't that just prove it further then?" Faurugo grinned, "The leader of the rebellion against Ganondorf, and a Hylian male that had connections to the royal family, conspiring to overthrow King Ganondorf and replace him, and didn't give a second thought to anyone who suffered for it!"

"That's right, its because of the false king that we all lost so many of our dear sisters!" said the rebel with the claws, who in particular was strained in her words as faint tears formed in her eyes.

"Yeah, we'll never forgive you for what you did, false king!" said another rebel.

Link gulped, looking to the Gerudo on his side, namely Aviel, Nemisa and the guards, all of whom he hadn't told about what really happened, out of fear of what they would feel about it.

Saria was at a loss of what to say herself, while Link had told her and the Kokiri what he had done to avenge the Great Deku Tree, she herself was unsure of telling any of the Gerudo it for Link's sake.

"And don't forget all those poor half-bloods who were exiled for it as well!" a rebel brought up.

Halei's eyes widened in horror at that realization, as she looked to Link, who was looking at her with apologetic eyes.

"This... this isn't all true, is it King Link...?!" Halei asked pleadingly.

"I... swear Halei, I wasn't trying to take over Ganondorf's position..." Link stammered, "I was only trying to... to..."

"So that's what happened, King Link was the one who captured Ganondorf... it's what resulted in the war..." one of Nabooru's backup guards said.

"I lost a few of my family in that battle..." muttered another guard, "You don't seriously think King Link really caused that to gain power do you...?"

"I... don't even know anymore..."

Link flinched as he heard the guards speak, as the mistrust between him and his future people was stirring. He looked down, the sadness he felt before crawled right back over him. The Gerudo who suffered so much from the war, the rebellion uprising, and those like Halei who was pulled from their happy lives... While he had saved so many from Ganondorf's evil plan, it still resulted in the war. And the people he had come to live with and care for, and who suffered and lost so much thanks to what happened, it was something he could never forgive himself for.

"Link, please... don't blame yourself for that... You didn't cause any of this." Nabooru said to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, she then turned to Faurugo, "Listen here you, Link becoming the king was my idea, I planned it out years ago, as I deemed him worthy of being a true king for us all!"

Faurugo paused, and looked to Nabooru with a grin, "Hm, ya know, maybe you're right, maybe it wasn't the false king's choice after all. Perhaps it was all you, Lady Nabooru... you and your hidden power."

"Hidden power? Now what are you talking about?" Aviel asked.

"I'm talking about Lady Nabooru's power to hypnotize others into doing her bidding. Haven't you ever wondered what it was that makes her such a supposed great leader, despite her inability to make real progress for the Gerudo?"

"Hypnosis...?" Link muttered, recalling having heard some Hylians he met in Gerudo Valley once mentioning something like that. He looked up to Nabooru, who's expression didn't waver or flinch. She just narrowed her eyes coldly at Faurugo.

"What?! How dare you even suggest that! Lady Nabooru would never use power like that to control us!" shouted Nemisa.

"Yeah, she's a great leader who's done so much to help us! We've sworn loyalty to her because we all trust her!" said Aviel.

"And how do you know that loyalty you have to her is real, or if it's just a trick of her powers?" grinned Faurugo, "You thought you could trust the false king just a moment ago after all!"

"Don't be swayed by her words." Nabooru simply said to everyone, "She's just trying to throw us off because she's too weak to fight back anymore."

Halei meanwhile watched in shock at the words the rebels spoke, looking to Nabooru herself, as she pulled her bunny hoods ears over her eyes. Being such a recent addition to the Gerudo tribe, she was finding herself unsure of what to believe anymore.

The two sides went back in and fought against each other. Once again, the rebels weren't doing too well, as the combined power of Link, Nabooru and their friends was overwhelming for them. Nabooru herself deflected two rebels away and slammed her swords down on Faurugo's pickaxes.

"All you're doing by staying as the leader is holding our people back, you're claiming that Mother Eclipsis would just make everyone worse off, but how do you claim to be any different?" Faurugo shouted.

"We're doing everything we can to make things right!" Nabooru said angerly at Faurugo, her scimitars were quickly overpowering the rebels' pickaxes, "I'm nothing like the fiend you work for!"

"Yeah? And how do you know what you're doing is truly right?" Faurugo asked, though sweat was running down her head from how much Nabooru was overpowering her, "Your hard work is admirable, but what good is it if it doesn't get results? We need to use force to get what we want and need!"

"It's that very mindset that put the Gerudo into this situation to begin with!" Nabooru retorted with a scowl, "Lady Imono was a stubborn fool who went straight to war and look what happened, she lost her life and in the end it resulted in the exile!" Nabooru then swung out her swords, sending Faurugo backwards to her knees.

The rebel just held herself up and spoke out, "That's because the Hylian Parliament consider us lower then trash, and all you're doing is being complacent with them! All they'll understand at this point is power, which is why Mother Eclipsis sent us on this job, to get what we need to build our strength further!"

Faurugo staggered up to her feet, as she reached into a pocket in her travel pack and took a small vital of yellow liquid in it, "Just watch for yourselves what we have in store for them, when we finally launch our strike on Hyrule Castle."

With that, Faurugo pulled the cork off the vital and chugged down the contents, throwing the vital away. Everyone stood and watched as Faurugo took a deep breath, her body seemed to be shaking a little, before bringing up her head with a wide grin and her eyes an eerie blood red, a mysterious, yet somewhat familiar red aura formed around her.

"What...?" Link muttered, watching Faurugo.

"Wait, boss!" shouted a rebel in a sudden panic, "We were told not to do that unless-"

"Time for your immediate termination!" Faurugo shouted, bringing down her pickaxes and impacting them into the stone floor, causing an eruption that shot shock waves out around the room, flowing right across the ground and knocking Link and his team backwards.

"What.. the hell was that?!" Nabooru asked.

"Whatever was in that vital has increased her strength?" Link gasped out.

"HAHAHA! This power is amazing!" Faurugo shouted, swinging her pickaxes to chuck more stones from the ground at the group. They did their best to protect themselves from the attacks, but Faurugo was throwing them too quickly and forcefully to counter everything.

"No... boss... she's going to end up like..." whispered one of the rebels, "Sister Faurugo, please stop!"

"Die false king! DIE!" Faurugo shouted out, bombarding the group with stones. Reirousa stepped out in front to act as a shield and drive back the stones, but soon even she was having trouble against Faurugo's new power.

"Grr... Link's right, whatever she drank just now, it's making her ridiculously strong!" Reirousa shouted.

"This seems all too familiar..." Nemisa said as she focused on defense.

Even the rebels working for Faurugo were in peril from her rampage, she didn't seem to even know or care what she was attacking anymore. As the attacks continued, the room shook and quaked, as one of the goddess statues started to shift and started falling over, right above where a rebel had chosen to stay out of the way. The rebel looked up and screamed out in horror, but Link quickly took the intuitive, running forward and grabbing the rebel, diving out of the way just before the statue impacted and shattered down onto the ground.

"Are you okay?" Link asked the rebel, who looked to him with wide eyes, and she hugged him closely, as her body was shaking. Link hurriedly brought the girl back over the group who were doing their best to fend off Faurugo's attacks.

"We gotta do something..." Link said, "That Faurugo woman's out of control! Nabooru, can you help me?"

"This wouldn't have..." Nabooru started with an angry voice, but sighed and turned to Link, "Alright, let's take her down together!"

"Right. You girls try to help the other rebels." Link said handing the girl that he had saved to Nemisa, as he and Nabooru darted out form behind Reirousa and charged from both sides at Faurugo, who was still slamming more shockwaves and stones out everywhere.

"AHAHAHAHA!" laughed Faurugo, "This is the fruits of our labors! We'll be victorious, you'll all be checked out, and Ganondorf will be relieved of his suspension!"

Link and Nabooru quickly jumped and dodged each attack thrown at them, using their weapons to block off the stones as well. Occasionally a hit or two would smash against them, but they held their ground, until both leaped high into the air and struck their weapons across Faurugo's back.

Faurugo flinched, and gagged out in pain from Link and Nabooru's combined attacks, her eyes flashing back and forth between normal golden yellow and red, before she collapsed to the ground in a daze.

"Ugh... Let's take... a fifteen minuter..." Faurugo muttered before falling outcold.

"Whew..." Link sighed, "Guess that's i-"

That was when the interior of the room started to shift and shake once again, as Faurugo's attacks had taken quite a toll on the room. The rest of the statues were falling, and the ceiling of the room was starting to break away and collapse.

"Ack! We gotta get out of here!" Aviel shouted.

Everyone started on their way to escape, but as Link and Nabooru started to try and follow, the ground gave out from under Nabooru and she lost her balance.

"Kyyaa!" shouted Nabooru, trying to get back onto stable ground, but more of the floor came down.

"Nabooru, hold on!" Link shouted, running forward to help, but the ground completely collapsed under them and they both went falling through the increasingly large hole in the ground, along with the unconscious body of Faurugo.

"LINK!" Nemisa shouted in panic, trying to run forward to help him, but was stopped by Reirousa.

"Hang on, we gotta get out of here! Don't worry, Link's a strong guy!" Reirousa shouted, she lifted a worried Saria up onto one shoulder and grabbed the panicked Nemisa with her other arm, and they all escaped out the hidden bookshelf passage.

When all the destruction had finished, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Halei, the guards and the rebels were all in the library room, with rubble covering the hidden passage. They all stood worried as they saw there was no way to get back in.

"Boss..." the claw-wielding rebel said worriedly.

"Link... Lady Nabooru... please be safe..." Saria said sadly.

* * *

**So that ends the chapter. Seems Link and Nabooru have gotten themselves into a bad situation, but just what is waiting for them down in the depths of the Hall of Knowledge? Stay tuned!**

**As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you like! Your encouragement motivates me to keep this story going!**


	45. Where We Truly Stand

_**And now we move onto the next chapter of this arc. Link and Nabooru are down, but are they out? And what secrets lay where they ended up?**_

* * *

"Ugh... my head hurts..."

Link groaned as he set up in a daze. He rubbed his head as he took a moment to look around at his surroundings. There was rubble everywhere, and what wasn't destroyed was pretty old and in bad shape. He himself was laying on a pile of rubble, and the path didn't seem like much other then a straight hallway. He forced himself up, feeling a bit achy from the impact of the fall. He found his canteen close by, with some water leaking from it, so he quickly grabbed it up to prevent any more from spilling out. He then turned to see Nabooru, laying back on the rubble they had collapsed on, and looking just as bad off as he was.

"Nabooru!" Link shouted, running over and sitting her up, "Are you okay?"

"Ugh... not so loud..." Nabooru groaned, putting a hand to her head, "What happened?"

"It was Faurugo." Link said, "She destroyed the floor and I guess we both fell underground."

"Damn that rebel..." she groaned, taking her canteen and taking a swig of it's contents, "If only we had... ugh..."

"Can you get up?" Link asked.

"I can get up just fine..." Nabooru coughed out, slowly getting herself up, but then flinching a bit as she did.

"Hey, let me help you up." Link said, trying to put an arm around her.

"I said I can do it just fine!" Nabooru snapped, she staggered a bit, but soon got herself set. She took a look around the area they were in, and saw the state of everything around them, "So this is underneath the Hall of Knowledge? Doesn't look like anyone's been here in ages."

"Yeah, this must have been where that passage Faurugo was trying to get into lead to." Link said.

They both looked up at the ceiling and saw rubble had completely sealed off the hole they had fallen through.

"Guess we aren't going back the way we came." Nabooru said, taking a swig of her canteen and wiped off her mouth, "Maybe we should go down the hall and hope there's an alternative way out of here."

"Good thinking." Link said, he was about to take a drink of his own canteen, only to shake it a little and see it had very little water left in it. He had to make a note to ration his water supply until they could find another source.

He took a step forward and realized his foot bumped into something. He looked down to see a book laying at his feet, and picked it up, quickly recognizing it.

"Hey, this the Book of Mudora." Link realized, "Halei was using this to translate the ancient Gerudo text in the temple."

"That might be helpful to get us out of here." Nabooru said taking another drink from her canteen, "Let's get going then."

With that, the two headed off down the hallway to find an exit out of the underground.

Unknown to them though, a certain figure was laying back some distance away, as they were slowly recovering from unconsciousness they gripped a pickax they were holding firmly...

* * *

"Are you guys sure you're okay?" Link spoke into the air, while holding his ocarina, he had used Saria's Song to contact his Kokiri friend to make sure everyone was alright.

"Yeah, we're just fine!" Saria assured him, "We made it out before the room collapsed, thanks to Reirousa protecting us. We're staying at the library now trying to find a way to get the two of you out of there!"

"And what about the rebels?" Nabooru asked.

"Um, they took off a while ago after all that happened, I think they went looking for their boss." Saria said.

"Hi Link! Hi Lady Nabooru!" they heard a voice suddenly call out.

"Also, Aviel says hi." Saria said.

"Alright, we'll keep you posted if anything comes up." Link nodded.

"Okay, good luck Link!" Saria called out.

"That's a pretty convenient power the two of you have there." Nabooru said as Link put away his ocarina

"Yeah, I used to use it all the time to contact her while I was traveling." Link nodded, "She was always a big help to me when I needed advice, or even just to chat for comfort..."

Nabooru glanced to Link, looking at the longing stare in his eyes as he spoke about his dear friend. She sighed and took another drink of her canteen as the two continued on down the hallway.

* * *

Time passed, and the two continued on, taking time too look around at anything that caught their eye. Mostly it was old statues, shelves of destroyed books and tomes. Link noticed how often Nabooru was drinking from her canteen, and was a little concerned for her, but didn't say anything.

As Nabooru was walking along, distracted by a statue overhead, she didn't see an uneven brick on the floor and tripped over it, causing her to fall and bang her already-hurt leg onto the ground.

"Yeeow!" shouted Nabooru, clutching her leg in pain.

"Hey, hold on and let me help you!" Link said desperately.

"Grrr... this is all your fault you know!" Nabooru scowled at Link with a cough, "If you had let me just kill that rebel we wouldn't have gotten into this mess!"

"Hey, I didn't know she had that kind of power! Besides, I was trying to have them captured, not killed!" Link retorted, trying to help Nabooru up, but she pushed him off. She glared down at the ground, then turned to Link, looking clearly annoyed at him.

"Tsk, yeah.. I bet you were just focusing on which one of them would make a good bedmate, huh?" Nabooru spat, before letting out another cough.

"What?! No! That didn't even cross my mind!" Link stated.

"Oh I'm sure." Nabooru said sarcastically with a groggy look in her eyes, "I saw the look you were giving that bitch you saved from that statue... "

"Considering the whole 'about to be crushed by a large stone object' thing, I think it would be perfectly acceptable for me to be concerned for her!" Link shot back.

"Stop shouting yo-" Nabooru was caught off by her coughing out, "...you little..."

Nabooru's coughing fit continued, and Link's annoyance with Nabooru turned to more immediate concern as he realized how bad of a state she was in.

"Nabooru, you look pretty dehydrated, why not have a little more water?" Link observed, taking her canteen and opening it.

"Ah!" exclaimed Nabooru, trying to reach out to stop him, "The thing of it is-"

"...wait..." Link said, taking a moment to smell the contents of her canteen, and his eyes narrowed, "...this is wine. You mean you brought alcohol instead of water all the way out here?! No wonder you're dehydrated!"

"Shad up... yer too loud..." Nabooru muttered, taking the canteen from him, about to drink more of it down, only for Link to snatch it right back, "Hey, I need that!"

"I was wondering why you've been acting like this. What's gotten into you?" Link scolded Nabooru, then said after a moment of thinking, "...you know, what's gotten into you besides half your weight in booze?"

Nabooru just paused, at a loss of what exactly to tell him, "I... just needed something to help me relax..."

"Yes, cause you seem so relaxed right now." Link said rolling his eyes.

"I'm just fine, thank you! In fact I'm so good I could-"

Nabooru's words were cut off by her closed her mouth as her face turned green and her cheeks filled up. She quickly went against a wall and sickeningly heaved out the contents of her stomach on the floor.

"Ugh, our apologies to the goddess of wisdom for this further desecration of her temple..." Link called out loud. He took his own near-empty water canteen and went over to Nabooru, he took hold of her face and made her open her mouth, giving her what remained of his water supply. She gulped it down and sighed out.

"You okay now?" Link asked, patting Nabooru's back.

"Y-Yeah..." she said with a light blush on her cheeks, "Thanks... Link."

"It's alright, now let's keep moving and try to find a way out." Link said, putting his empty canteen away, as he helped Nabooru along.

* * *

The two continued down the path, until they saw what looked like light in the distance. Eager to see hope for a chance to get outside, the two of them hurried their pace along. Eventually they made it into the room where the light was coming from, only to see something they didn't expect.

It was a small circular room with a beautiful fountain in the center. There were chairs circled around it, and what appeared to be old dirt pots, where they resumed some plants had been long ago. The room stretched up many many feet to a glass ceiling with a marvelous looking pattern on it that the moon was shining through, illuminating the fountain water with dazzling colors.

"It's beautiful..." Nabooru whispered with awe, then realized, "I wonder how long we've been down here if it's already night..."

"Finally, some water!" Link exclaimed with relief, running over to the fountain, it seemed to have been expertly built to allow water from rain or streams outside to flow into it, and then go into a filter to some other location, making the water crystal clear and clean.

"Do the Gerudo have a desert goddess of rain or something?" Link asked to Nabooru.

"Yes, her name is Seketia, goddess of weather." she nodded.

"In that case thank you Goddess Seketia for this bounty of water!" Link said, putting his hands together and bowing his head, before drinking from the fountain.

Nabooru had an amused smirk on her face as she joined him in drinking the water. After the two took the time to refill their canteens, they decided to sit at the rim of the fountain and take a rest. Link realized something and pulled out his ocarina and played Saria's Song to contact her

"Link? Glad to hear from you again!" Saria spoke up from her end, "Where are you now?"

"We're in some fountain room now, there's a window above us, but it's too high to try and get up to, and there's nothing for my Longshot to attack to." Link said looking up, "How about you guys?"

"Well we couldn't find anything to help us in the library, so we left the temple and have been walking around it trying to find another way out for you." Saria said.

"Hi Link! Hi Lady Nabooru!"

"Aviel says hi again." Saria said with an amused tone in her voice, "Oh! We also ran into the rebels again."

"The rebels? Are you all okay?" Nabooru asked with concern

"Oh it's no big deal, we all agreed on a temporary truce." Saria said, "We set up a campfire and we've been talking. To be honest they don't really seem like bad people!"

"Well keep your guard up regardless." Nabooru pointed out, "It might be a trick."

"Don't worry, one of them did try something when they first ran into us, but Nemisa and Reirousa just shot her a look and they stopped." Saria giggled.

"Yes, fear not my love, we'll keep them in line." Nemisa spoke out to Link.

"Glad to hear you all are doing okay then, how about Halei?" Link asked, feeling some worry for the girl since she wasn't quite used to the desert.

"I'm... not really sure." Saria said with concern, "Something really seems like it's bothering her. We tried talking with her but she keeps shunning us, and she really doesn't want to talk to the rebels at all."

Link frowned at hearing that, he knew he had to do something to make up with Halei when they finally saw each other again, while Nabooru herself just seemed to be contemplating something.

"Well me and Nabooru are probably going to rest here for the night. I'll call you if anything comes up, and good night." Link told Saria.

"Okay, good night!" Saria said, and with that she cut off the signal of the song.

With that, Link and Nabooru both gazed up at the window overhead, and the moon shining through it. Nabooru seemed to have something on her mind, and after a while of resting, worked up the nerve to speak up to her friend.

"Link..." Nabooru eventually spoke up looking somewhat distantly, "Do you think I'm doing the right thing as the Gerudo leader?"

"Is this about what that Faurugo woman was telling you?" Link asked, having a feeling what she said was getting under his close friend's skin.

Nabooru nodded, "For the longest time I've felt I've done what I can for the Gerudo... But in a way that woman is right. I haven't made any real progress trying to do away with the banishment law, and the rebels are going to such extremes to overthrow me and kill you..." she let out a heavy sigh, "I only feel we've made any real progress when you showed up and started helping with things. Thanks to you the caravan routes were taken care of, we're about to make an alliance with the Zora with your engagement to Princess Ruto... I just wonder if... ...if..."

Link stared at her, unsure about what she was thinking about at first, then he realized what was truly bothering her.

"Nabooru, do you think I'm replacing you?" Link asked.

"You're going to be the king soon right?" Nabooru pointed out, "When that happens I'll be stepping down as leader and becoming your adviser. With everything that you've done to help us prosper... I guess sometimes I don't really think I have a right to call myself a leader..."

Link frowned and just took a look to her, he saw the moonlight from the window was reflecting on Nabooru's beautiful body, illuminating her. He found himself drawn into her beauty, but at the same time saw the distant and sad expression in her eyes, and it reminded him of something long ago in his own past. He knew in that moment he had something he needed to say to his friend...

"Nabooru... that's not true in the slightest." Link said.

"What...?" Nabooru turned to him.

"You've done so much for the people. You're worked harder then anyone I've seen to make the Gerudo thrive. You're the one who brought me into your world to begin with, because you felt I could help you. You taught me things I thought I'd never experience before, whether it be leadership, companionship... or romance. I would have never became engaged to Ruto, Kesuta, Korume, Nemisa or Togau without your motivation. You've been a huge influence on my new life..."

"I... I suppose so..." Nabooru said softly.

Link took another glance over at Nabooru and saw her trying to stretch out her back and shift her head left and right to get rid of the stiffness in her joints.

"Still feeling sore from earlier?" he asked.

"Just a little..." Nabooru said, "I should be fine soon."

Link paused, then smiled a little, as he scooted over a bit and put his hands on her shoulders, surprising her.

"What th-"

"Here, let me relieve you of some of that tension." Link said, as he worked on massaging her shoulders.

"Oooh..." Nabooru moaned out as Link went to work on her shoulders and back, rubbing them down slowly but firmly, "By the goddess Aifet, that feels nice... You're getting good at this Link..."

"Like I said before, it's because I've had such a great teacher to help me along." Link whispered into her ear, causing her to blush a bit.

Link continued to talk as he rubbed her down, "As for the Gerudo, you're wrong about them not needing you. They all relay on you Nabooru, they rallied to your side even when they were facing the threat of extinction. You've been doing everything you can to set things right for them all. Even Halei has so much respect for you despite how little time she's been with us, with you welcoming her into the town and all."

Nabooru sighed, "Thank you Link, but I'm not sure about Halei at least... After what that woman said about me controlling my people with hypnotism, she seemed rather bothered by it..."

"That's ridiculous, you and I both know you don't do that sort of thing." Link said, "I admit I heard rumors about your supposed power from some people before I met you, but that's all they are, is just rumors."

"Well I can't exactly disprove it can I?" Nabooru sighed, "The seed of mistrust has already been planted, and I wouldn't be surprised if Halei would tur-"

That's when Nabooru's eyes lit up in realization about something. She was going to speak to Link about it, but decided to wait until she could confirm it.

"Well, either way... the fact of the matter is the Gerudo respect you not because of mind control, but because they just trust you." Link said putting a hand on her shoulder, "You're not just authoritative, but kind as well, and that's why so many of them have been drawn to and believe in you... myself included, so don't even tell me for a second that you're not fit to be the Gerudo leader..."

Nabooru sighed and smiled lightly, "Thanks for that Link."

Link just kept staring at Nabooru, gazing at her beauty, and it was then Link decided to do something bold in that moment, and turned Nabooru towards him and leaned close to her, looking her right in the eyes.

"L-Link, what are y-" Nabooru gasped.

"In fact..." Link said, then taking her by her hands, holding them up and peering at her golden eyes with his blue ones, "I plan to see to it you'll never be unimportant to your people, because when the time comes for me to marry my fiances and they can become my queens..."

"I want you joining them."

"H-Huh?!" Nabooru stammered as she realized what he was getting at,"Wait, you're not serious are you Link?"

"I mean it with all my heart... I want you by my side for the rest of life... to have and to hold forever..." Link said, taking a deep breath, as the moonlight shined down on the two.

"Nabooru, I love you!" Link finally confessed to his longtime and dear friend.

"You... l-love.. me..." Nabooru whispered, but Link continued to speak before she could say anything in response.

"And I want you in particular not just as my wife and queen, but as my Grand Gerudo Queen. You won't just be cast aside when I assume the throne, instead you and I will rule over Gerudo Valley as equals!"

"Link..." Nabooru muttered, as she looked right into his eyes.

She had told Link once before that someday he'd have to pick one of his future queens to be the Grand Queen that would stand as his second-in-command, but didn't expect herself to be the one he choose. Her lips trembled, as she almost in the heat of the moment spoke something, but then a moment from her past flashed through her mind, and the dreams she had the other day, and it was then she finally spoke...

"... … …Link, I'm so sorry."

"Huh?"

Nabooru closed her eyes, removed her hands from Link's, and stood up with her back to him.

"I'm sorry Link, but I can't accept your feelings." Nabooru said.

"What's wrong?" Link asked, "Was it something I said? Did I come on too strong?"

"No, not at all." chuckled Nabooru with a faint smile, "You're a fine, handsome man, and a real charmer. If I had been in a better position, I would had accepted you with open arms, but... I just can't."

"So what's the reason then?" Link asked curiously.

"Well, it's... complicated..."

Nabooru seemed hesitant to tell him, she gazed down at the ground as he watched her, waiting for a reply. Link racked his brain trying to figure out what it could be. As far as he knew, there was no law about him marrying her, the Gerudo people loved her as their leader, and he had prevented what happened in the dark future from ever occurring.. so what could it had been?

That's when it hit him, there was only one possibility he could think of in that moment, as he saw the sad, distant look in her eyes.

"...it's another man, isn't it?" he finally spoke to her.

"Figured it out, huh?" Nabooru said, "Yes, there's someone who holds my heart, he is..." she paused, "...was a great courageous man, a strong warrior, and treated me with upmost kindness, and taught me much of what I know now. And he was the one who I wanted as my husband since I was a young girl."

Link was shocked at these words, it seemed whoever this man was, she cared for him in many of the same ways he felt about her. As much as he was disappointed she rejected him, he could understand how it felt to care for someone like that, as his thought drifted to a certain lovely woman with loong blonde hair he had met in the dark future...

"So... if you don't mind me asking, what became of him?" Link then asked.

"...h-he was killed a long time ago, by Ganondorf." Nabooru said softly, with a hand to her chest.

"I'm sorry to hear that..." Link said, then spoke up as he realized something. "Is that why you rebelled against Ganondorf then? Out of revenge for your loved one?"

"It was part of the reason." Nabooru clarified, "There's a lot more to it then that; I also firmly believed Ganondorf went against everything I was taught about leadership and what was good for the people, but I can't deny I wanted to make the bastard pay for what he had done."

Link just reflected on those words, his fingers absentmindedly flicking at the water in the fountain. It now made sense to him after so long why she was always sidestepping questions he'd ask about her being his lover.

"So if you really care about his man enough even after he passed on, why did you sleep with me so much?" Link asked.

"A couple things." Nabooru said, "I wanted to reward you for what you had done for me those eight years ago by saving me from Twinrova, I also wanted to educate you on pleasuring women so you could be a fine husband for your harem of wives. That's why I said we'd would just be 'friends with benefits.'"

"So there's no real love between us...?" Link asked somewhat sadly.

"Don t be silly Link, of course I love you. You're one of the closest friends I've ever had, and we have an inseparable bond together." Nabooru stated, "From my experience with you, I'd say you've grown into a fine bedmate."

"Even if I'm not the man you wish to marry." Link clarified.

"Again, I'm sorry Link..." Nabooru sighed, she turned her head to him with sympathy in her eyes, "Are you upset?"

"... ...nah, I guess not." Link admitted after a short while, shrugging his shoulders, "After all, I can understand how hard it is to let go of the past." he said, thinking again about what effect his actions in capturing Ganondorf had on the Gerudo.

As Link reflected on the things she said, he started to realize what the love-making between them meant now, and that he was still searching for that one thing he wanted for her...

There was an awkward silence in that moment. All that could be heard was the water in the fountain flowing, until Nabooru finally spoke up.

"We should probably rest up for now." Nabooru slowly went over to one of the chairs in the room and laid down on it.

"Yeah..." Link whispered, walking over to another seat and laying back on it as well. It was surprisingly comfortable despite how long it had been since this place had been occupied, "I'm sure we'll find a way out tomorrow. Night Nabooru."

"Good night Link."

The two of them started to drift to sleep, but Nabooru took one last look at Link with sad eyes, before she herself drifted off.

* * *

The next day Link and Nabooru awoke, and after contacting Saria to find out the team was okay, the two of them continued their travel through the temple to find an exit. There was little said between the two during that time, especially after all of what they had talked about the previous night.

"We're getting pretty deep into the the temple..." Link finally spoke.

"Yeah, wonder how far it goes..." Nabooru muttered.

Eventually though the two stopped before a destroyed podium of some kind. They saw on top of it was what remained of some type of statue, though all that was left of it that was recognizable was the feet. On the podium itself was some kind of open compartment that seemed to have held something at some point, judging from the lack of dust in it compared to most of the tunnel.

"Looks like there's something written here..." Link said, seeing some ancient Gerudo writing on the podium. He started flipping through the Book of Mudora to find a translation, but have some trouble finding out what it read, "Hmm, not sure what this says..."

Nabooru paused, and knelt down beside him, looking over the writing herself, "It' s a little worn, but it seems to just be a name of some sort... I think I can get an idea of what it reads..."

She inspected the word, tracing her hand along it, using what knowledge she had of ancient Gerudo writing.

"Mal... Mave... no... Mal... Vez... Hah... Hun... Har..." Nabooru muttered, then spoke out when she felt she had an idea of what it read, "...Mal-ve-zhar?"

"Who is... or what was this?" Link asked.

"Not a clue." Nabooru said, looking up at the broken statue's remains, "But whoever it was, from the looks of it they must have made some enemies..."

"No kidding, looks like something of theirs was even taken right here." Link said, examining the empty compartment.

"Maybe we should keep going, this gives me the creeps for some reason..." Nabooru shivered.

Link frowned as he saw the look on her face, and he reached out to grip her hand. She was startled by this, and almost wanted to pull away, but after a moment, she instead squeezed his hand back, and the two continued on through the hall like that, feeling more at peace with each other in the comfort they shared.

As the two walked along the path, they found themselves making more small talk as they observed various places in the temple. It wasn't much, but they both felt it was helping to relieve some of the tension from last night.

Eventually Link and Nabooru arrived at one last room in the hall. It was an unusual one; it was pretty long and wide, but at the end was a large stone door with no apparent way to open it. There was also a slab with ancient Gerudo writing on it being held by a statue of the knowledge goddess like the others they encountered at the entrance. The most interesting thing about the room however was a large treasure chest with an impenetrable fire barrier surrounding it.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Nabooru asked with a small smirk, seeing the treasure chest rekindling her enthusiasm, "Bet you're wondering what's in there, huh Mr. Adventurer?"

"Yeah, definitely." Link grinned back, feeling that same uplifting attitude.

They looked over the chest, seeing the barrier was sure enough completely blocking them off from even going near it, so they instead turned to the inscription on the slab.

"Maybe this is what we need to get to the chest." Nabooru said, taking the Book of Mudora and consulting it, "Looks like this is another riddle."

"Maybe we could just get the answer wrong on purpose and get pulled out of here by the Wallmasters." Link half-joked.

"Heh, let's see if we can get what's in that chest first." Nabooru chuckled as she continued to read, "Hmm, interesting... according to the translation, if we answer this, the chest will be ours, and the path out will be made clear."

"Nice, two birds with one stone then." Link nodded, "Alright, so what's the riddle?"

Nabooru cleared her throat and spoke up, going over the translations.

"_It hurts the most when lost, yet also when not had at all. It's sometimes the hardest to hold, but the easiest to ignore. It can be given to one, or many. It costs nothing but is worth everything, weighs nothing but lasts a lifetime. What is it?"_

"Hmm..."

The two of them stood there for a moment, taking a glance at each other, before both nodding. They both walked up and stood on the button in front of the slab, as the statue's eyes lit up with a glow, indicating it was waiting for the answer. Link and Nabooru looked back to each other with knowing grins, and spoke out to the statue the answer it wanted in unison.

"The answer is love."

It was then the flames surrounding the treasure chest vanished, allowing it to finally be opened, and the giant stone doorway shifted open, revealing oddly enough a downward slope hallway. After taking a moment to make sure the barrier's heat didn't leave the chest scalding to touch, Link and Nabooru looked to each other again and opened it at the same time, peering inside to see what it was.

"Oh... wow..." Nabooru gasped.

"They're... books?" Link asked.

Inside the chest as it turned out to be filled with multiple books, scrolls and tomes. They all had ancient Gerudo writing on all of them, and were expertly made to withstand ages of decay.

"I think we hit the jackpot." grinned Nabooru.

"This must be what Faurugo was searching for all this time!" Link said, taking one of the books and looking it over, "One of these might even be the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book we've been searching for!"

"Ha ha, funny how things work out, huh?" Nabooru chuckled, looking to Link.

"I'd say so!" piped up a new enthusiastic voice, making the two of them freeze up, "So you two finally got me what I was looking for all along!"

The two turned to see the head of the rebel group they had fought before, Boss Faurugo, standing there with her pickaxes. She bore a wide grin, but it was clear she was covered in bruises and cuts from the fight and the fall they had taken before.

"Hey there, glad to finally run into you two again!" Faurugo said, waving with a wide grin on her face, "Sorry to butt into your work, but we have some unfinished business to settle now!"

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. Link has finally confessed his feeling to Nabooru, even though he was rejected. The question is where will this go, and what will become of them now that the enemy has shown up? Stay tuned!**_


	46. The Cost of Diligence

_**Time for Chapter 46, just when it seems Link and Nabooru have completed their mission, an old threat returns...**_

* * *

"It's you." Nabooru said to the rebel known as Boss Faurugo, pulling out her twin scimitars and narrowing her eyes as she stood beside Link in the depths of the Hall of Knowledge, where they had just happened upon a chest containing some valuable books, "Do you intend on fighting us again?"

"Well guess I got no choice f I want to get those books you got here!" Faurugo said pointing to the chest with her pickax.

"Listen, let's just call a truce for now, and work on finding a way out of here first." Link spoke up to the rebel, recalling Saria had similar luck with the rebels that normally worked under Boss Faurugo, "We have you outnumbered, and we don't want to fight you with those injuries you have."

"Ha ha ha, don't worry about me!" Faurugo laughed, as she pulled out a tonic bottle, "Cause with this, my injuries won't matter!"

"Oh no." Link said, realizing what that was.

Before the two could do anything to stop her, Faurugo drank down the tonic. She threw the bottle away and took a deep breath, before her body suddenly became engulfed in a red aura, and her eyes turned a blood red. She grinned widely and swung up her pickaxes.

"I'm gonna clock in overtime on you two!" Faurugo shouted, bringing down her pickaxes with such force they caused shock waves across the ground, forcing Link and Nabooru to dodge to the sides.

"Hey, be careful doing that kind of thing!" Link shouted to the rebel, "You remember what that did back in the other room upstairs?!"

Faurugo didn't listen, and simply started slamming her pickaxes against the ground, causing shockwaves and eruptions all around the room.

Link and Nabooru backflipped away as Faurugo continued her attacks, blocks fell from the ceiling and she quickly impaled them with her pickaxes and chucking them at the two. Link brought up his shield to deflect them, but one large stone forced the two backwards into the treasure chest. They looked up to see Faurugo throwing stones around not just at them but into pillars and statues around the area, one knight statue in particular was knocked over and impacted to the ground near Link and Nabooru.

"She's not even paying attention to what she's doing anymore!" Nabooru gasped, "What the hell are those rebels trying to accomplish with that tonic?"

As Link thought of an answer to that question, he looked up to see the ceiling was starting to shift more from Faurugo's rampage, blocks were falling, sand was starting to emerge from the holes, and the room was starting to cave in on itself.

"I don't know, but I think we need to retreat!" Link said.

But before they could do anything, one particular stone fell out, causing a huge amount of sand from outside to start pouring down into the room. Faurugo saw the sand falling and leaped backwards to avoid it, yet still continued to bash and smash at everything she saw, while sand continued to pour out and start to shift heavily toward the direction of Link and Nabooru.

"The sand is falling fast!" Link shouted, "We gotta get out of here before we get buried!"

Nabooru then eyed the statue that had fallen beside them, and saw a large round shield it held in it's hand. An idea hit Nabooru, and she grinned widely.

"Come on Link, I got an idea!" she sad, grabbing the shield and rushing forward, before jumping into the air and holding the shield beneath her, as she landed on the sand she started riding down the hallway. Link realized she was doing, recalling back when he did a similar trick back when he fought Morpha on the ice back in Lake Hylia, and used his Hylian shield to follow after the Gerudo leader.

* * *

The two rode their shields down the tunnel slope as sand continued to pour down it. While they had no idea what was down at the end, it was better then immediately getting buried in sand. Some bricks from the ceiling started crumbling down onto the path, but Nabooru grinned and squatted a bit, allowing her to pick up speed.

"Follow me Link!" she said, as she started moving back and forth on the sand, dodging brick after brick. Link followed suit and they were easily avoiding everything that came their way. There was nothing but darkness before them as they sledded down the sand slope, but they kept going anyway, seemingly not afraid of what was waiting for them.

It was then they saw the faintest of light forming at the end. It seemed the end of the tunnel had a door that was slowly opening up, perhaps triggered by them solving the puzzle. While the sand wave was getting closer, they quickly sped along staying ahead of it the whole way, as the light glew brighter and brighter, until the two went through a blinding flash.

Nabooru and Link then found themselves shooting out from the doorway in the back of the temple, flying out and getting a great amount of air velocity from their speed. Even with the danger, Link took that moment to look up to Nabooru.

"WHOO!" Nabooru screamed out, getting higher air then Link did, as she spun around in midair, doing some twirls and loops, before getting herself upright and landing down on the shifting sand beside Link as they continued down the large slope they were on. He was pretty surprised to see her not just be so talented at surfing on the sand, but really enjoying it as well.

Soon when the sand was more level, Nabooru did a slight swerve with her shield and came to a smooth stop, while Link accidentally hit a stray rock and went flying off it and impacting into a short sand dune, tumbling over and falling onto his back.

"Hey, you alright there Link?" Nabooru called out, running over to check on her friend. She saw him laying back panting out, but much to her surprise, he had a big grin on his face.

"This is it!" Link said, sitting up with bright eyes, "This is what I've really been wanting!"

"Wait, you mean you want be fleeing in terror from death traps?" Nabooru asked in confusion.

"Uh, no. Let me explain..." Link said sweatdropping, "The truth is... I've always admired how hard of a worker you are Nabooru, you're always doing so much to help their Gerudo, and you've helped me learn so many things, but it seems like that's all you have time for. Just seems like whenever the two of us spend time together all we do is work, lessons or sex."

Nabooru put a hand to her hip and raised an eyebrow, starting to get an idea of just what Link was getting at.

Link meanwhile leaned back and grinned as he continued, "I mean don't get me wrong, the lessons are really nice, and the love making is fantastic... but I don't want that to be our whole lives together. I'd honestly like to see you get the chance to get out and spend more time just having fun, like you did just now with the sand sledding, you' were amazing at that!"

"Heh... yeah... I've actually been sand surfing since I was a kid." Nabooru smiled lightly, "That man I told you about is who taught me it."

"And I'd like to spend more time with you doing stuff like that, just seeing you cut loose and enjoying life; smiling and laughing, it really brings out so many of the qualities I love about you Nabooru." Link said with his goofy grin.

"Ah, jees..." Nabooru turned her head with a light blush, "Heh. I guess you and I haven't really done a whole lot together lately... would you really want to hang out more often...?" she paused, thinking about what she had told him earlier, "You know, as friends?"

"Of course I would. I want this bond we have to last forever." Link said as he got himself onto his feet and looked to her, pumping his fist up, "And speaking of which, I'm not giving up on making you my Grand Queen. I don't know if I could ever make you love me the way you loved that man from your past, but I won't back down. I'll find a way to make you accept me as your husband!"

It was in that moment Nabooru saw he determination she had in his eyes, it reminded him so much of how he was like as a child when she met him in the Spirit Temple, and when he saved her from Twinrova. It was part of why she believed he would make a great king for the Gerudo all those years ago, as well as his courage and skill. While he had grown in so many ways into an adult, it was apparent he hadn't changed at all as a person during the past years, and she knew he would never back down from anything.

"...very well then Link." Nabooru said with a light smirk, "Challenge accepted."

The two of them nodded to each other, then looked up at the Hall of Knowledge, which was now a complete mess, having caved in on itself.

"We'll need to consult Kesuta and Korume so we can give a formal apology to the Knowledge Goddess Efaeme." Nabooru said sweatdropping.

"Think that Faurugo woman is still in there?" Link asked.

"Dunno, but we also lost the chest of ancient books, that damn rebel." Nabooru took a sigh, "Well at least we're both okay."

"Hold on, you mean that treasure chest?" Link asked, pointing to the very chest from the room they had escaped from, which was now outside with them, sticking out from the sand.

"Woah, how did it get here?" Nabooru exclaimed, running over and opening it to see the books were indeed still in there, all intact.

"Guess the sand carried it out with us." grinned Link, "That worked out pretty well."

"Yeah, two birds, one stone." snickered Nabooru looking to her friend, "You and I make a great team, don't we?"

"I'd say so." nodded Link looking back at her.

The two of them couldn't help but blush a bit in that moment, and Nabooru had to shake it off, so as not to get smitten with her young apprentice and friend so soon after his challenge was made, but she couldn't help herself.

"Hey, I found em!" the two of them then both heard a hyperactive young voice shout, and they looked up to see Aviel flying down and landing on the sand hill they had just been sledding down just earlier, only for her to tumble into a ball and roll down the hill, before colliding right into Link.

"Oof... Hey you, glad to see you again." Link said grinning, with Aviel now laying on top of him.

"Ayayayayaya..." Aviel muttered, laying on Link's chest with dizzy eyes.

"Link my love! We finally found you!" Nemisa exclaimed, sliding down the hill herself, she then ran forward and dived down to hug Link, so happy to see him that she wasn't even caring that she was hugging Aviel as well. Reirousa went down the hill herself carrying Saria and Halei in her arms, with the guards and Ebony Sisterhood rebels following after.

"There you both are, you had us all worried!" Saria exclaimed, climbing down Reirousa's body and running over to Link, Aviel and Nemisa to check on them.

"King Link, Lady Nabooru, we're happy to see you're safe!" a guard said, running up to Nabooru to check on her well being.

"Ha ha, it nothing we couldn't handle." Nabooru chuckled, "Right Link?"

"Yeah." Link grinned as he comforted Aviel and Nemisa.

"Wow, they really made it out just fine!" a rebel said in surprise from the back of the group.

"But where's the boss?" asked another one looking around.

"We don't know..." Nabooru sighed, "We lost track of her after the temple flooded with sand."

"Ooh, I hope she's okay..." whispered one of the rebels.

It was then as if on cue, that the sand hill beside them started to shift, before a large chunk of it was blasted away, revealing a certain familiar Gerudo woman slowly walking out, battered and bruised from the battles and ordeals she went through, It was the excavation Boss Faurugo, still holding her pickaxes, though they were busted up from her constant rampages.

"Boss!" exclaimed a rebel.

"This.. ain't... over..." Faurugo gasped, "I'll end you all... for the great Mother Eclipsis!"

"Please boss, stop this!" pleaded another rebel, "It isn't worth it anymore!"

"No way, we have the treasure we're after, and the false king right in our grasp! I won't.. allow this... to... to..."

As Faurugo tried to force out her words, she staggered forward a bit, her legs growing weak.

"Damnit... I need more of it... I need more of that tonic..."

She looked up to everyone, the rebels themselves in particular, and her eyes glew red again for just a second.

"You all... give me all... all of that power tonic you have!"

"But boss, we don't have any! You're the one who had all of it!" one of the rebels pointed out with growing concern.

"I said give it to me... OR I'LL KILL YOU!" screamed Faurugo, and started to run right at them.

The rebel screamed and hid behind Link, who quickly brandished his sword and shield, along with Nabooru and the others to protect them from the insane mining woman.

But it was then Faurugo gasped out, she stopped running and staggered.

"No... not now... I need... to keep working as hard as I can..." Faurugo muttered, "...for the sake... of... our... people..."

It was then Boss Faurugo coughed out what seemed like yellow dust, and fell down to the ground, shaking and convulsing a bit, before laying still.

The group all paused and watched carefully, not sure of what just happened.

"Is... she...?" Nemisa asked.

The rebels didn't hesitant after that though, and all rushed over to Faurugo to check on her.

"Boss, please hang in there!" shouted a rebel with tears in her eyes, "We'll get you help before-!"

"...I-It's too late." another rebel whispered, checking for Faurugo's pulse, "She's gone."

"No..." whispered the other rebel, with tears starting to form in her eyes, as the other rebels all hung their heads down sadly.

"I don't get it, what happened exactly?!" Aviel asked in shock.

"I think whatever was in that tonic she was taking caused her body to just give out." Nemisa said.

"She overworked herself beyond what she was capable of..." Saria said sadly.

Nabooru took those words Saria said and grimaced, reflecting on what Link himself had been saying before earlier.

Everyone stood in silence, as the rebels mourned for the loss of their leader.

* * *

Sometime later the group were gathered around to eat; Link and Nabooru in particular not having been able to eat anything since yesterday. The guards had taken the time to wrap Faurugo's body in a cloth to preserve it, and partially to keep it out of sight, while the rebels took the time to introduce themselves to the group.

The rebel who had been wielding the metal claws earlier introduced herself as Maukai. She had been Faurugo's bodyguard, and was the one to speak out on behalf of her team after they had been separated and met up with Saria and the others while Link, Nabooru and Faurugo were still in the Hall of Knowledge.

Link though was too hungry to think about much else, as he was busy gobbling down a sandwich Saria had given him.

"Shanks sho moff!" Link said to Saria with his mouth full, before swallowing, "I lost the rest of the food I packed yesterday when the floor collapsed, and I've been starving!"

"Hee hee, it's okay Link, I know how big an appetite you have so I packed extra just in case, you've been like that since you were a kid!" Saria giggled as she took a napkin and wiped some food off his face. Link looked a little embarrassed as she did, and his Gerudo friends all giggled a bit at the two.

"Jees, you two are kinda sickeningly cute together..." Maukai said in slight annoyance, looking at the two, "Isn't she a little too young for you, false king?"

"Actually I'm over four hundred years old." Saria clarified.

Maukai promptly fell backwards off the rock she had been sitting on.

"Bullcrap!" Maukai quickly got up and shouted with her hair standing on end, "Why do you look so young then?!"

"It's just how the Kokiri people are." Link said, "I grew up with them and Saria during my childhood."

"Argh... I'm so jealous...!" Maukai sobbed sadly.

"So what's with the treasure chest you two got there?" Reirousa asked Link and Nabooru with her own mouth half full of food.

"It contains ancient Gerudo books, we're hoping the one Dr. Sarami needs is in there." Link said.

Halei looked up from her rice crackers, and her eyes lit up from hearing this, as her bunny hood ears were standing on end.

"That must be the chest the boss was ordered to track down by Mother Eclipsis." Maukai realized.

"But what use does she have for them?" Nemisa asked the rebel.

"We're not sure, Mother Eclipsis doesn't really tell us much, especially lately. All she does is give us orders without much other information." sighed Maukai, "Just keeps telling us we've been chosen to take over the Gerudo and free King Ganondorf."

"She didn't even tell us about the tonic Faurugo was carrying, if we had known about it we would have stopped her." said another rebel.

"Just what was that tonic anyway?" Nabooru asked, "It gave Faurugo that incredible power, but it took a heavy... and fatal toll on her body."

"Like I said, we're not really sure. All we know is if you take too much of it... well.. that happens." Maukai said, "Word is she just recently started giving that tonic out to her higher ranked troops."

"So if we can't figure out how to counter it, we could be facing more dangerous opponents like her." grimaced Link, "But where did she get something like that?"

"Well..." Maukai said, "I overheard something about us getting a new member of our rebellion, they're using the contents of a book they had just got... It was Gerudo Blood something something..."

The group's eyes widened at the words she spoke, especially a certain bunny hood wearing girl.

"The Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book?!" Halei exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's it!" Maukai nodded.

"So that explains a lot..." Nabooru realized, "They must have used the information in the book to create that tonic. As soon as we get back we need to have Dr. Sarami figure out what we need to do about this, and how it's related to that Hinox we fought back in the canyon."

"A Hinox...?" muttered one of the rebels, "Where does that sound familiar...?"

"Thank you for this information." Link told Maukai, "I'm surprised you're so honest with us, aren't we the enemy?"

"Well... to be honest, that's what we thought before..." Maukai said, "But last night we talked with your friends, and they told us a lot about what you all have accomplished over time, like bringing Reirousa and the Sandstorm Vipers into your town, and the defeat of the Wyvern Keepers."

"Yeah, you're a lot different then Mother Eclipsis told us..." another rebel said.

"Oh, like how?" Link asked.

"She said you were a cold and heartless king who keeps women under his boot, and treats them like slaves... but you don't seem anything like that... these girls really seem to care about you." Maukai said, just looking at Link, "Especially with the way they all defended you back inside in the Hall of Knowledge, I was really surprised to be honest..."

"I care about them just as much." Link nodded, "We're a family after all."

"A family... huh?" Maukai muttered, looking up into the sky a bit.

"So what else does she claim he's like?" Aviel spoke up.

Another rebel answered that, "Well she also said he lacks any kind of book smarts or leadership skills, he's a voracious glutton, dangerously reckless, and a total man-whore who can't keep it in his pants!"

There was a brief pause as everyone in the vicinity sat there, a small gust of wind blowing some sand by.

"Um... is anyone going to protest that?" Link asked around.

Still dead silence.

"So anyway," coughed Nemisa awkwardly, "Since you all are being so open to us, we were also curious if you had any knowledge about who the thief was that took the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book from our library."

"Dunno, we don't know anything about that." Maukai said shrugging.

"Last we heard, our teams haven't been able to get anywhere close to getting into Gerudo Town in months since the security and defenses have been forfeited there." another rebel said.

"Then if it wasn't a rebel..." Nemisa muttered, a bit unnerved.

"...it might have very well been one of our people." Link concluded.

"That's scary... I don't want to think about one of them doing something like that..." Aviel said sadly.

"It's okay, I think I already figured it out." Nabooru simply said.

"Wait you have?" Link asked.

"It took some time, but I pieced together a few things based on what we knew, and I'm certain who the thief is..." Nabooru said with her eyes closed, as she looked up to one particular person in the group.

"...right Halei?"

"H-Huh?!" Halei exclaimed, so startled she threw her rice crackers into the air, and they all fell down around her.

"Sister Halei... you're the book thief, aren't you?" Nabooru asked crossly.

"W-What?!" exclaimed Saria, "She was the one who took the alchemy book?"

"No, there's no way that's possible! Halei's a good girl!" exclaimed Aviel to Nabooru, then turned to Halei to confirm it, "Right?"

Halei just stood there without a word, leaving Aviel stunned.

"Right?" Aviel asked again.

"Halei... is this true...?" Link spoke up curiously.

The Hylian woman stood there motionless, with her head hung down, the ears of her bunny hood obscured her darkened eyes.

"...y-yes, it was me..." she whispered.

Needless to say, everyone except Nabooru were in shock at the confession, even Maukai and the rebels.

"It makes more sense now that I think about it." Nemisa nodded with her eyes narrowed, "The only person who would have a use for the book is Sarami..."

"...or perhaps just someone with an enthusiasm to read, even a book that's considered forbidden, and would have the ability to get to the headmaster's key to the chamber." Saria concluded.

Halei flinched at their accurate deduction.

"But why?" Aviel asked.

"You're all right... the truth is... sometimes I sneak into the headmaster's study to borrow the key to the forbidden chamber of books... so I can just take small peeks at them. I couldn't help myself..." Halei said sadly.

"You're kidding me..." Link said rubbing his head, "So what happened with the alchemy book then? You didn't give it to the rebels willingly did you?"

"N-No of course not!" Halei shouted defensively as she explained, "You see, one night, I was on my break and I snuck out of the library with the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book so I wouldn't get caught. I went to a spot I usually go to in the canyon in order to read it, but I was spotted and captured by members of the Ebony Sisterhood. They took the book from me, and they gave me an offer; either I retrieve more forbidden books for them... or I needed to pay them in rupees, otherwise they'd force me to work for them in the rebellion..."

"Jees, that's kinda messed up... Maukai muttered rubbing the back of her head.

"So they blackmailed you?" Nemisa exclaimed with a snarl, as she looked down at the rebels, "How low can you damn rebels get?"

"Hey, none of us were involved in anything like that!" Maukai defended herself and her team, feeling rather sacred of Nemisa's intimidating glare, "Like I said, we just do what we're told!"

"I suppose that makes sense Halei, I didn't think you'd be the type to willingly hand the book over to them. So you didn't send them any more?" Nabooru affirmed with her arms folded, recalling what was said before about none of the other books being missing.

"Yes, I couldn't allow that, so I instead paid them off for their secrecy..." Halei said with tears starting to spill down her eyes.

"That explains your money problems." Link realized as he looked down to the girls' rice crackers.

"But why take such a risk by reading the forbidden books?!" Saria asked, "A hobby is one thing but that was dangerous for you to do!"

"The reason..." Halei gulped a bit, "Was so I could understand the culture of the Gerudo more, so that I could be more helpful to the people who welcomed me into my new home..." she trembled as tears poured down her cheeks, "I was so scared after I was exiled, and I wanted so much to fit in, and be accepted by you all..."

The group stood in surprise of her words, and were all at a loss of what to say. It was clear she cared deeply about the Gerudo and felt she owed them for what they had done for her after she was exiled.

"I see..." Nabooru muttered, "However, by doing that you still disrespected us by reading the forbidden books, and because of what you did the Ebony Sisterhood have gained access to a dangerous power." she clarified, "And that can't go unpunished."

"But Lady Nabo-..."Aviel started, but was cut off by Nabooru raising her hand to the bird girl.

"Fear not though," Nabooru said, she took a glance over at Link, who nodded, then she turned back to Halei, "We aren't the same people we once were eight years ago. We'll have to give the punishment some thought, but you're still a member of our tribe, and we need to treat you fairly." she clarified.

"That's right." Link said stepping up, "Despite your crimes, you're still important to us, and we don't intend on turning our backs on you." he then looked to Maukai, "Just as we'll do the same for our rogue sisters here."

"What...?" Maukai asked, raising up her head in surprise, along with the others.

"You all are coming with us back to Gerudo Town." Link clarified to Maukai and the rebels, "It'll take some time before we can properly rehabilitate and trust you all, but we hope someday you can work with us to make Gerudo Town an even more prosperous place then now."

"But, that doesn't make sense." one of the rebels muttered to her comrades, "Mother Eclipsis told us the false king would kill any Gerudo who defied him..."

"I don't know what to believe anymore..." said another rebel.

"You'd... give us that chance?" Maukai asked Link, "Even after what we've done to you all?"

"Of course, you're Gerudo aren't you? As the future king, I need to see to my people's happiness, and that includes you all." Link said, sporting a goofy grin.

The rebels were caught off guard by that, a few of them even blushing lightly at Link's pleasant demeanor.

"They really are close, aren't they...?" a rebel said to Maukai.

"Maybe we really have been on the wrong side after all..." Maukai said as she looked over to the sheet holding Faurugo's body, and hung her head downcast.

Nabooru grinned as she looked to Link, and his kind nature towards even members of their people who would try to defy him, and saying words she had a tendency to forget herself in the wrong moment.

Halei meanwhile, squeezed her bunny hood in her hands protectively, as tears ran down her eyes, "Thank you so much Lady Nabooru... King Link... I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you both."

"That will be fine, Sister Halei." Nabooru nodded.

"Well with that out of the way, how about we start heading home then?" Reirousa proposed, lifting up the chest of books in her arms with seemingly no difficulty whatsoever.

"Um, but what about her...?" Saria asked, gesturing to the rebel body laying wrapped on the ground.

Nabooru took a look over at the rebels, all looking sadly at the late Boss Faurugo.

"We'll... take her body with us." Nabooru nodded, "We need to have Dr. Sarami examine her to see just what we're up against with the rebels, then we'll bury her remains to honor the memory of her."

"If it's okay..." Maukai spoke up, "We'd like to be the ones to carry Boss Faurugo's body... I think it's what she would have wanted."

"...very well." Nabooru nodded, "Then let's all go home."

* * *

"Oh my, this is indeed the book I was looking for, thank you everyone!" Dr. Sarami said, as the group had arrived at her medical clinic to hand her a certain book they had found.

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Reirousa, Halei the guards, as well as Maukai and the rebels all arrived in Gerudo Town. Maukai and the rebels were quickly arrested and put into confinement for questioning, while the library Head Master Gutola and her staff took the books Link and Nabooru had found to keep in the forbidden chamber. As it turned out a copy of Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts was indeed among those books in the chest, and the group were quick to hand it over to Dr. Sarami.

"Anything that can help us get an understanding of what happened with that Hinox and Faurugo will be useful Sarami." Nabooru said as a nurse tended to her injuries.

"Yes, I'll have my team bring sister Faurugo's body in for an autopsy, so I can learn more about this strange tonic Mother Eclipsis is apparently using." Sarami nodded, "And this book will do wonders for my research into what exactly the rebellion is using."

"We're glad to hear that." nodded Nabooru.

It was then Sarami took a glance over at Nemisa, who was being treated by another nurse. She noticed something about Nemisa's wrist and went over to take a look at it.

"W-What is it Doctor?" Nemisa asked.

"It's your scar..." Sarami said, talking about the wound she got from when the slave trader Jayde had stabbed her almost three years ago, "I might just be me... but it looks like it's finally healing up after all this time."

"Really?" Nemisa looked down at the wound, "I guess it does look less red then before." She paused on that note and looked over to Link, who was currently being treated by three of the nurses, though they seemed to be taking their time with him deliberately, and smiled lightly.

"It seems Link can heal others in ways other then medial treatment." Sarami smiled lightly, taking a glance at Nabooru, then looking longingly at Link himself.

* * *

"Thanks for doing this for us, and for allowing us visitation."

Link, Nabooru, Saria, Aviel and Nemisa, as well as Maukai and the rebels, were all standing at the graveyard in the back of Gerudo Town, before a gravestone with Faurugo's name engraved on it. While the body was still at Sarami's clinic for examination, they made the effort to set up the burial site for when it was ready to brought there. The grave was fittingly beside that of the assassin woman known only as The Slicer, who had attacked Link shortly after his arrival in town.

"She was a rebel, but just like The Slicer, she was still a Gerudo, and our family." Nabooru nodded, "She won't be forgotten."

Link stared down at the grave, then over to Maukai and the rebels who were all on their knees, praying to the Death Goddess Nerif for their leader's safe passage to the world of spirits. His thoughts also went to Halei, who had been taken away by the guards to be imprisoned for what she had done.

He knew in that moment there was much more that needed to be done, and that he had some things to admit to the people of Gerudo Town...

Something he had been holding back for too long.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter! e had a happy reunion, but not without some bitter truth and tragedy... The question is, what will Link do now, and what will happen as a result of it? Find out next chapter!**_

_**As always leave a like, follow or comment if you choose, your encouragement is a great motivator for me to continue!**_


	47. Link's Confession

**_It's time for chapter 47, Link has prepared himself for a big announcement, but what could it be, and what could happen as a result of it...?_**

* * *

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Nabooru asked Link as he stood in front of a mirror, straightening out his red tunic and green pants, and fixing up his hair. Aviel, Nemisa and Halei were also there, Halei having been given permission to attend what was about to transpire.

"Yep, with everything going down with the rebels, I've waited long enough, it's time I finally do what's necessary, so we can start coming together as a town and take action against them." Link said.

"...very well." Nabooru nodded.

"I'm really worried about this," Saria sighed, "But I'll follow you with whatever choice you make Link."

"Yeah, don't worry Link, we got your back!" Aviel nodded.

"Good luck my love." Nemisa said.

Halei said nothing, but just looked down nervously.

With that, Link took a deep breath and started walking out of the palace, towards the front entrance, and stood out on the porch that overlooked the front of the town. He looked down to see all the Gerudo in town were there, having been called over for an announcement by Nabooru's word. Shortly after he arrived in Gerudo Town he would had been intimidated by the many Gerudo before him, but now after having spent so long in town, bonding with the people, he felt a sense of confidence in himself to say what needed to be said.

Nabooru stepped up and cleared her throat, and she spoke out an introduction to their meeting, speaking about various things that had been going on as of late, until she finally decided to get to the subject that Link wanted to address.

"...and now to conclude this announcement, your future king Link has something he'd like to say to you all!" Nabooru said, as she allowed Link to step up.

As Link did, the cheers and squeals and applause of many of the Gerudo women broke out in enthusiasm for the man they had accepted as their king-to-be. He could hear some whistling, as well as some marriage proposals, or even just some asking for him to give them a child to bear. It filled Link in that moment with a sense of pride and warmth, and he felt more ready then ever to speak.

"Citizens of Gerudo Town!" Link started, "It's been a year since the day I first came here, and while I think I got off on the wrong foot with you, time has allowed me to get to know and understand you all, and with the aide of Lady Nabooru I've learned a lot about you and your lives. In this time we're strengthened and grown from those dark times you once faced thanks to the banishment, and we will soon reach a great and prosperous future!"

He gulped and cleared his voice a little, "As such, I feel it's time I make my official announcement; In the time I've spent here, I feel I've grown to love and care about this place, and it's people, and I understand what must be done so that we can reach that prosperous time. So as of today, I would like to officially say..."

He stood tall and spoke out the words everyone had been waiting for.

"I'm ready to accept my role as the new King of the Gerudo."

With that, the crowd cheered out wildly, Nabooru smiled and nodded, while Aviel was dancing around Nemisa and Saria waving her bird wings happily. Halei just stayed in the back silently.

"...however!" Link shouted, raising out his hand, silencing the crowd, "There is another thing that I need to speak about. I may not have much experience in royalty, but I feel one of the most important things about being a ruler is trust with the people, and so I think there's something you all need to know about who I am and what I have done."

As the crowd murmured to themselves about what Link was talking about.

It was then Halei's rabbit hood ears twitched as she spoke out to Link in a panic, "Wait, King Link! Please, you don't need to say tha-"

"It's okay..." Link whispered, "Before they can accept me as their king, I need to set things straight with them."

"Don't worry Halei." Nabooru whispered as well, "He's got this."

Halei looked worried, but nodded, her bunny ears flopping up and down as she did.

Link took another deep breath, then spoke out, "The truth is, eight years ago when I was ten, I came to learn about the previous Gerudo King Ganondorf's plan to launch an attack on Hyrule Castle, and steal the sacred power protected by the royal family. I couldn't allow that to happen, and I reported it to the royals so that Ganondorf could be stopped."

The crowd gasped out, talking wildly among each other, but Link continued and their talking was quickly silenced.

"After that, I had gone on a seven year journey to find something important to me... and after that I came back here to Hyrule to see to a promise made between me and Lady Nabooru, and it was then I came to learn of the terrible tragedy that happened to your people..." he paused, "...because of what I had done."

The crowd continued to speak among each other about this news, and some of it didn't go unheard by Link.

"So it was the king who arrested King Ganondorf...?"

"It can't be..."

"What does this mean?"

"Did King Link capture King Ganondorf to steal his power?"

"Could he be in cahoots with the royal family?!"

"That bastard!"

"So wait, King Ganondorf was trying to do something like that...?"

"Could that be what he was talking about before...?"

"Yeah, King Link saved Hyrule by capturing him!"

"Who's Falcondorf, mommy?"

"But still, my sister died because of..."

"I'll never forgive that man!"

"Please everyone, settle down!" Nemisa called out, quieting down the people, "Go on Link."

Link nodded and continued to speak, "While I may not have been here to find out what happened, I can't deny that I had an involvement in the war between the Gerudo and Hyrule. I don't know if I could ever forgive myself for what has happened to all of you, but I do know I intend to continue to do what's needed to set things right."

Saria herself just looked on in awe of how mature Link had become in this time, as he spoke out to the Gerudo, admitting to what he had inadvertently done.

"As your king, I intend to put an end to the Ebony Sisterhood's rebellion, but rather then just punish them, I also want to allow them the opportunity to join us in our society. I also plan to seek an audience with the parliament of Hyrule Castle, so we can abolish the Gerudo Banishment Law, and allow all of you the chance to live freely as I feel you all have earned the right to do, through your hard work and reform from the old ways of the Gerudo."

He spoke a little more nervously in that moment.

"H-However, I also know many of you may hold a grudge against me for what I've done to you by causing the war to happen. Even if it wasn't deliberate, I can't deny my involvement, and if you all feel that I have no right to the throne and should be punished for what I've done, then I'll accept whatever you feel I deserve..." he then bowed at the waist to all of the women before him, "However, if you give me this chance to help you continue to fix things, I will not hesitate to do so. I say that not as the future king, but as a person who just wants to do the right thing, and make you all happy!"

Link then stood upright and took a breath, "That's all, thank you for your time."

There was a stunned silence among the crowd, aside from a small number who still clapped and cheered, though that same awkwardness Link felt back when he arrived and spoke out to them all seemed to come right back to haunt him. He turned and walked into the palace, trying to ignore the growing chattering of the people as he left, not sure of what they would think of him...

Halei looked worriedly at Link, but before she could say anything, a guard took her away and led her back to her prison cell so she could wait for the judgment of her crime of the book theft.

"It's okay Link, you did well." Nabooru said patting his back, "I don't think that was something anyone could just say without it feeling difficult and awkward, but you got through it. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks..." Link muttered with a light smile.

"Link, are you going to be okay...?" Aviel asked worriedly, putting a hand on his other arm.

"Y-Yeah..." Link said, "I admit as painful as it was to say, it kinda feels good having gotten the truth out..."

Saria took those words into account and looked down, thinking about something that had been on her mind for a while herself, as she took a look over to Nemisa moving closer to Link.

"I suppose so, but it seems dangerous to do something like this, my love..." Nemisa said with concern after giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek, "What if the citizens were to retaliate against you for this?"

Link just gulped a bit at that thought. It wasn't that he didn't expect a possibility like that, but it still bothered him. "I... just need to be prepared I guess."

"Not to worry, I'll be sure the guards step up their patrol if anyone ties anything." Nabooru said.

"...but what if a guard themself feels the same way...?" Saria asked worriedly.

"... ...perhaps we should all stay with Link tonight then." Nemisa nodded in a quiet tone.

"Thanks girls." Link said, "I don't like feeling unsafe here, but I admit I did it to myself."

"Well don't you worry." Nabooru said, "We're all here to support you."

"Of course! We're your protectors!" Aviel said with a salute.

"It'd still be nice if there were more to help though..." Saria muttered.

"Howdy yall, you up fer a sleepover?!" spoke up a new voice just then.

The group turned to see standing there was a surprising sight; Togau, Dr. Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta and Korume were all there, having been escorted in by a guard.

"Sorry Lady Nabooru, King Link, but they were all insistent they meet with you." the guard said.

"What are you all doing here?" Nemisa asked.

"What else? We all saw how heavy Link was takin' his confession, so we thought we'd come here ta support him!" Togau said, "He's got a lot of burden on his shoulders, and I'm willin' ta help it off him!"

"Really...?" Link asked, "You'd do that, even after what I had done?"

"Yes, we're all here for you Link-sweetie. You saved all of Hyrule by putting away that horrible king of ours, and I couldn't be more proud of you for it." Sarami said with a soft smile.

"You've beaten yourself up enough over what happened with the war, I can't let the other girls do the same thing." Reirousa said, pounding her fist into her palm "If anyone tries anything to pound you, then they're the ones that're gonna get pounded!"

"Don't worry my husband, we'll see to it you're kept safe and secure." Kesuta said doing a fiery twirl.

"We'll all protect you to the end, your heart that's both valorous and pure." Korume rhymed with a icy and slow bow.

Link was in stunned silence as Nabooru came up and held him, along with Nemisa, Saria and Aviel.

"You hear that Link?" Nabooru said with a smile, as she held Link, and the rest of the group soon joined along with her in a large group hug. "You're not alone, we're all here for you."

In that moment, Link stood there, in the embrace of his friends and fiances, his eyes started to tear up, and he broke down crying at seeing all the girls in support of him, only prompting everyone to hold him closer.

"Thanks everyone..." Link said, as tears ran down his cheeks.

* * *

"This cucco meat is good.. but it needs more zest to it..."

"Korume, don't even think about putting that damn hot sauce you made on it!"

"Kukuku..."

"Someone stop her before she ruins it!"

Sometime later that night; Link, Nabooru, Saria, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta and Korume had all gathered at the dining room for dinner. There were various cucco and beef hot pots, and the girls were having a field day with it. Reirousa and Aviel in particular were stuffing their mouths, while Kesuta was trying her hardest to hold back Korume from putting her own patented extra spicy sauce into the cucco meat dish.

Despite being such a glutton normally, Link found himself picking at his food, dwelling on what he had spoke about to the town just a while ago. He glanced up to see the others, who despite the situation seemed to be enjoying things just fine.

"You doing alright, Link?" Saria asked, putting a hand on Link's.

"Yeah, guess so." nodded Link, "I'm just wondering what the people are going to think about me now that they know the truth."

"I'm not sure if it was such a great idea for you to confess to that... though I guess I understand why." Korume said, "You're a very honest and assertive person Link, perhaps to a fault."

"Eh. Way I see it, better that Link just got the truth out there now then later." Reirousa shrugged, "He told me about what he had done back when we first met, and I could tell it was hurting him a lot to keep it in like that."

"Yes, I can understand what that's like..." Nemisa said, glancing down at her scar, which was indeed much lighter then before, before looking to Reirousa with a pleasant smile, "I'm surprised you were able to read him so well Reirousa, you never seemed like the observant type."

"What's that supposed ta mean?! Ya tryin' ta pick a fight?" Reirousa asked with an angry scowl.

"Never mind." Nemisa sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Hey comeon, how about we stop fightin' and dwelling on the what-ifs and just have some fun tonight?!" Togau asked, "We outta be celebratin' that Link finally decided to become our king!"

"Yeah! No mater what happens tomorrow, we'll just have all kinds of fun tonight!" Kesuta shouted, "Link, you still gotta try these potatoes we brought!"

"Well I-" Link was about to speak, but Kesuta shoved the food on her fork right into his mouth, it was indeed really good, and he felt his spirits lift more and more from the girls' encouragement.

"I have something for you too, my love..." Korume said to Link softly, holing up a fork with food covered in scorching red sauce, which disturbed both him and Kesuta, "Say aaaahhh..."

"Keep that away from our husband, you'll murder his taste buds!" Kesuta shouted, but was then silenced by Korume sticking the food into her sister's mouth instead, "YEOOOWW!"

"You talk too much." Korume told her sister coldly.

"Quit, get me that milk!" Kesuta exclaimed, grabbing a cup of milk Togau brought from the ranch and gulping it down, sighed in relief, "Aaahh..."

"Go ahead an drink up Kesuta!" Togau grinnned, "I've been working to make sure the milk the cows produce is as good as the kind at Lon Lon Ranch!"

"You mean Lon Lon Milk?" a servant spoke up as she was setting down some more food plates, "I've heard rumors if you drink enough of that milk it can help your breasts grow bigger..."

Some of the girls sat there motionlessly, until Togau, Kesuta and Saria all started drinking down extra cups of milk in unison.

"Aren't you going to eat something other then veggies, Dr. Sarami?" Aviel asked, looking to the plate the good doctor had put together.

"Umm..." Sarami said, staring longingly at the meat in the beef dish, "I don't really wish to try and eat that... it seems quite high in calorie content... and I'm trying to diet..."

"Oh just have some!" Aviel said brightly, grabbing some meat and putting it on Sarami's plate, "Make this your cheat day!"

"Hey now!" gasped Sarami, using her fork to keep the sauce from the meat off her vegetables, "Don't try to tempt me like that!" she cautiously took a celery stick and bit into it, then realizing some of the juices from the meat had dripped into it. She paused, feeling the taste of the sauce overwhelm her, and she couldn't take it anymore.

"T-Thank you for the meal!" Sarami blurted out as she started eating up the meat Aviel had put on her plate, and the bird girl smiled brightly at Sarami's smile as she ate.

"We really have a weird family, don't we?" Nemisa finally asked Link as the two looked over their group with a sweatdrop gong down her head.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have it any other way." Link said, sporting a goofy grin to his fiance.

"I suppose so." Nemisa said with a small smile of her own.

Nabooru just watched everyone cheer out and let off a light smile, she was about to leave them to get up to go back to her work, but then in that moment she glanced to Link and saw him smiling brightly as the girls were all gathered around, eating, chatting and quarreling...

Nabooru paused, and found herself lowering back down onto her seat to join them again...

'Maybe for just a bit longer.' he thought as she reached out for some more food to eat, and she started getting into a conversation with Sarami about the sauce flavoring.

That 'bit longer' Nabooru had planned turned out to be for the whole night, and she didn't get around to getting any work done that day.

And yet she found she didn't even mind at all.

* * *

The sun rose up the next morning, shining out on Gerudo Town. The sound of a rooster from Togau's ranch crowed out to signal the new day approaching.

Despite their initial fears of what could happen, the night went by without any bad situations arising, and no attacks on Link's life were even attempted. Regardless, the girls decided to spend the whole night with Link to protect him. While some of Link's fiances were tempted to take him into bed for a night of passionate love-making, they decided not too. They came to an agreement that he just needed more comfort then pleasure that night. They all spent the time talking about various things, played a few recreational games, and even went swimming in the pool. They had considered inviting Ruto as well, but knew it would only complicate things.

"Link, Link wake up!" Aviel shouted out, as Link laid back on his pillow bed, being the last of the group to wake up that day as usual.

"Don't wanna..." Link muttered, covering his face with a pillow.

"No seriously Link! You outta go look outside, quick!" Aviel said, pulling on his leg to try and get them to go out. Link was trying to keep himself from moving, but realized after a while that Aviel was starting to drag him off the pillows and across the floor.

"Alright! Alright!" Link said, pushing himself up and putting his vest on, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes before Aviel grabbed his arm and starting pulling him forward, "Hey, I know how to walk Aviel!"

"Well walk faster then!"

Link just rolled his eyes and let Aviel direct him.

* * *

Link soon arrived at the balcony that Aviel had directed him to, and standing there he saw Nabooru, Saria, Nemisa, Togau, Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta and Korume. He was happy to see them all still there that morning, but could swear at that moment he heard some shouting from down in the streets of Gerudo Town. However, he was too half asleep to make out exactly what they were saying.

"Morning everyone, what's going on here?" Link asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Why not see for yourself?" Nabooru said, gesturing for Link to look out at the town.

Link was a admittingly a bit nervous to see the people of Gerudo Town after his confession the previous day, and wasn't sure what to expect. He took a deep breath, and slowly walked up to the balcony's edge and looked down to see the people. It was then he started to realize what they were all chanting...

"LONG LIVE KING LINK! LONG LIVE KING LINK!"

Link was taken back, the people of the town had all gathered and were cheering out happily for him. Some of the people were even waving banners and flags with the symbol of the Gerudo on them. As he looked out at the crowd he saw many of the girls he had come to meet and care about during the past year he spent there...

He saw Folura, Aviel's archery master, and the students that he and the bird-girl would often practice their bow and arrow skills with in the training grounds. They were all gathered together and holding up a banner of their group's archery team.

There was also the three Gerudo guards who watched over him and Togau during the caravan trade trip in Gerudo Plains, though they keep to have discarded their hoods and veils. Despite how condescending they were to Aviel before, the three of them were brave warriors who stood by their side and fought off General Wallace and his knights without hesitation.

He could see the ranchhands that works for Togau, along with a small group of the barn animals they helped raise over there. He even saw Togau's pet animals Imra the cucco and Oseg the pig were there. Imra herself was standing on Oseg's back waving her wings up and down. Link had to admit in that moment it was weird to see a cucco praising him like that after his past with their kind...

He also saw Maifeki, the new mother he had helped to deliver a child in Sarami's medical clinic and she was holding her baby daughter Selil in her arms. She took the baby's arm and waved it up at Link for her with a bright smile on her face. The mother had done well to raise her daughter for the past year, and the baby giggled to show it's own enthusiasm.

There was also a group of nurses from Sarami's clinic, and among them was a familiar-looking young girl. She was wearing a mask that covered her mouth, but Link could tell it was Ilite, the asthmatic girl he had saved from the thief Dakas. It seemed even with her condition, she had made the effort to come out to see Link, and she was waving up to him happily.

He also spied the two sisters Favisa and Sireim, the latter having been once been captured by the Wyvern Keepers back in the canyon months ago, and the former who had fought back against the slavers to plead for help to Link to save her. He also recognized the other two girls who had been captured along with Sireim, and how well the four of them were all doing.

He then looked to see Sovan and the rest of the Sandstorm Viper gang, once marauders of the Gerudo Wastes, now fine citizens of Gerudo Town. Sovan in particular had become quite famous for her cooking skills at their favorite diner, and the other girls were all doing well themselves with their own lives.

Another Gerudo that stood out was the blue-robe clad mystic Koleima, mother of Kesuta and Korume. While the tragic revelation of why her sister having to die by her hands had hurt her so much, it seemed she had been persevering through it, and her daughters had helped their mother through every bit of it, which wouldn't had been possible if not for Link and the twins putting an end to their bloodline's supposed burden.

He also noticed a certain two had come to visit; Remo the former Wyvern Keepers member, now the bartender of the Dank Salamander tavern. Remo was sitting on the shoulders of his girlfriend and former jail guard Usaulu. The tavern had been doing well with bringing in Gerudo and travelers alike, not just giving the people a place to relax and rest, but to meet and form bonds of friendship and love with.

Three Gerudo in particular were whistling and cheering out loudly, and Link recognized them as Nemisa's childhood friends; Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi. There had been distance between Nemisa and the three after everything that had happened with her slavery and the harsh truth about Jayde, but after Nemisa finally made peace with herself the four of them had truly reunited as friends and became closer then ever as a result.

He also saw standing out there was Togau's mother Tusimu, standing alongside her caretaker. She was using a cane to hold herself up, and while the caretaker was trying to help keep her steady, Tusimu seemed to be doing her best to stay standing herself, and was just looking up at Link and Togau, sporting that beautiful smile that Togau had wanted so much to see her whole life.

Them along with so much of the town, were all continuously cheering out for Link's new place as their king, all of them in support of him.

"Everyone..." Link whispered, as small traces of tears started to form in his eye-ducts.

""I wasn't so sure what to think about the Gerudo before, and I never thought I'd find myself living with them..." Saria brought up, "But I love being here with all of you now, and I have you and Lady Nabooru to thank for it!"

"I thought I could only do so little for everyone as a lookout guard." Aviel said, "But cause of you Link I've become a king's bodyguard, I've been doing so much more now, and everyone's treating me better then ever! I couldn't be happier that you came into our lives Link!"

"Yes, you're the one who helped me finally break out of the shell I had trapped myself in Link." Nemisa said, "I'm no longer afraid to be the person I always wanted to be, and you helped me understand what I needed to do to get to this point."

"Na ha ha, I never thought I'd find myself gettin' married my whole life," Togau laughed, "And after I got turned into a Lynel I thought I couldn't get any lower, but you accepted me despite everything Link, and you even helped settle things with me and Ma! And with the way you're working to get rid of the banishment law, I hope someday I can meet Malon and Talon-bro to show them how I've grown!"

"Before I became a doctor, for the longest time I thought I was useless to my people," Sarami said softly, "And I was so determined to do everything I could I underestimated my limits. You showed me how important it was to not shoulder the burden of everything on my shoulders, and thanks to that I've made time to relax and strengthen myself so I can do more for everyone when it counts!"

"Ya know I could never bring myself to let go of my regrets in life." Reirousa muttered, rubbing the back of head, "And I still can't. But the way you worked so hard to fix all the crap you put on yourself, I guess you've become kind of an inspiration for me... or uh, you know... somethin' like that... It's been a lot easier for me to move forward thanks to you... so uh, yeah, thanks."

"Before we met you Link, me and Korume thought we had to carry a terrible burden to protect the town by having to sacrifice one or the other, and I didn't think I could go through with that unless I forced myself to hate my dear sister." Kesuta said, "But you stormed into the Spirit Temple without even being asked, and helped me remember how important she is to me, and I never want to separate from her, or you!"

"Kukuku..." Korume giggled, "I knew there was something special about you the day we both met you all that time ago... I just never thought you'd be the one who end the curse on our family, and I'm proud to be able to marry you alongside my sister, so that we indeed never have to be apart again. "

Link stared out at everyone before him, his friends, and his people, and Nabooru nodded.

"They're all accepted you, Link." Nabooru said smiling. "Despite what pain you feel you brought to them, we all fought through that pain and you've worked hard for their sake. The things you've done for them all over the past year have made a significant impact on their lives, and we've all come closer together because of it. They've accepted you..."

"...and we all couldn't be happier to call you our king, Link." she then added.

Link paused and hung his head down. Taking a deep breath, he walked up to the edge of the balcony, looking down at everyone and shouted out three words to the town before him, as well as his friends and fiances.

"Thank you, everyone!"

One year ago, after Link had learned the truth about what his actions in getting Ganondorf arrested had brought to the Gerudo tribe, and he only blamed himself for it all, and because of that he couldn't believe that he could ever have the right to call himself the new king. However, in that time he had persevered and worked to better the lives of everyone, and in the process he had learned many new things, and made many new friends. He had also come to experience true love with many of the girls he had bonded with; Nemisa, Togau, Kesuta, Korume, even Princess Ruto, and if not for the life he had come to embrace, he would had never gotten this chance.

While there was still much more to do to fix things with the Gerudo, and Hyrile as a whole, in that moment as he still speaking out the people, he truly felt accomplished.

* * *

In one part of Gerudo Town was the jail facility, an underground complex built by Nabooru and the Sand Rod for criminals with extended sentences. While they had little use for it these days, now it was being used to house Maukai and the rebels Link and his freinds had captured. They were all hanging around contemplating their situation. They were overhearing the words of the guards who were talking about Link officially taking his place as the Gerudo King, and they all sighed out.

"Jees, Mother Eclipsis isn't going to be happy to hear this." said one rebel.

"Yeah,, we really went and let her down..." said another sadly.

"Ah don't worry about it, we didn't stand a chance against Link." shrugged Maukai, "He and his friends were just too tough for us..."

"Ugh... we used to be really strong, but we've been so busy trying to salvage resources and fix the damages from our recent losses we haven't had time to properly train like we used to." said a rebel.

Maukai looked around at the rebels, all looking downcast at their failure and capture, and took a sigh.

"Listen, I was thinking..." Maukai said, "I know originally we were going to try and break out of here and escape... but... maybe we should just defect from the rebellion and... I dunno, maybe do what that Link guy said and just stay here in Gerudo Town?"

Some of the other rebels gasped out in shock of what she said.

"But sister Maukai!" shouted one, "Think of what we stand for! We want to save our people from the banishment!"

"But... isn't that what King Link said he's trying to do?" Maukai brought up.

"Huh?!" exclaimed the rebel, who narrowed her eyes angerly, "How dare you call that male the king!"

"But she's right, you heard him before, it seems he just wants what's best for us all." said another rebel.

"Yeah, Mother Eclipsis meanwhile has been treating us like rubbish, you saw what happened to Boss Faurugo!" said one rebel sadly.

"Oh... I guess..." sighed the argumentative rebel, lowering her head, "So... what do you think is going to happen to us Maukai?"

"You don't think we're going to be executed, do you?" asked another.

"... you know, I think we'll be alright..." Maukai said, "You heard Link and Lady Nabooru, they just want to help us fit in with them."

"Yeah, when we got to see the people, they all seem so nice and friendly..." a rebel said smiling, "They aren't anything like how we were told by Mother."

"Then we're going to have to work hard too." another rebel said, "If we're going to earn our place here, we have to prove they can trust us!"

"Yeah..." Maukai sported a small smile with a longing look in her eyes.

"Hey Maukai, what's that look for?" asked a rebel, "You thinking about something?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing." Maukai said.

"I dunno about 'nothing'." a rebel giggled, "I bet you were thinking about King Link!"

"W-What?!" Maukai exclaimed, her hair in that moment standing up on end, "I-It's not like that!"

"Hey, I don't blame you, I think he's cute too!" giggled a rebel, "I wonder if he'd let me join his queen harem, or at least give me a child!"

"T-That's... um..." stammered Maukai, unable to get her hair to stay down, and instead was sticking up on the left and right, "Q-Quit talking about that sorta thing!"

As the guards spoke to each other, they couldn't help but overhear the prisoners all laughing out loud happily.

"Sounds like we might have some new citizens soon." a guard chuckled lightly.

"The king really has an influence on people, huh?" said the other guard to her comrade, who nodded.

* * *

That night, in the far back of town, there was a lone jail cell, usually reserved for temporary prisoners. Typically for men who managed to invade the town, and was in fact occupied by Link and Remo at different points. This time however the jail was occupied by a woman, a half-Hylian, half-Gerudo known as Halei, the former employee of the Gerudo Library.

After the reveal that she had been the book thief, she was arrested and brought to prison to await her sentencing. While she had been granted permission to be there for Link's announcement of what he had done in getting Ganondorf captured, she was to spend her time in that prison until Nabooru could decide what to do with her.

Halei sighed out, reaching up and rubbing at her head. She had her bunny hood taken during the time of her arrest, and her head felt naked without it. Her thoughts lingered on the day her father gave her the hood so enthusiastically, since she couldn't own a rabbit of her own due to her mother's allergies. She wondered if she'd ever see the hood, or her own father ever again.

Her thoughts then went to the future king Link. She was lost on how exactly she felt about him, especially after finding out he was the one who had Ganondorf captured, which resulted in the war and her banishment from Hyrule. During the time she and the others were separated from Link and Nabooru she had to admit she felt some resentment towards him, but after Reirousa talked with her and the rebels about how guilty Link himself was about what had happened and what he was working towards to fix it, she found herself conflicted.

Then when she saw Link accept Maukai and the rebels into their society, she saw just how determined he was to make things right, and she realized he was just as much of a victim of circumstance as she was...

"Oh, your highness!" spoke up the guard watching her cell, making her look up, "What brings you here?"

"I'm just here to talk to the prisoner." she heard Link said. Halei watched as Link walked over to the bars and knelt down to her sitting level, "Hey there Halei, you doing okay here?"

"What do you want, your highness...?" Halei asked, somewhat nervously.

"Ha ha, enough with that highness stuff, I told you to just call me Link." he said, "Listen, I know how it can be in here, so I picked up something to make things a little better for you."

With that he slipped a bag through the bars to give to Halei. She opened up the bag and found a box lunch from the local diner.

"I had Sovan make it up for you." Link said, "And there's another surprise in there too."

With that, Link stood himself up, "Don't worry, I'll talk with Lady Nabooru about your situation. Maybe we can come to an agreement. Have a good night."

"Yes... thank you..." Halei said softly as she watched Link leave. She opened the box lunch and saw it to be a fine meat and potato dish. She took a bite and savored the flavor, she had gone so long without a decent meal due to how much money she had to give the rebels, and it was nice to eat good food like that once again.

It was then she saw the other thing packed in with the box lunch, a fiction book by one of her favorite authors. She then noticed the book seemed to have something between the pages and opened it up, seeing that he had slipped something else in it as well.

It was her bunny hood, cleaned and pressed, like it was mint condition.

Tears started to form in her eyes as she remembered once again about the day her father gave her the bunny hood, and the story he told her about a young lad working for the mask shop that sold it to him. She brought up the hood and put it back onto her head, just as it was meant to be. She reached up and rubbed the hood's fuzzy ears and smiled, as she went to reading the book while slowly eating her meal.

'He truly is a kind king-' she paused in that thought, 'No... ...a kind person.'

* * *

Meanwhile, far off from Gerudo Town, in the depths of the stronghold known as Gerudo Fortress...

"Mother Eclipsis... I have information to speak to you about."

"Please, do tell."

A woman clad in a black cloak and wearing a porcelain mask sat leaning on a throne. She was Mother Eclipsis, the leader of the Ebony Sisterhood rebellion. She sat nonchalantly as a rebel had come in and bowed down with a look of nervousness in her eyes.

"I... I'm sorry, but this news isn't good. It seems the excavation team we sent to the Hall of Knowledge has failed in their mission... the items you requested them to find are now in the hands of the false king and Lady Nabooru... the sisters we sent there have been arrested by them..." she gulped, "And... well... you see..." she seemed to stall.

"Continue." Mother Eclipsis simply said.

"I'm... afraid that according to my sources, the leader of the team; Boss Faurugo has fallen, her life seems to have been taken by the false king." the rebel said.

Mother Eclipsis just sat there, without speaking a word for what seemed like the longest time. The rebel was in a cold sweat as she looked up at the leader of the rebellion, the mask making it impossible to have any idea what she was thinking or feeling in that moment.

"I see... very well." Mother Eclipsis said calmly, "She was a strong and loyal warrior who fought bravely to the end, may the Death Goddess Nerif carry her spirit to rest in peace." Mother Eclipsis said bowing her head, "Thank you for this information, you may leave now."

"T-Thank you Mother." the rebel bowed, before turning and running out to join her sisters who had been nervously waiting for her.

As soon as the doors shut, Mother Eclipsis stood up and walked off through another door. Closing it behind her, she paused for awhile, looking downwards.

"This... isn't supposed to happen. We're supposed to be the chosen ones... the ones who shall free King Ganondorf and destroy the bastard Hyrulian monarchy... we Gerudo have been chosen to rule..."

The mysterious leader of the rebellion clenched her fist, as she was trembling,

"But we keep losing our troops, dying in battle or running away like spineless cowards... all because of... that damn man... that damn false Gerudo King... the one who obstructed the plans of the great King Ganondorf... and defies the will of goddess Aifet..."

It was then the tall and mighty leader fell to her hands and knees and shouted out.

"EEEAAARRRGGHH! CURSE YOU FALSE KING! CURSE YOU!"

She then grabbed a chair and threw it with incredible strength across the hall, until it impacted into a wall and leaving a dent in it, as the heavy bronze chair itself fell and smashed with a loud echo to the ground. As Mother Eclipsis just stood there contemplating the news she had just been told, a rebel Gerudo opened a door, calmly walking towards Mother Eclipsis, and not even even alarmed by the chair's remains.

"Mother Eclipsis, the test subject is ready." spoke the rebel that had walked up to her, giving a polite bow. She was a sightly shorter then normal Gerudo, she had expressionless eyes, and she made no effort to smile or frown at all. Unlike many of the Gerudo, she wore a black short dress with white frills on the edges, as well as, oddly enough, small decorative horns on her head and small bat wings attached on her belt.

"Thank you..." Mother Eclipsis muttered, standing upright, "This is perfect timing actually, I could use a chance to let off some anger..."

"Very good Mother." the rebel in the dress said bowing, as Mother Eclipsis walked past her into the next room. The Gerudo girl slowly paused and turned in the direction Eclipsis left into, before letting out a soft sigh and going off on her way to see to other matters.

Mother Eclipsis stood in a large circular canyon in the far back of the Fortress, fortified with large bricks and statues. It was an arena designed after the Coliseum of Hotaig, the Gerudo goddess of war. Back when Ganondorf ruled the Gerudo, this was a place normally used for battles of sport, or to torment captured prisoners before they were killed. Nowadays however it was used almost exclusively by Mother Eclipsis for other matters...

Mother Eclipsis stood staring at a door on the far opposite end of the arena, closed off by iron bars. She could hear a faint growling and roaring from it, though she didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated by it.

"A-Are you ready, Mother?" called out a Gerudo rebel beside a large switch on a balcony of the arena.

Mother Eclipsis was about to answer, but then she felt a familiar sensation, as she sighed in annoyance and called out, "In a minute."

It was then behind Mother Eclipsis, a cloaked individual appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. The robe was a tan color, as opposed to the black robes and clothing of the rebellion. The person's features were covered by the hood, and there was a symbol of some kind decorating the robe.

"I was told about the failure of the mission at the Hall of Knowledge." the voice said, clearly an older male's, "Even though I provided your team with a copy of the Book of Mudora, you still couldn't obtain what you were after?"

"There was a minor setback." Mother Eclipsis said, "But the false king shall suffer for what he's done soon."

"Damnit, did you not hear what I told you before?" asked the man, "The false king cannot die just yet! Do you not recall what I told you about the prophecy?!"

"I'm well aware of it;" Mother Eclipsis said, reciting what she had been told by him;

"_When the blood moon is cast over the field of battle, the blood of Hylian and Gerudo alike shall be spilled, and only then when the false king is struck down, shall the true Gerudo King rise to power again."_

"Then you know what must be done." the man said, "The barrier that holds King Ganondorf within Hyrule's castle prison is too strong, the only way to shatter it is to kill the false king only on the day of the blood moon's rise!"

"We'll see about that." Mother Eclipsis scoffed, "You may have told us that the Desert Goddess Aifet has chosen us to destroy the false king and free King Ganondorf, but I don't care about what the prophecy itself says. As far as I'm concerned this is Aifet's test of our resolve. We shall overcome the false king as soon as possible with the power I hold now... "

"Hmph... such a stubborn one..." the old man muttered.

"RELEASE IT!" Mother Eclipsis then called out, raising up her hand to the rebel on the balcony.

The man in the cloak could only watch as the iron bars slowly opened, and walking out from the doorway was a humongous reptilian beast with a stone mask, a large mouth with hundreds of teeth, and a whip like tail swinging around it, this was a monster known as a Helmasaur King.

It roared out, scaring off any Gerudo rebels in the area except for Mother Eclipsis and the old man.

"Behold, prophet," Mother Eclipsis said, "The power that I now hold."

The old man paused and watched as the Helmasaur King roared out and charged at Mother Eclipsis, who brought up her cloak for just a second, but a powerful force impacted into the reptile, blasting off the mask it wore, and revealing it's bare hideous face. The monster roared out again and brought it's tail down at Mother Eclipsis, but she jumped high into the air, dove downwards at the monster, who then tried to blasted her with fiery breath, but she brought up her hand and swung down something that sliced the monster perfectly in half. The monster let out one final groan before it split apart down the middle and burst into purple mist.

The old man simply stood wordlessly as he watched Mother Eclipsis land down to the ground. The rebels watching all cheered out and whistled for their leader. Mother Eclipsis stood up with her cloak completely covering her body once more.

"As long as I hold this power, he shall always be by my side..." Mother Eclipsis said, "And as for the false king..."

"He shall die by my hand."

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. I will start by saying this arc was honestly difficult to put together and required a lot of rewrites, and while I feel it wasn't as good as certain other arcs it was a necessity to do, namely to set up future plot points as the story starts going towards the major elements of the plot.**_

_**I will say it was really fun bringing back the older characters from past chapters at the end to show the positive impart Link had made on them all. Many of them will still return in future chapters, but this also served as a nice refresher as well.**_

_**Next time Link gets officially crowned as the king, but a new enemy might be coming to respond to it...**_

_**As always, leave a like follow or comment if you enjoyed this story! It's been a lot of work, but a lot of fun too, and your encouragement and critique has been welcome!**_


	48. Dawn of a New Age

_**Time for Chapter 48, sorry these are taking so long, but I hope this one is worth it, as Link's time is finally here!**_

* * *

"Wake uuup..."

"Uuugh..." Link groaned in his sleep, he rolled around a bit, as someone was tickling his cheek, and he felt a cold, frigid sensation that was making him beg for some warmth from Nemisa who was sleeping beside him. He rolled in one direction and felt some soft feathers that he nuzzled his face into, not even certain what they were, but just happy for some warmth.

"Wake up my beloved husbaaand..." Korume said in a low but playful tone, bending down over Link, waving her finger up and down as she gently blew icy mist on him, "Its time for your big daaay...!"

"Big... day...?" Link muttered, opening his eyes slowly in a half asleep gaze.

Nemisa meanwhile stirred awake and slowly opened her eyes, "Just what the hell are you talking about Korume...?"

It was then Nemisa's eyes widened as she realized what day it was.

"Oh crap!" Nemisa exclaimed with realization, shaking her husband-to-be awake, "Link, we slept in too long!"

"Gack! What time is it?!" exclaimed Link as he came to his senses.

Nemisa jolted up from their bed and ran over to the nearby Gossip Stone in Link's bedroom, punching it to made it tell the time.

"It's past nine o' clock, it's supposed to start in just half an hour from now!" Nemisa exclaimed, gathering up her clothes and jewelry.

"Why didn't anyone wake us up?!" Link shouted to Korume.

"We sent Aviel to tell you and- oh right, Aviel." Korume realized, looking down at Link's bed of pillows to see the bird-winged girl laying back on them sleeping, with a bubble rising up from her nose and a bit of drool hanging out of her mouth. At some point her arms had turned into wings due to her Roc's Wing treasure's power, which Link had been sleeping against just a second ago.

"I gotta get ready to greet everyone, has anyone seen my pants?!" Link asked frantically.

"You're wearing your pants, moron!" Nemisa exclaimed in frustration.

"Kukuku... it will be fine, just meet with the servants Link, they've already prepared your wardrobe for you." Korume explained, giggling at the two of them flying off the handle.

"Okay Link, you go have the servants dress you, and make it snappy!" Nemisa said, hopping on one foot as she was changing into shoes.

"Ugh, can I just dress myself?" Link asked rolling his eyes, "Those servants of ours keep trying to grope me when my guard is down."

"Remember last time you tried on some fancier clothing to impress Ambassador Oton of the Zoras during his last visit?" Nemisa pointed out, "You couldn't figure out how to put on the vest and shirt, and you just came out of the room shirtless! The girls will show you what you need to do."

"But-"

Link was cut off by Nemisa taking his arm and starting to drag him off.

"No buts dear, just move it so we can get this over with!" she scolded.

"Alright alright!" Link sighed, rolling his eyes and yanking his arm away, "I can walk myself Nemisa, I'll see you at the entrance."

As Nemisa nodded and went off on her way, Link then turned to see Korume seemed to be trying to get Aviel up herself, bending down over the bird girl and blowing cold air on her, causing her to shiver.

"Korume, quit teasing Aviel and get her up!" Link said as he rushed out the door. Link was too distracted with talking to Korume that he banged into the door frame, prompting Nemisa to come back, grab him by his arm and yank him off once again

"Fine, fine." Korume said, taking Aviel by her shoulder and shaking her, "Get up already, little birdbrain."

It was then in that moment, as Aviel was shaking from the cold feeling Korume had been giving her using her ice magic, the ice mystic gasped out. Korume saw faint tears in Aviel's eyes, as she spoke out in her sleep.

"Ooohhh... it's so cold..." Aviel muttered in an upset tone, "Can you please keep me warm again... Grandpa...?"

Korume's eyes widened at those words, as she nor anyone never really knew about Aviel's grandparents, or parents for that matter. It left Korume curious about just what she had gone through in her life... she wanted to inquire more about it, but remembered there were more important matters that day, and quickly came up with a new plan to get the girl awake.

"Aviel wake up, there's a ghost in your shoes!" Korume exclaimed.

"Kyyyaaa!" screamed Aviel immediately, suddenly shooting up into the air, then keeping herself in midair with her wings, before realizing what was going on. "Huh...? Hey! Don't do that to me Korume!" Aviel squawked in anger.

"Come on then you sleepy-headed birdbrain, your king is about to meet with the people." Korume said, pulling out her broom and getting on it to fly out of the balcony window as a shortcut to the palace entrance.

"Oh right!" Aviel remembering what she had gone into the bedroom to begin with, as she followed after Korume.

* * *

"There you go, your highness! You're looking quite dashing now!"

"Yes, much better then that ragged vest and pants you wore before."'

"I... actually liked hat outfit, but t-thanks." said a nervous Link as he looked himself in the mirror before him.

As soon as Nemisa escorted him over to meet the two servants, they got to work dressing him up for his big day, and they had been quick and efficient with their work to get him ready in due time.

Link's new wardrobe was the one Princess Ruto had commissioned for him during the Desert Goddess Festival some months back. It had been completed long ago, but Nabooru deliberately held onto it to preserve it for this day, only giving it to the servants to dress Link up in that very morning.

The top was a black sleeved vest, decorated with green and gold Gerudo symbols and markings lining the edges and sleeves. The sleeves themselves went down about halfway, and instead there were wrappings around his forearms. It appeared there was no way to close the vest, and it showed off his defined chest. There was a red belt sash around his waist holding his pants up, and the pants themselves were black and lined with various Gerudo symbols in gold stitching. The pants went down to just about halfway down his shins, and instead his shins were covered by gold bands which kind of reminded Link of Nemisa's steel bands that she used for defense, though these seemed to have been made purely for decoration. Also rather then boots, he wore simple black shoes with thin red lining on the sides.

As looked at himself in the mirror, he also couldn't help but notice how he had changed in more then just clothing style. Maybe it was because it happened so slowly overtime he never saw it before, but he was physically different as well. His skin had gone from white to a healthy tan, and his boyish blonde hair had been bleached by the desert sun making it lighter in color. He also noticed his body was more muscular then before from all the training he had been doing each morning of the day, he wasn't anywhere near Reirousa's level of muscle, but he was definitely stronger and it showed.

It seemed the servants had take keen notice of it too, as one came up to his left and put an arm around his shoulder, placing one hand on his chest and rubbing it slowly with her finger, while the other slowly rubbed her hand across his more defined abs, and leaning her lips towards his pointy ear as she spoke.

"My, my, aren't we a handsome young king...?" she whispered in a seductive tone.

"Yes, after working so hard to get these clothes on you, we're honestly resisting the urge to rip them off of you so we can have our way with you, King Link..." said the other with a giggle.

"Ah heh heh..." Link laughed somewhat nervously, "Yeah, now's really not the time for that... I gotta do that, uh... thing I have to attend to."

"So is that an invitation for later?!" asked one of them excitedly, "Okay, we'll meet you tonight to help you change out of your outfit!"

"Yes, and a good luck with your meeting with the people, your highness!" said the other.

Before Link could say anything else to clarify what he meant, the two servants went running out giggling up a storm, one of them already talking to her friend about a name she wanted to give her future daughter.

'Well that came out wrong.' Link thought to himself, letting out a sigh as he went off on his way.

* * *

"So... uh, how do I look girls?"

When he arrived in the dining room where everyone was gathered, Link's voice got the attention of Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Togau, Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta, Korume and Princess Ruto, who all looked in shock at Link standing before him in his new attire the servants had just dressed him in.

"Woooow!" Aviel said with wide sparkly eyes, "Look at you! You're just like a real Gerudo king now Link!"

"V-Very nice my love." Nemisa said looking away, though blushing brightly at the sight of how well the outfit showed off Link's physique.

"It looks great on you Link!" Saria said, staring at Link's new look with wide eyes. Her face flushed at the sight of how much he had changed over the past year. She then glanced down at her own self. Her own skin was starting to tan as well from the sun, thanks to the somewhat skimpy outfit she wore now. As embarrassing as it was more her initially, she had gotten used to dressing like that, and the people had taken to her better then she could have ever imagined.

'I suppose in a lot of ways I've changed too...' Saria thought to herself.

"Hot damn, that's a good look for ya lover-boy!" Togau said grinning, going right up and holding him tightly, "Hey, his material feels real nice and silky! Ya did good pickin' this wardrobe out, Ruto!" she called out, running her hands on it.

"Well, it's not exactly as I originally thought it would turn out..." Ruto said, herself currently donning her light blue Gerudo outfit for the event that day. Looking Link up and down she sported a mischievous grin. "But I have to say I like what I'm seeing..."

"One of the servants mentioned the seamstress was suddenly hit by inspiration while she was making it." Link said, reaching up and stroking the material of the top, "I thought black clothing would be a bad idea in this hot weather, but I feel pretty good and comfortable in it."

"Ya look pretty good too! Yer more of a man then ever!" Reirousa grinned widely, pumping her fist, "If ya want I can put you through some tough weight raining so you can get ripped with muscle and really show a tough bod off to everyone! We can start with my five-hundred pound beginner's weights!"

"Five-hundred is for beginners?!" Nemisa exclaimed.

"Ah, thanks Reirousa... but I think I'm fine as is." Link said sweatdropping. He took a look over Reirousa's heavily muscular frame, that as attractive as he found her, he himself preferred to stay lean over bulky.

"Hmm... I just wanted to ask, but have you ever thought of growing a beard to go with that manly look, husband?" Kesuta asked, looking him over with hungry eyes.

"Eeehhh, I've never been good at growing facial hair, never really wanted to anyway." Link said defensively.

"That's fine by me, I prefer your cute boyish looks..." Korume said, "Besides, even if you did Kesuta would probably burn it off anyway with the fiery way she kisses you, kukuku..."

"Hey!"

Nabooru meanwhile just stood there, and frankly she was at a loss for words. She had seen the outfit herself before when it was delivered to the palace, but seeing it on Link now, her mouth was slightly agape at how much of a transformation Link had gone through over the past year. Maybe she was just noticing him more now after he confessed to her back at the Hall of Knowledge, but she had trouble taking her eyes off him...

"He looks great, doesn't he Nabs?" Sarami whispered to her friend, smiling lightly.

"I, um... y-yes... he does..." Nabooru admitted, gulping a little as she saw the girls all crowd around Link to look over his new attire. Link was just standing there with a blank look on his face and with his arms out in a 'T' pose while the girls were all fondling or examining him. Aviel was rubbing the material between her fingers, Ruto was running her finger along his ear, while Reirousa carefully examined the abs in his arm.

"...great enough to make him your dear husband perhaps...?" Sarami added, "You look like you can't take your eyes off of him..."

"T-That..." Nabooru stammered, before she shook her head to clear her thoughts. She then rolled her eyes and retorted back to Sarami, trying desperately to change the subject from herself, "Oh please, like you're one to talk. You're practically undressing him with your own eyes!"

"Fu-fu-fufufu... I suppose I am, but I'm liking what I'm seeing..." Sarami giggled.

"So what do you think Nabooru?" Link spoke out to his old friend.

Nabooru coughed a bit, regaining her senses, before she got herself up and walked over to Link. The other girls stepped away from him as she took a moment to look him up and down, before giving a gentle smirk and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You look magnificent Link, like a true king of our people. So are you prepared to meet everyone?"

"Yeah Nabooru." Link nodded to his friend, "I'm sorry it took so long, but I'm finally ready for this."

* * *

"...and so it is with this, I crown you, Gerudo King Link. By the name of our goddess Aifet, may you live a long and healthy life, have many healthy daughters, and lead our people to the prosperity we seek, and hold for years to come." Nabooru said, placing a man's tiara on Link's forehead as he knelt before her. It was a shining gold design and had a small but brilliant green jewel on the center of it.

Link took a breath and stood up from his kneeling position, looking out at the cheering crowd of Gerudo before him. He had just been officially coordinated as king by Nabooru, and standing alongside him was his fiances; Nemisa, Ruto, Togau, Kesuta and Korume, as well as his other good friends Saria, Aviel, Dr. Sarami, and Reirousa.

He took that moment to see all that was before him, the town they had all worked so hard to put together, and the people that had come together over the past eight years through Nabooru's leadership skills, and he felt in that moment he had no regrets with the choice he had made; he was proud to stand as their new king.

"Thanks everyone for coming here, and for accepting me as your new king!" Link shouted, waving his hand.

The crowd's cheering soon called down, and Link continued to speak.

"First of all, I just want to say that while I am your king now, I don't want any of you treating me any differently then before. If you want to, you can continue to just call 'Link'. I don't want to stand over you all like a emperor or god or anything like that, but to walk among you all as equals!"

While Link used to think for the longest time that he needed to maintain a level of sophistication and professionalism as royalty, Nabooru was right about it not being as important as he thought as far as the Gerudo were concerned, and so he found it better just being himself.

"Can I call you 'husband' instead?!" called out one girl in the crowd, earning some small cheers from her friends around her.

"Or how about just ''my baby's papa'?!" asked another with a suggestive tone, earning much laughter and applause from the crowd as well.

"Quit with the jokes!" Nemisa shouted at the crowd in annoyance.

"Ah heh heh..." Link chuckled a bit nervously, almost forgetting what he was originally going to say next before speaking up again, "Um... so secondly, I'm going to do whatever I can to follow through on my promise to you all, and make ourselves heard to the Hylian Parliament so that we can get rid of the banishment law and allow you the freedom you deserve!"

"Yes," Ruto stepped up and spoke out, "As princess of the Zora, we'll be meeting with my father soon to negotiate an alliance with you all, and help towards your goals of abolishing that dreadful law." she put a hand to her chin and laughed out haughtily, "Consider it a gift to you all for accepting an illustrious one such as me to your town!"

Saria paused for a second, before stepping up herself and speaking out, "And as a member of the Kokiri folk, I'd also like to say I'm going to speak to my own people about forming an alliance with you and the Zoras as well. We Kokiri have lived our lives in isolation for centuries, but I think it's time we get out into the world and become a true part of Hyrule as well, and I'll be supporting you all as the Kokiri's diplomat!"

The crowd continued to shout out with cheers for Ruto's stance and affectionate 'awws' at Saria's. Link himself admired both of their drive to not just improve the lives of the Gerudo, but the Zora and Kokiri as well. He recalled a time when he once saw them in the dark future, and a heavy responsibility that was put on both of them... But seeing the zora princess and kokiri girl now, they were looking to have a much better future and making a real impact on Hyrule.

Nabooru meanwhile just watched Link, Ruto and Saria speak out to the cheering crowd with a small, though somewhat sad smile on her face. She closed her eyes and started to step away out of sight of everyone, feeling at that moment her job as the Gerudo leader was just about done...

But it was then she felt Link grab Nabooru by her hand and pull her up to his side, surprising her.

"Finally, I'd just like to say that while I may be the official king as of now, Nabooru won't be stepping down from her current position, as I've decided to declare her the Head Lady of the Gerudo, and she will still carry her influence and rank among the town!" Link stated, "The two of us are going to work together to make our people prosper!"

The crowd cheered out even louder then before at this news, as Nabooru looked to Link with a bit of surprise. It seemed despite her initial plans, Link had other ideas in mind as he stood tall and proudly. It seemed he really did take what she said before in the Hall of Knowledge to heart, and wanted her to continue to be respected and loved by the people as their leader for years to come...

'You're just full of surprises, aren't you Link...?' Nabooru thought to herself with a modest chuckle.

"So does this mean she's going to be your Grand Queen then King Link?!" a girl then shouted out from the crowd, causing a brief pause, before the people began to holler and cheer out in agreement.

"Wha-what?!" Nabooru exclaimed with a bright red face, "Wait, I don't think I-"

"Ehh... she's not really-" Link started, but was cut off.

"LONG LIVE KING LINK! LONG LIVE GRAND QUEEN NABOORU!" the crowd started to chant out.

Nabooru was just standing there bewildered at her people's support of their union. She slowly turned to Link narrowing her eyes, "I blame you for this."

"Ah heh heh..." Link sported a goofy grin as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Meanwhile, Nabooru could hear some snickering from behind her back, as she looked to see Aviel, Nemisa, Ruto, Saria, the other girls, Sarami especially all smiling knowingly.

"Goddess Aifet give me strength..." Nabooru groaned in embarrassment, covering her face with her hand as the chanting and celebration continued.

* * *

After the king's coronation, Link and his friends all returned to the inside of the palace. The guards were quick to congratulate Link on becoming king, and Nabooru for apparently becoming his Grand Queen. Nabooru tried to protest this, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Since everyone had been so busy preparing for the coronation, none of the group had the time for breakfast, so they all came together in the dining room for a brunch meal. After a fine meal, Reirousa and Sarami both left to go back to their jobs at the war barracks and medical clinic respectively, while Nabooru, Saria, Aviel went off to discuss what Saria planned to do as their Kokiri diplomat.

Link was about to go out to find something to do, when he was stopped by his fiances, who were all eager to see him.

"Hey Link, there's somethin' we wanted to talk to you about." Togau spoke up.

"Oh?"

"We've talked together about our situation as your fiances the other day, and we've all agreed to hold out for a while longer on officially marrying you." Nemisa said firmly.

"Huh? Why's that?" Link asked raising an eyebrow in confusion, "Still picking out dresses or something?"

"Ya kidding? I still haven't gotten around ta shining mah boots yet!" Togau said, rubbing her head.

"For your wedding?" Ruto asked Togau in a baffled tone.

"Are you guys just uncertain about doing this?" Link asked worriedly.

"Oh don't get us wrong, my love. We love you so much and we can't wait for that special day..." Kesuta started.

"But it's precisely for it being so special that "I do" we can't so quickly say." Korume rhymed.

"Huh?"

"Yes, we've talked together and we know full well you haven't fully assembled your harem of wives." Ruto said with a knowing smirk, "We want make this wedding a truly special one, so we've decided to hold out until you've won over the other girls who have a place in your heart."

"Ah heh heh... so it was really obvious, huh?" Link grinned with a bit of embarrassment. He had to admit to himself there was a number of other girls that he had been considering over the time he had been in Geurdo Town, and his time spent in his position made him far more open about the idea, though thankfully, it seemed as though his fiances were all accepting of it.

"Course reckon!" Togau nodded with a cheeky grin, "We wanna be a big happy family, and we're all gonna marry ya at the same time, so everyone feels just as equal as the others!"

The other girls nodded, and Link was taken back by the thoughtfulness of them all, and it reminded him of what he spoke out about earlier of him wanting to just be equals with the people of the town, rather then standing over him. It felt like the girls all understood him and each other so well now, almost as if their thoughts in sync with each other.

"We're especially aware of your feelings for Lady Nabooru!" Kesuta grinned, "We're going to do anything we can to support you in having her join our royal family!"

"Yes, we'll see to it you win her heart..." Korume added with a low giggle, "Even if we have to forcefully tie her down and let you go at her until she submits to you..."

Everyone else just looked at Korume with slightly paled faces.

"W-Well anyway, thanks everyone for your encouragement." Link nodded, "But I'm going to try and win over Nabooru my own way, I don't think it would feel right if everyone pushed her into it."

"Heh, honestly I don't you don't have too work too hard to do it anyway." smirked Nemisa, "From what I've seen she seems to be noticed you far more then before, and I don't think she's going to be to just call you a good friend for long."

"Thanks girls..."

Link's face blushed as he contemplated that, but then Togau suddenly darted over and grabbed him around the arm.

"Well now that that's settled, how 'bout we all head out into town and show off our handsome king ta everyone?" she said grinning.

"Sounds fine, there was something I wanted to do while we're out anyway." Link said, thinking about one particular person he wanted to talk to.

"Ah, very good idea! I could do for some marketplace shopping myself!" Ruto said giggling.

"Ready to go, our loyal pack mule?" Kesuta asked Link with a teasing grin.

"Hee-haw." Link said sarcastically, as the girls all laughed and dragged him out the door.

* * *

Later that night, Nabooru was walking down the hallway of the palace after having just taken a bath. She rubbed her hair down with a towel as she walked, before resting the towel on her shoulders. She stopped to take a look out an open window and saw the town before her. The people were still very lively that night, celebrating the ushering in of their new king, a man they had grown to respect and love so much.

Nabooru couldn't help but give a small smile, looking out at the town she and her people created together. She could only hope that things would work out with Hylian Parliament, but knew she needed to work harder if she could hope to accomplish that.

She let out a heavy sigh thinking about that last part. After Link blurted out that she'd still be working as his co-leader, rather then just an assistant like she planned, it put her in an awkward spot. She knew she'd have to make actual appearances with Link during announcements and meetings with the people now, and she wasn't particularly keen on doing that sort of thing, especially now that everyone assumed she was his fiance and future Grand Queen.

"His grand queen... I should feel honored he would want to give me that position..." Nabooru whispered to herself, gazing up at the moon shining over the town. She looked longingly at it, as memories of her past drifted by, namely the man who still held her heart, and the bad dream she had just recently...

"But... do I really deserve that...?" she asked herself.

"Lady Nabooru?"

Nabooru was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts by a guard having approached her.

"Y-Yes, what is it?"

"King Link has requested your presence in your royal study." the guard said bowing to her.

Nabooru had a curious look in her eyes, wondering what Link was up to. Recalling what had happened last time he was in there, she hurriedly went over to her study to see what was going on.

Upon entering the study, she saw her new king Link, a pair of guards, and the most surprising of all, the Hylian bookworm Halei was there. Link was looking over Halei's shoulder as she was sitting at Nabooru's usual seat, and the girl was writing on some papers Nabooru had been putting off for a while.

"Oh, hey Nabooru!" Link waved his hand with a big grin.

"L-Lady Nabooru, I'm pleased to see you again!" Halei said with a blush on her cheeks, as she bowed her head to the Gerudo.

"What's... going on exactly?" Nabooru asked walking in, "What are you both doing here?"

"Well, considering how much hard work you do around here..." Link said, "I thought I'd find you a good assistant to help with your work. I decided Halei would be the best one for the job, and since I'm officially king now, I had the guards just let her out of prison to handle it."

"Really now...?" Nabooru asked curiously, she reached out to a completed paper and read it over.

"Yeah, see we've been talking some nights after she was imprisoned, and she's told me about paperwork she used to do for her employers back in her village and in Fargent. She's well read and has a head for numbers and figures, a heck of a lot better then I ever could." Link explained.

"...this... is really good work." Nabooru admitted with wide eyes as she looked over the papers, "And you're okay with doing this, sister Halei?"

"Yes, King Link was really insistent that I do this for you, so that you don't overwork yourself so much. He even offered me a good salary for it." Halei said with a small smile, "For what you've done for me by letting me live here, I'm quite happy to work for you!"

Nabooru paused in stunned silence, before letting out a laugh, "...well, I guess I can't defy the orders of my king, can I?" she smirked, "Okay then, I look forward to working with you in the future then, my new assistant."

"Thank you, I'll do my best Lady Nabooru!" Halei said, bowing her head and causing her bunny hood ears to flop.

Nabooru then turned to Link, who was sporting his goofy grin.

'So that's how devoted he is to that resolve as well...' Nabooru thought to herself, thinking about what he said after they had escaped the Hall of Knowledge. She then took a chair and sat down beside Halei to help her through some of the more complicated paperwork, giving her advice on certain documents. Link meanwhile just stood and watched, as he saw a bond starting to form between the mousy bookworm and his close friend.

* * *

With Halei's help, Nabooru was able to complete that night's work well ahead of time as well as catch up to everything she had put off days before, and as a result she had plenty of hours before bedtime. After Halei returned to her home, Nabooru and Link had taken to walking through the palace, chatting to each other about various things that had been going on over the past weeks, and well as fun small talk.

"I have to say, that was a good idea hiring Halei to help me, she's a natural." Nabooru brought up to Link, "You're a lot better at decision-making then you thought, your highness." she added with a wink.

"Well maybe, though I know I can't do everything." Link said, recalling the words Aviel once told him long ago, "That's why I still want to keep relying on you, Nabooru."

Nabooru glanced at Link and looked him over. The king's garb really suited him in her mind, it matched well with his lean physique, freshly tanned skin and bleached hair, but what stood out the most to her in particular was Link's gentle sapphire-blue eyes, which stayed the same no matter how much he changed.

It was then in that moment she felt a sense of worry, recalling what happened back at the Spirit Temple with Kesuta and Korume's sacrificial ritual, when Link snapped and his eyes turned that piercing angry white at Twinrova. It had been bothering her for quite some time about just what that was. She had consulted with the other girls and they mentioned it wasn't the first time he had done that, and it gave her a sense of unease...

'It's almost as if he was just like...' she thought to herself, but those thoughts were cast aside when Link spoke up.

"You okay there Nabooru?" Link asked, putting his hand on her shoulder, as he was looking to her with concern in his blue eyes.

Nabooru looked back to him and smiled lightly. It wasn't just his eyes that remained the same, but his caring attitude. The very nature she saw even back when he was just a small child, and what made her believe he had the potential to become the new Gerudo King.

It was then Nabooru reached up and took Link's hand off her shoulder, but holding it gently.

"Nabooru...?"

"I'm just fine my friend. Now come along Link, I got an idea of something we can do together tonight, just the two of us..." she spoke suggestively.

"Alright then..." Link said with a grin.

* * *

"Tell me, have you seen King Link and Lady Nabooru?" Nemisa asked a guard who was standing in front of the door to Link's bedroom, the martial arts woman was alongside Aviel and Saria.

"Yeah, we wanted them to go out with us for a midnight run of shaved ice!" Aviel said.

"My apologizes, but the king and Lady Nabooru are currently inside, attending to private matters together, and don't wish to be disturbed at the moment." the guard said.

"Ahh, private matters, eh?" Nemisa said with a knowing smirk, "Guess we'll just have to come back later."

"Oh phooey." Aviel said with a pout, "I wanted Link to try out the new Hydromelon flavor they came out with."

Giving up on getting Link and Nabooru to come, the three of them started to set out into town, and Saria spoke up to the two bodyguards of her friend.

"Link really gets into that whole love-making thing doesn't he?" Saria asked with her face blushed red, "It's like his time here's awakened a side of himself I never thought he had..."

"Hm, are you perhaps jealous, Saria?" Nemisa asked with a smirk.

"I-I..." Saria stammered, then shouted out, "T-that's not what I meant Nemisa!"

"I think you hit the nail on the head Nemisa, but then again, you'd know that since you used to be the same way!" teased Aviel.

"Oh quiet you." Nemisa quickly snapped, then continued with Saria, "Nabooru was the whole reason he came here to begin with, and she was the one took him for the first time. The two of them have an inseparable bond, you saw how devoted Link was to that during the coronation." chuckled Nemisa, patting the Kokiri girl on the shoulder "And I'm sure he feels the same way about you as well, Saria."

"Ah ha ha..." Saria laughed nervously, her face a bright red, "I really doubt he thinks that sort of way about me..."

"I bet you an extra bowl of shaved ice that he would love to take you into bed like he is with Lady Nabooru right now!" Aviel grinned.

"Yes, wouldn't you enjoy having his strong, bare body over you? As strong as he is, he's as gentle as a saint, and he'd make you feel pleasure in ways you couldn't imagine!" Nemisa spoke in a sensual voice.

"H-Hey! Quit talking like that!" Saria exclaimed, her face turning redder.

The two Gerudo just laughed as the three went left the palace for a fun night together on the town.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Link's bedroom...

"Ready for... another... round Link?" Nabooru gasped out.

"Yeah... just a sec..." Link panted, "You're... pretty merciless tonight..."

"I can do this... all night long." Nabooru grinned, "The question is, if you can keep up?"

"Bring it on." Link nodded.

"Alright, let me take the lead..." Nabooru said deeply.

With that, Nabooru then threw a rubber ball into the air and smacked it, sending flying into the wall and bouncing off the hard surface. It came right at Link, who quickly darted out and smacked the ball back against the wall, and Nabooru immediately hit it back as well.

The two were engaged in an game Nabooru and an old friend of hers used to play back when they were kids. She was quick to teach Link how to play, and challenge him to a lengthy competition of it that night.

As Link hit the ball another time, he paused to look to Nabooru who was smiling brightly as she quickly shifted to the side and barely hit the ball again, letting out a hearty and playful laugh at how close she came to missing it. He loved seeing that genuinely happy look on her face, and seeing her truly enjoying life. As much as he respected her work ethic, and the love-making between the two was wonderful, he felt the best times he spent with Nabooru was when they just forgot about their work and woes and just had fun like this.

'This is just what I wanted to see... not just from Ruto and Saria, but you as well.' Link thought to himself, too distracted by her beautiful smile to notice the ball fly at him and bean him upside the head, casing it to repel back and bounce back against the wall again.

"Ha ha ha! That was a different strategy!" Nabooru laughed out loud, smacking the ball once again as it came at her, "But you better keep your eyes on the prize Link!"

'I already am.' Link thought to himself, still looking at her, as he quickly turned to smack the ball against the wall again.

* * *

_**And that ends this arc! Thank you all for reading, and your support! Next time the group go to celebrate Link's coronation as king, only for Link to meet an old friend from his past, and learn more about the world that's been changing around him, as well as awaken a new change in himself...  
**_

_**As always. give a like, follow or comment if you choose to, as your encouragement is a huge motivation for me to continue!**_


	49. Parental Woes

_**Hello guys, it's time for chapter 49, and a new arc! Sorry if these chapters are taking longer o come out with then before. Early on I was hammering out chapter after chapter because I had long ago figured out the basis for the stories, and it was just a matter of getting them all typed out. Here though I'm kinda going blind with brief summaries of what I intend to do. I already have an idea of how the story will end, but there's a LOT to do before then.**_

_**So for now, enjoy this new arc!**_

* * *

"So what do we have lined up for us today Nabooru?"

Link spoke out as he walked into the dining room one morning, dressed in his king's outfit, feeling bright and ready to start the day.

He looked to see Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria all sitting at the dining table with shocked expressions on their faces.

"What?" Link asked in confusion.

"Link, we didn't have to get you up this morning!" exclaimed Nabooru.

"That's so unlike you! Even back in Kokiri Forest we would sometimes have had to dowse you in water to get you up!" Saria said in surprise.

"Are you feeling okay, my love?!" Nemisa asked in panic, running up and putting a hand to his forehead.

"Har har, guys." Link said flatly, giving Nemisa a morning kiss before sitting down at the table, "I'm just feeling really refreshed this morning!"

"Well, I'm glad to hear that Link," Saria nodded, "I was worried you'd be worn out after everything that's happened recently with the rebels, and you becoming king of course."

"I kinda wanted to wake him up again, it's fun." Aviel said with a pout.

Nabooru chuckled, and started to speak out as the servants arrived to bring everyone their breakfast.

"Well to start things off, Dr. Sarami is currently working on examining the body of the rebel Faurugo to figure out what exactly is in that tonic, and a potential way to counteract it. She hopes that the 'Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts' book we found will help her with that."

"Glad to hear, that woman's power was ridiculous." Nemisa said. "She completely destroyed the Hall of Knowledge with her rampage."

"I kind of feel sorry for that poor woman..." Saria sighed, "I know she was trying to kill Link and Lady Nabooru, but she was doing it for what she thought was best for the people..."

"Have Maukai and the rebels we captured been saying anything?" Link asked.

"We've been bringing them in for questioning, but like Maukai said before they don't know very much about what exactly Mother Eclipsis is plotting." Nabooru said, "From what they've said though, the Ebony Sisterhood is pretty desperate for allies and resources. They're even trying to capture wild monsters to use as warbeasts, but ironically doing that has resulted in more causalities of their sisters."

"That's awful!" Saria gasped.

"So they're really having a hard time keeping their rebellion going..." Link muttered.

"But that should at least be a good thing for us, right?" Aviel spoke up, "Doesn't that mean we're winning against them?"

"Well yes, and no." Nabooru said, "Unfortunately it seems because they're desperate that they're being forced to resort to such extreme measures like that tonic to strengthen their forces."

"Seriously, imagine if the entire rebellion were using drugs like that." Nemisa sighed.

"Or monsters." Link realized, "That Hinox must have been one of their warbeasts then, it was showing a lot of the same symptoms as Faurugo."

"That's correct Link." nodded Nabooru, "One of the former rebels we captured mentioned her sisters captured a Hinox to bring into Gerudo Fortress, and some time after that it managed to escape, it's very likely that was the same one."

"So we're not just up against Gerudo powered by that tonic, but monsters too, swell." Nemisa said.

"Ugh, now I see what you mean." Aviel groaned, "They're more of a danger to us now then ever."

"Precisely. All we can do for now is hope that Sarami can get results with the tonic research." Nabooru said.

She then clapped her hands together, "Well as for some good news, it's something big that we've been working towards for a while. Now that you're king Link, it's time for us to start meeting with the neighboring tribes and forming alliances with them, so that we can present our plea for a peace treaty with Hyrule, and abolish the Gerudo Banishment Law!"

"It's about time." grinned Link, "I'm looking forward to meeting with the Parliament."

"So who are we allying with first, Lady Nabooru? Is it the Zoras?" Aviel asked, bouncing in her seat, "I'd love to see sister Ruto's friend Luva again, we got along really well back at the festival!"

"No, from what I was told King Zora insists on waiting for a while longer, as they prefer to meet with us on a specific day, but sister Ruto says she's looking forward to helping us with it." Nabooru clarified, "No, our first meeting will be with the Goron tribe in Death Mountain, and their leader Chieftain Darunia!"

"Alright, it's been a while since I've seen those guys!" Link nodded, "I'm looking forward to see Darunia and his kid too!"

"Oh, so you know the Gorons as well as the Zora?" Nemisa asked.

"Yeah, back when I was still a kid." Link said grinning, "I helped Darunia out of a situation over there like I did with Ruto."

"You really get around, don't you, my love?" Nemisa said with a small smile, poking Link's cheek with her finger, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised though, considering what you've accomplished since you arrived here."

"You don't have any fiances like Ruto there too, do you Link?!" Aviel asked anxiously, causing the others to fault over.

"Gorons... aren't like that... like at all." Nabooru said, coughing out, "They're an asexual race, as in they don't have physical attraction to others, let alone desires for marriage. In fact, they're among the only people Gerudo law allows to come into our towns."

"Then... wait... how do they keep their population going?" Aviel asked in confusion, putting her bird wings to her head in confusion.

"Honestly, I'm not even sure myself." Link said, then after a moment, "...nor do I think I ever want to know."

"I know there was that one warp point in the Lost Woods that leads to Goron City, but for the longest time none of us Kokiri have ever gone to visit them there, due to the Great Deku Tree's command." Saria said, quickly deciding to change the bizarre conversation they were having, "I'd love to meet them all myself, Link says they're really nice and friendly!"

"Too friendly sometimes." Link said, thinking back to when they'd try to give him big Goron hugs.

"Yes, and because of what Link did for them that Chieftain Darunia made him his sworn brother, the highest honor a Goron can give someone! If things go well, they might very well become our new allies!" Nabooru nodded.

"But would the Gorons have any sway with the Hylian Parliament to help us?" Nemsia asked.

"Just a little, but they've been working further on that recently through trade and even tourism. I also hope to negotiate supply and skill trades with them after our allience." Nabooru nodded.

'Huh, wonder what they're doing to attract tourists? A mountain of lava and dragonic monsters doesn't sound very inviting.' Link thought to himself.

"Well with that, we're going to end the meeting for today. Don't forget to pack your things everyone," Nabooru said, "Tomorrow we'll be leaving for Goron City!"

"Okay, guess we'll be on our way for the day then." Link nodded.

"Alright, let's go get some stuff for the trip! Wanna go with me to get some candied berries, Saria?" Aviel asked excitedly.

"Oh, sure!" Saria said, following after her. Link and Nemisa both snickered to each other and walked off after them.

Nabooru herself though just sat there, watching to make sure Link, Nemisa, Aviel and Saria were all out out of earshot.

It was then the presence of three figures in the shadows appeared, peering at Nabooru with eerie gazes. Nabooru simply smiled lightly as she closed her eyes, not even bothered to look in their direction.

"It's about time you three showed up." Nabooru spoke out to them.

"Yes," whispered one of the three, "We've finally prepared for the promised time."

"Alright then, you all know where to go and when. He won't see it coming from a mile away." Nabooru chuckled ominously...

* * *

"Have a good night girls!"

"Night Link!"

"Have a good rest my love."

"Don't forget, we're all going to Goron City tomorrow! If you're not up on time I'm dragging you out!"

"Ha ha, won't miss it for the world, Aviel!"

That night, Link and the girls all arrived back home to the palace, where he saw off Aviel, Nemisa and Saria, then started to head towards his bedroom to rest.

The four of them had all gone out to greet the people and see how they were taking the recent events they've been going through. Link himself had gone out of his way to try and get the girls to acknowledge him as just himself, rather then 'the king' or 'your highness', though he found at times it would backfire and they'd instead hit on him.

Link let out a yawn as he went into his bedroom to undress and prepare a bath for himself in the washroom, but when he stepped into his room, he was jolted out of his tranquility by an unfamiliar voice speaking out.

"So you've arrived, we've been waiting for this day for so long..."

Link looked up see the sight of three figures he had never seen before, they were all lounging on the pillows that made up his bed.

They were three Gerudo, from his best guess they all looked to be around his age. They were all clad in gold plated jewelry and skimpy silky sashes that didn't bother to cover their bodies much at all. All three of them were pretty curvy in figure, namely in the hips and thighs, with two of them having noticeably large breasts.

The girl at the forefront had a big toothy grin as she was leaning forward on her hands and knees, purposefully sticking her rear up into the air and letting her large breasts hang downwards, while her hair was short but wild and sticking out in various places.

The second girl was sitting up on her knees, averting her gaze from Link in clear embarrassment, using both her arms to cover her own bountiful chest, and her hair was done into two long and smooth pigtails.

The third one wasn't in any kind of active position, and just sat there with a bored expression and holding what appeared to be a sketch pad, while her hair style was straight and short.

"Shii-shi-shi," giggled the one at the front, reaching a hand up and pulling away a sash covering one of her breasts to expose it to him, "Hey there hot stuff, bout time you showed up, my name is Ragome!"

"H-Hello...!" the embarrassed one said in a timid but high-pitched voice, "I'm Leivuri...! It's um, a pleasure to meet you, my king!"

The third one however didn't say a word, she just nonchalantly held up her sketch pad which showed a drawing of a cute penguin on it, waving it's flipper in the air as if to greet Link.

"We've been waiting for you, we're all gonna have a great time tonight!" the one at the front said, looking Link up and down as she licked her lips.

Link just stood there blankly staring at the three girls. He had never seen them before in town, and he probably would had remembered them with looks like that. He couldn't deny even in that moment that they were all quite beautiful, and their figures were quite alluring. He found himself gazing at the soft chest of the one who called herself Leivuri, and the nice hips of the one named Ragome, and he felt a familiar sensation and temptation in his body from when he'd take his fiances in bed, but did what he could to hold back out of uncertainty of who exactly they were.

"D-Don't look at me like that, it's embarrassing!" exclaimed Leivuri, pulling up her hands to cover her eyes, only to realize by doing that she was now exposing her full chest, "Eep!" she squeaked as she quickly covered her chest again.

"So, are you ready then my handsome king...? We all need some hot loving from you..." Ragome asked with a big grin as she traced her finger around one of her chest mounds.

"Uh, my apologizes. I must have came into the wrong room." Link said, bowing his head and stepping out, then shutting the door.

The three girls were just motionless for a moment of pause, until Ragome suddenly shouted in annoyance, "Get back here!"

* * *

As Link hurried his steps down the hall to go see Nabooru about what was going on, he suddenly felt something jump on him from behind and cling to his back, and he could feel two particularly large, soft things press against him.

"What- hey! Let go of me!" shouted Link in protest.

"I got him!" shouted Ragome to the other two, "Help me out here and we'll drag him back, girls!"

"I-I'm sorry about this, your highness!" exclaimed Leivuri as she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, hanging off of him with her head pressed against his lower back. She realized then her chest was pressed against Link's firm rear end and she buried her face into his back out of embarrassment.

As the three of them were in that awkward position, the bored-looking Gerudo simply walked up and grabbed Link by his ear. She then held up her sketch pad which had a drawing of a penguin saluting in military gear and the words "Mission Complete" written on it.

"At least try and hold him!" Ragome shouted to the bored girl.

"Would you three let go of me?!" Link shouted, "This is going to look really weird if someone walks by!"

"Never!" Ragome said, pulling at Link's vest, "Now get those clothes off!"

"And I thought Aviel clinging to me was a pain." Link groaned as he did what he could to walk down the hall with Ragome still clinging to his body, while dragging Leivuri behind him. The bored woman simply walked alongside Link still holding his ear.

* * *

"Nabooru!" Link shouted, "What the hell is going on here?!"

Nabooru looked up from the book she had been reading while casually eating grapes from a bowl, only see Link standing there gasping out as three Gerudo girls were clinging to him, Ragome was still preoccupied with trying to undress his vest while Leivuri was trying to remove the sash holding his pants on, though looking away as she did, making it difficult. The bored girl meanwhile was just holding his ear still.

"Oh hey there Mr. Playboy." Nabooru chuckled, "Made some new friends I see...?"

"Don't Mr. Playboy me! I thought these girls were rebel assassins or something!" Link exclaimed.

Nabooru sighed and waved her hand up and down, "Okay girls, take a break, he'll get back to you in a bit."

"Aww," Ragome said as they all got off Link and went on their way, "Alright, but we'll be waiting in the bedroom our dear kiiing!"

"I'm so sorry!" Leivuri said meekly, bowing her head and following after the other two.

"So... what the heck was that just now?" Link sighed after the three girls left, walking over and plopping down on a chair opposite of Nabooru.

"Well I'll get right to the point," Nabooru said, "Those three are your royal child-bearers."

"W-Wait, so they're the first ones?" Link asked, recalling Nabooru mentioned this before.

"Yes, I've spoken with your fiances, and it seems due to their responsibilities and situations like the rebellion, that they're a little too busy to be having children at the moment. They've also said they decided to wait to marry you until you've fully assembled your harem of wives." Nabooru said.

"They talked to me about that a few days ago." Link said, "I don't have a problem with it, I can understand they're not ready yet."

"I agree, but I still feel you're long overdue on at least helping our population growth. While things have improved greatly overtime, and the Gerudo are getting more chances to reproduce, I think you need to take matters into your own hands as well, so to speak." Nabooru explained with an added snicker.

"So that's what those three are for then." Link said.

"It's customary for the Gerudo King to take willing volunteers to carry his children, even Ganondorf had a number of them, though unsurprisingly he was a total asshole about it and was very judgmental of them, often tossing them out if they didn't meet his strict standards."

"Sarami told me once about how he exiled her after the daughter she tried to have for him died..." Link grimaced, "I always knew he was a heartless monster, but to go that far..."

"Yes... that was one of the reasons I revolted against him to begin with..." Nabooru sighed sadly at the mention of that, "And then there was Togau's mother, who was rejected as one of his wives. We were already struggling even back in those times, but that bastard didn't make things any easier for us, all he cared about was the power he craved so much..."

That's when Nabooru reached out and took Link's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"But you're so much different then that monster, Link." Nabooru smiled, "You're a compassionate man who treats everyone with upmost respect, even the rebels, and I think you'll do just fine with this. I handpicked them all for you, and I think you'll give them splendid daughters."

"I... um... t-thank you..." Link whispered, lowering his head.

Nabooru saw the awkward, pitiful look in his eyes, and sighed a little, "Look, I'm sorry about putting this on you so suddenly, I guess I just wanted to surprise you." she said with an amused grin, "If you wish, I'll have the girls hold back until you're ready."

"Thanks for that, but don't worry, I'll just have a talk with them for now so we can figure out what we're going to do." Link said. In that moment, he took Nabooru's gentle hand and raised it up to his lips, giving it a gentle kiss, "I really appreciate that thoughtfulness of yours though, even if you try to send girls at me like hungry wolves." he half-joked.

Nabooru paused for a just a second, seeing the longing look in Link's eyes, before she smiled lightly and chuckled, "Just go ahead and enjoy yourself, okay Mr. Playboy?"

"Alright, good night." Link grinned, getting up and walking off back to his bedroom.

As he left, Nabooru glanced down at her hand, the one Link had kissed just a second ago, and she caught herself blushing red.

"Jees, I really need to be more careful around him..." she said to herself.

* * *

Link eventually returned to his bedroom, and saw the three girls sitting there on his bed of pillows. As a stark contrast to the seductive pose she was in earlier, Ragome was now laying back with her arms out and her legs crossed, Leivuri seemed to be knitting something and singing a cheery little song to herself, while the nameless bored girl was busy sketching something.

"Um, hi girls." Link said, porting a small embarrassed grin.

"Oh hey there your highness, sup?" Ragome greeted him with a casual wave, "Uh, listen... Sorry if we scared you like that earlier, guess we were just a little overanxious."

"Nah, it's no big deal." Link said shaking his head, "I was just a little surprised by it... honestly I think I'd like to get to know you all a little first before we... um, try something like that." he spoke as he nervously scratched his cheek.

"Heh, you're just as cute as we've heard. Why not sit down here and get comfortable?" Ragome said, patting the space between her and Leivuri.

"Oh, yes!" Leivuri said with a small smile, setting aside her knitting, "P-Please do our dear king..."

The bored looking girl just gave a little nod and went back to her drawing.

"Alright then..." Link said, slowly walking over and laying back on his bed between Ragome and Leivuri, "So you all want to be the first to have kids with me then?"

"You bet, we've been waiting for this for a while now." Ragome herself took to playing his hair with a little toothy grin, "We've been put through training as your royal child-bearers or a year now, just about around the time you came to our town. I used to be a soldier-in-training, but I kept screwing up and was kicked out. I did take care of my kid sister a lot when we were growing up, and my family thought I should try being a royal child-bearer instead of a solider. It was kinda weird going through it, I was put on a diet to make myself curvier, and learned all sorts of sexual techniques to please a man, but it turned out to be pretty fun too!"

"Yes, we all volunteered for it." Leivuri said with a pleasant smile as she rested her hands on her lap, "I never desired to be a warrior, so I had been working for the clothing stores around town, learning the trade of sewing as well." she said, holding up the veil she had been sewing together, "When Lady Nabooru was asking for Gerudo willing to devote themselves to childbearing, I thought it might be a worthwhile experience for me.." she turned her head to the side and blushed, "P-Plus I love the idea of becoming a mother someday..."

"And what about you..." Link said, looked to the quiet bored-looking woman who just stared back at him, "...you... you I don't think I caught you name."

"That's cause she didn't throw it. Her name is Esolu, she's actually a mute." Ragome said.

"So that means you can't talk?" Link asked Esolu in surprise. Esolu just stared at him, before drawing something on her sketch pad and holding up a picture of her head with an X bandage on her mouth.

"We don't really know much about her situation." shrugged Ragome, "All we know is she used to do patrol work through the valley, but one day she got caught in a sandstorm and when she came back she had become a mute. She won't even give anyone a hint about what happened to her."

"Sandstorm huh? I know what that's like." Link said, recalling what happened back in Gerudo Wastes with Reirousa, "You think maybe she ingested too much dirt and sand?"

"Lady Nabooru made her see Dr. Sarami, but she said there wasn't anything physical wrong with her." shrugged Ragome.

"That sketch pad is how she communicates with everyone, though she prefers to make pictures instead of just writing words." Leivuri said, "During the time we were being taught to be child-bearers the three of us grew very close together, and I feel bad for what she went through losing her voice... But her drawings can be so cute, it lets us know there's still happiness in her on the inside!"

"I see..." Link said in thought, then looking to Esolu "And you're sure you want to be a child-bearer too?"

Esolu paused, then drew another picture and held it up just below her nose, it was an adorable picture of a happy looking penguin with many little baby penguin chicks all crowded around it. She was looking to the side with a light blush that Link couldn't help but find cute of her as well.

"So why don't you wanna have kids with us yet King Link?" Ragome asked, "Are you worried about cheating on your fiances?"

"That's kind of weird when you phrase it like that..." Link said sweatdropping, "I guess it's just a bit of a scary thing for me right now..."

"What's the matter then, don't want to clean their poop or something? You don't have to be involved in the child care or anything, we and our nursemaids will be handling all the dirty stuff." Ragome clarified.

"Yes, you don't even have to have any involvement with them at all if you don't wish to." Leivuri nodded, "We understand your responsibilities here as king."

"No I do, I want to be involved with them and love them just as much as I would the daughters I have with my fiances." Link said defensively.

Esolu looked up to Link with slightly wider eyes as she heard him speak.

He looked at the ceiling and continued, "But that's just it... even as the king, I'm still trying to get used to all the ways of the Gerudo... You see, I grew up in the forest without parents, so I have no idea what it would mean to be a parent myself Because of that, I don't know if I can be a proper father for them the way I am right now..."

"Huh... guess we can understand that." sighed Ragome, laying backwards with her arms behind her head.

"I never would had thought the new Gerudo King would be such a kind and sensitive person..." Leivuri said with a blush, "You're nothing like the former king."

"I'm pretty relieved to hear that at least." Link grinned.

Esolu simply held up a drawing she had done of a black haired boar with red hair and an angry scowl, and there were stink lines trailing up from it.

"Oh that's so cute Esolu!" Leivuri giggled, "What a grumpy little piggy!"

"Is that supposed to be Ganondorf?" snickered Ragome, to which Esolu nodded, "Shii-shi-shi! Fitting for a putrid swine like him!"

Link himself paused, looking at the picture, before he sputtered a bit, then broke out into laughter at Esolu's coincidental depiction of Ganondorf as a pig. She didn't realize how accurate it really was, since when he battled Ganondorf in the dark future, he tried to finish Link off by taking on the form of a colossal pig beast warrior using the power he had stolen from the temple. As terrifying as it was for him to go through that ordeal in that time, now he found it more amusing then he thought he could.

Ragome and Leivuri both looked to see Link laying backwards laughing his head off, and soon they to started laughing and giggling with him. The three all looked to Esolu, who looked to the side, then flipped up a page to show a sketch she did of a cute penguin rolling on the floor happily laughing, which got them all laughing even more.

The four of them spent the whole night like that, talking about their lives from the past and now. While he never got around to trying to impregnate them as the three had intended, Link found himself enjoying their company more and more as friends...

Little did he know though that their friendly relationship would take a significant change soon enough...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, I know this one might had been dangerously close to crossing the thin line between the T and M ratings, though I tried to show some restraint to maintain the T rating.**_

_**Next time, Link and the group travel to Goron City to finally meet Darunia and the Gorons, and prepare themselves for a few new surprises as well!**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or review o show you r support if you like!**_


	50. Dance, Goron, Dance!

_**Wow, I'm finally at 50 chapters in this story! I'm really happy I've been able to keep at it for so long! I have all of my readers and supporters to thank for getting me this far! A big thank you to all of you!**_

* * *

"Well, we made it everyone!"

Link spoke up to Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Togau. Dr. Sarami, and Reirousa, who had all arrived at Goron City in Death Mountain, with the aide of the warp points in the Lost Woods. Located inside the mountain itself, it was a tall, multi-floored cave with numerous tunnels that lead to various residence and shopping locations.

"So this is what was through this warp point..." Saria said in surprise, "To think it lead all the way out here!"

"Wow, this place looks huge!" Aviel said, looking around above and below the cavern using her goggles.

"Yes, and now that we're here, we can speak to Chieftain Darunia and start negotiating terms with forming an alliance with the Gorons." Nabooru said with her arms folded, smirking lightly.

"It's too bad Kesuta and Korume couldn't come with us." Togau said, "What'd they say they were doin' again?"

"The two of them are attending a prayer session with their mother at the Spirit Temple to cleanse the place of Twinrova's foul power that the two witches were spreading out during their time there." Nabooru said.

"They'd need to get rid of the foul old lady smell too." Aviel said, sticking out her tongue.

"If anything, they need to cleanse the desert of all those Octoroks me and the soldiers have been dealing with outside of town." sighed Reirousa referring to the octopus-like creatures that primarily live in earth and spit rocks at people.

"Yes the area has been under an abnormal infestation with Octoroks as of late..." Nabooru said pondering, "They're easy to kill, but their numbers are still problematic..."

Deciding to worry about that, later, the group walked on through the passage. As soon as they stepped out of the hallway that lead into to the city, Link was immediately recognized and hugged by a local Goron who usually hung out right there.

"Ah, Brother Link! You're back!" the Goron cheered, lumbering forward with his arms out.

"Oh jees, whoever the Gerudo goddesses of strength is, lead me some of it!" Link exclaimed, as he found himself pulled into another powerful bone-breaking hug.

"Everyone! Brother Link has returned!" the Goron shouted out, alerting many other Gorons in the area.

"Hey, he really is back!"

"He looks a lot different now, but I still recognize brother Link!"

"Yaaay! How about a big Goron hug?"

"Wait wait wait wait! No more hugs!" Link exclaimed in complete horror as more Gorons were starting to gather around him, only for Nemisa and Reirousa to step in front of him.

"Hey, you wanna back off rock-biters?" Reirousa asked glaring down at the Gorons.

"Cease this assault on the Gerudo King or you'll answer to my fists!" Nemisa said to the first one angerly.

"Oops, sorry! Guess we get too carried away!" the first Goron said, pulling his arms away as Link fell face-first into the ground.

"Does this happen regularly with you, Link?" Nabooru asked with a chuckle.

"Ever since I helped them out with their Dodongo problem eight years ago." Link groaned, as Sarami took the time to examine him over, then stretching out his back to get it back into a proper place, "I didn't know back then that becoming Darunia's sworn brother would be so... dangerous."

"Yes, they do seem quite strong, but they're all so adorable!" Sarami giggled happily, as she pulled Link's arm to straighten it out she was taking her time to observe them all, "They look like giant teddy bears!"

"And they hug just like a bear..." Link groaned.

"Ugh, I normally like hugs, but I think they'd snap me in half..." Aviel said sweatdropping.

"So what was that person calling you brother Link? You're the Gerudo King now?" a Goron asked.

"That's right, I've been living with the Gerudo for a year now, and I was just crowned as their king." Link nodded.

"Well gosh, that's amazing!" one of the Gorons said, "After that bad man that sealed up Dodongo's Cavern to try and get our precious treasure, I bet you'll make a much better king then him!"

"So... these are the Gerudo?" asked one of the Goron, walking up to Nemisa, "You don't look anything like that bad man."

"And we thank Aifet for that everyday." Nemisa said rolling her eyes.

Link then spoke up to one of the Gorons, "So right now we need to speak with brother Darunia, is he in his usual place?"

"Well yeah..." one of the Gorons said, rubbing the back of his head, "But Big Brother Darunia is in one of his bad moods right now..."

"What happened? Did someone get into his secret sirloin rock stash again?" Link asked.

"Well, yes." the Goron nodded, "But I think there's something else bothering him as well, might have to do with everything going on out in that place we opened a while back..."

"Maybe if you talk to him it'll snap him out of it!" another Goron said.

"I'll give it a try." Link then nodded, "Come on Nabooru, let's go speak with him."

"Sounds good, I've been waiting to meet the Chieftain of this tribe." Nabooru said.

Link then thought about what the Goron had said about Darunia's mood and grinned slightly, "Actually, can you come with us too Saria?"

"Oh, of course!" Saria nodded.

"Well, while yer rubbin' elbows with the chief, think I'll start speakin' to the merchants here about their trade." Togau said, walking off to the stores.

"I wanna go check out that place over there." Reirousa said, gesturing to the smithery run by the blacksmith Medigoron, "See if he can fix up my Bombos Warhammer, it's been through a lotta wear and tear."

"I'm honestly surprised it's held up so well after you load powerful explosives into it." Nemsia said.

"I'd like to go speak to these cute little things waddling around here and learn a little more about them and their anatomy!" Sarami said as she adjusted her glasses.

"Alright then, Aviel can you watch over Dr. Sarami while we talk with the chief?" Link asked.

"You got it Link!" Aviel said with a salute, standing by the doctor's side.

"Oh no, I didn't come here to be a bother to yo-" Sarami started, but was cut off by Aviel grabbing her arm and smiling brightly.

"No problem! Now let's go!" she said cheerfully, taking Sarami off on her way.

Link, Nabooru, Saria and Nemisa meanwhile all headed down to the ground floor, directed by Link, to the entrance of Darunia's chambers. Upon reaching the entrance though, they saw a Goron sitting in front of the door, looking clearly bothered about something. Unlike most Goron, this one had slightly longer light-blondish hair, and wore a green cap on his head that very much looked like the one Link used to wear.

"Why is he wearing a hat like that one you have?" Nemisa asked Link.

"It's cause I know who he is." Link grinned, "Link, it's good to see you again!"

"Huh...?" the young Goron asked, looking up at Link, and his eyes widened, "Ah! Uncle Link! It's really you!"

"Link...?" Nabooru asked, "You mean this Goron has the same name as you?"

"Yep! Dad named me after Uncle Link!" the Goron smiled proudly, pumping up his fists, "I love the name, it makes me feel like a real hero!"

"Well you sure look like one! You look like you've toughened up a lot over the past year!" Link smiled.

"Heh, seems like you had even more of an impact on the people here then I imagined." Nabooru said to Link, then spoke to the Goron child, "So can we meet your father Chieftain Darunia?"

"I guess you can... but Dad's been in kind of a bad mood after everything that's been going on lately..." sighed Link-Goron.

"Maybe we can make your dad feel better then!" Link grinned, rubbing his hand on Link-Goron's head.

"Okay then!" Link-Goron said, pumping his fists, "See what you can do to put a big smile on his face!"

After the group saw Link-Goron go off on his way, Nabooru grinned to Link, "You don't really give yourself enough credit Link, I think you're going to make a great father someday."

"Ah ha ha... that's... well..." Link blushed, rubbing the back of his head, as he looked to Nemisa, who was averting her own gaze with a blush on her face, and then he thought about the three child-bearers of his waiting at home... "Maybe we can talk about that some other time..."

"Yeah, h-how about we just focus on meeting with Mr. Darunia already?" Saria asked frantically, pushing Link into Darunia's chambers. Nemisa followed quietly after them while Nabooru just went in laughing.

* * *

"Hey Brother Darunia?" Link called out. He looked through Darunia's chambers and saw the Goron leader sitting up, facing a wall. Link watched as Darunia reached into a bowl of rocks beside him, pulled one out and gobbled it down.

"Hmph!"

Link sweatdropped, looked to Nabooru, Saria and Nemisa and called out again.

"Uh, Darunia? It's Link, we just came by to-"

"HHMPHH!"

The four stood blankly as they saw Darunia not even so much as glance at them.

"Is... he usually like this?" Nemisa asked.

"He's normally a pretty jolly guy, but when he can be like this at times when he has enough of a stalagmite up his ass." Link sighed.

"This might be harder then I thought..." Nabooru said.

"What should we do then?" Saria asked.

"I'll try to talk to him..." Link said, slowly walking up to Darunia's side. He couldn't help but notice as he got closer he saw Darunia was holding a hammer in his hand, it was very familiar looking to Link, but wanted to focus on getting the Goron out of his funk first.

"Hey Brother Darunia, something got your goat?" Link asked.

"What are you even talking about, I don't even own a goat!" Darunia shouted, raising up and flexing his arms in a fit of anger.

"He was asking what's wrong with you!" Nemisa shouted in annoyance.

"You want to know that's wrong? I'll tell you!" Darunia shouted back to Nemisa.

"My brothers being scared out of the mines!

The hot springs are either becoming too cold or devoid of water!

Tourism and trade is going down because of it!

I got the Hylian Parliament giving us a hard time because of a lack of minerals yet they refuse to send us help!

So I'm just going to sit there and eat my woes away!" Darunia scowled, taking another rock and munching it down.

"Gee, what a jolly fellow." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"Hoo-boy, looks like we're going to have to do something to get him out of this." Link said, "Hey Saria, can you give me a hand in a duet?"

Link pulled out his ocarina, and Saria realized why he needed her there. She nodded eagerly and pulled out her own ocarina. The others watched curiously as the two put their ocarinas to their lips and started playing Saria's Song.

"Ah, I love when they play this!" Nemisa said with glee, clicking her fingers and starting to do a light dance to the music.

"Just what is this going to do-?" Nabooru asked, until she saw Darunia sit up, seemingly in reaction to the music.

"Hmm?"

"Um... this isn't seriously going to-"

"HMM?!"

As Link and Saria kept playing their song together, Darunia's eyes widened, the music flowing through his ears. The bouncy magical tune of the forest that Saria created, and played for long periods in the Sacred Forest Meadow.

"That... music...!"

It was then the Gerudo leader Nabooru stood in shock of Darunia suddenly leaping to his feet, and within seconds, started dancing like crazy, sporting a huge grin on his face as he waved his arms and legs around wildly.

"Ooh... ooh! OOH!"

Darunai started shaking his body left and right swinging his arms in tune to the music.

"Yeow! Hot! Such a hot beat!" Darunia cheered out as he danced.

"You... got to be kidding me." Nabooru said blankly, as Nemisa was dancing gracefully around the room herself.

"YEOW! Hot! Hot! HOT!"

Eventually, Link and Saria ended the song and lowered their ocarinas, and Darunia slowly stopped in his steps as well.

"Yes! I really needed that!" Darunia spoke out with a huge grin, "Brother Link, so great to see you! You look like you've grown a lot over the past year!"

"Good to see you too, brother Darunia." grinned Link.

* * *

Sometime after that the five of them were all squatting down around a short table, talking about recent events going on, including Link becoming the new Gerudo King. The group wanted to ask Darunia about what he had been talking about while he was in that foul mood from earlier, but Link advised them not to at the moment, as it probably would just put him back in that bad mood again. Darunia served them some tea while he himself had a gourd full of dirt he drank down like water.

"Ha ha ha! I swear, after you stuck it to that damn Ganondorf bastard, seeing you outright replace him as the Gerudo King is hilarious!" Darunia laughed holding up his gourd.

"Wasn't how I planned it back then, but I'm glad with how things have turned out." grinned Link, holding up his tea cup, they clicked them together as a toast, only for some of the dust from Darunia's gourd to fall into Link's tea. Link stared down at his cup for a few seconds with a grimaced look, before pouring it out behind him discreetly.

"So, Lady Nabooru is it? I hear you treat the Gerudo as your family, and refers to each other as sisters? That's not too different from how we Goron refer to each other as brothers!" Darunia said.

"Yes, seems we have more in common then we thought." smiled Nabooru, "I'm looking forward to working with your people."

"This tea is pretty impressive," Nemisa said, taking a long slip of her cup, "It tastes somewhat familiar... can I have some more?"

"Ah, of course! Drink up little lady!" laughed Darunia, pouring her some, "We actually get this tea from Kakariko Village at the base of the mountain, they've been helping us with setting up our resort here."

"Ah, so that's where it comes from." Nemisa said.

"I believe the herbs used in this tea is made from chamomile, right?" Saria asked.

"Yeah, that's the name!" Darunia nodded, "You sure got a knack for tasting that sort of thing, and playing the ocarina now I think about it! You play that catchy little song even better then brother Link!"

"Not surprised, she's the one who taught it to me." Link acknowledged.

"Wait, so does that mean you're the one that's always playing that tune?" Darunia grinned, "All of us Goron love hearing that song through the warp point tunnel! When I hear that song I just can't stop dancing a jig!"

"Um... I gathered that." Saria said embarrassingly.

"So you're learning to prepare tea for tourists Darunia? That's pretty unlike you." Link said in an impressed tone.

"Well with the hot springs resort we opened, I felt I had to learn the skill." Darunia nodded, giving Saria another cup full.

"Never knew there was a hot spring resort in Death Mountain either." Link said.

"Yeah, we set it up while you were on that seven year journey of yours. We're hoping to reach out to the Hylian Parliament like you guys, and between the hot spring and our mining operations, we've been progressing with getting more attention by them." Darunia said.

"But from what you were saying things aren't doing too well?" Nemisa asked.

"We've had our fair hare of troubles, especially lately..." Darunia said, "But nothing to worry yourself about, we Gorons are strong and hearty! Not even the fierce volcano monster stood a chance against my might!"

With that, Darunia gestured over to a wall of his chamber. Mounted on the wall was a monster's skull with long horns and a pair of clawed hands. While the creature was nothing but bones now, Link was quick to recognize what exactly it was, and his jaw dropped slightly in shock.

"Darunia, is that... uh... thing hanging from the wall there the monster you're talking about?" Link asked.

"Yep, that is, or should I say was, the deadly terror of Death Mountain, the fire breathing dragon Volvagia! Course, now he's just a deadly pile of bones!" Darunia laughed.

"Wow, you struck down a dragon?" Saria spoke in surprise.

"Yep, couldn't have done it without the Goron's treasure though, the Megaton Hammer!" Darunia said, holding up the named hammer with a big grin, "Years ago he was invading the mines and causing my mining team trouble so I recovered the hammer from the Fire Temple and went and crushed the thing like a gecko!"

Link was rather shocked at this news. He remembered running into Volvagia in the Fire Temple when he was in the dark future, and helped Darunia defeat it using the Megaton Hammer. He was glad to hear the monster was already taken care of, and was impressed Darunia did it himself.

'Guess I shouldn't be surprised after seeing his battle ability that other time now that I think about it...' Link thought to himself in realization, as he thought of when they met again in another point in time...

It was then a Goron came rolling in, relieved to see Darunia was in a better mood. He walked up and whispered into Darunia's ear for a few seconds. The Goron leader nodded, then turned to Link and the group.

"Well enough about me bragging about myself, a little matter has come up, so how about I show you and your people all to the hot springs brother Link? We can start talking negotiations about our relations and trade tomorrow!"

"That's not a bad idea." Nabooru said, taking into account Darunia's rant from earlier before Link and Saria snapped him out of it, "I'd like to take the day to see around here first so I can get an idea of what we can do to better help you and ourselves."

* * *

Upon meeting up with Aviel, Togau, and Sarami, Darunia led the group out into an open area of the mountain, surrounded by hills on all sides. The location had a very inviting wooden house with cloth for doorways, and they all feel a gentle warm mist rising up from behind the house. There were even large pink flowered trees planted in the front that brightly decorated the area. By Saria's observation, whatever they were doing to keep the trees alive even up here in Death Mountain was working well.

They all went in and the group took their time to observe the decor, which was quite accommodating, with straw flooring, decorative scrolls and vases in the rooms, fountains designed like rocky hills, and there were neatly kept futons set up in private rooms behind sliding doors.

"Heeey... this is kinda nice..." Aviel said looking around.

"This is the Happy Goron Hot Springs resort!" Darunia said proudly, "We actually kinda created this place on accident. While we were mining through the caves, a sudden cave-in flattened out the land here, and rain started to collect into pools. We didn't think much of it at the time, until travelers coming thorough the area started finding the warm water soothing for some reason, so by their request we turned this area into a hot spring."

"Nice, now I understand where the tourism is coming from!" Link said.

"This place reminds me of some of the houses back in Kakariko Village." Nemisa mentioned, running her hand along the wall, recalling the sushi restaurant she and her friends had been too in the past in particular.

"Yep, the people there started coming out here to bathe in the springs, and gave us advice on how to make it more hospitable for tourists, including inn-keeping and food to serve!" Darunia said, "It took some time though, for the longest time I couldn't figure out why they didn't just eat the rocks we tried to serve them!"

"Gee, I wonder why." Link said sweatdropping, though it seemed to go over Darunia's head.

"My mentor told me that Kakariko Village has been working to establish itself more like how the Shiekah used to back in their early days." Sarami said, "I definitely see their style here. You've all done splendid work making this place so lovely!" she added, putting her hands together with a sweet smile.

"W-Well gosh, thanks for that..." Darunia muttered, rubbing the back of his head at Sarami's serene smile, "You Gerudo definitely are a lot different then people used to be saying."

"Ya can thank Lady Nabooru fer that!" laughed Togau, "She got us out of our rut years ago and we've buckled down into becoming a real tribe!"

"That so? Well, we Goron have been making some changes as of recently ourselves. Like I said before, I decided a while back that we needed to start reaching out more to the neighboring tribes after Ganondorf's arrest." Darunia said.

"Well it looks like you're doing well in that regard." Nabooru nodded, looking around, "If it's possible, me and my team would like to lodge rooms for the next two or three nights while we're staying here."

"Ah ha ha, no need to charge for you all! You're our royal guests here, and I wouldn't charge my sworn brother to stay!" Darunia chuckled.

Nabooru paused on that note, tempted to take him up on that offer, but looked to Darunia, and then gave a gentle smirk.

"It's okay, we insist on paying, it's only fair. We don't want any special treatment or anything." Nabooru said.

"You... uh, sure about that?" Darunia asked in confusion.

"Yes, we Gerudo know full well about times can be." Nabooru nodded.

"T-Thank you, Lady Nabooru." Darunia said with a somewhat relieved and grateful tone, bowing his head, "Then I'll have my staff get you all settled in, and we can talk about everything with the union tomorrow! So go ahead and enjoy your night here!"

As Darunia saw Link and the Gerudo off, Link paused. He should have sworn he felt a strange person looking at them for a second. He turned to look at a corner, only to see no one.

'Huh... maybe I was just seeing things...?' Link thought to himself.

Little did he know his instincts weren't wrong, as there was someone who had been watching them. The one he had felt the presence of had been leaning against the wall to avoid detection, and it was then they turned and went off on their way, leaving no trace of being there...

Before Link could even try to figure out or investigate anything like that though, Reirousa came walking up to the group with an annoyed glare.

"Hey there Reirousa, where're you been?" Aviel asked.

"That punk Medigoron guy tried to charge me three hundred rupees to temper my warhammer." scowled Reirousa, "And that I needed to come back in seven years for it to be ready!"

'How the hell does Medigoron stay in business...?' Link thought to himself sweatdropping, recalling back when he commissioned a sword for the Goron to build, but it wasn't ready until the dark future, where it wound up breaking in a few swings.

"Well then, how about we settle into some rooms here then everyone?" Nabooru asked, looking left and right, "Let's see, with eight of us, we'll get four rooms, two beds each. So who's staying with who?"

"Wanna share a room with me Saria?" Aviel asked excitedly.

"Oh, sure!" Saria nodded.

"How about you and I have a room, Nabs?" Sarami asked happily, "I've been meaning to talk about things going on lately!"

"Sounds good, been a while since we've had alone time together." chuckled Nabooru, "Now as for Link..."

"Sword, ax spear! Sword, ax spear! Sword, ax spear!"

"Ha! Sword beats ax!" Nemisa said with two closed fingers pointing at Togau's two spread out fingers.

"Grr... again! Sword, ax spear! There, spear beats sword!" Togau retorted, sticking out a single finger.

"Again! Sword, ax spear! Aha, ax beats spear!" Nemisa said with her own two fingers spread out to Nemisa's one finger.

Everyone looked to see Nemisa and Togau pounding their hands into their palms, and when they said 'spear' they either made different or the same hand gestures.

"Sword, ax spear! Sword, ax spear!"

"What... are you two doing?" Link asked sweatdropping.

"We're having a game to figure out who gets to share yer room with ya Link, sword, ax spear!" Togau said, putting her fingers outwards "Ax beats spear! Now it's best nine outta seventeen Nemisa!"

"Bring it Togau, I'll crush you! Sword, ax spear!" Nemisa said as they continued.

"Nemisa really gets competitive when it comes to Link, doesn't she?" Saria asked, recalling how fierce she got about competing with Ruto before.

Eventually when everyone figured out Nemisa and Togau weren't going to be able to determine a winner any time soon, Saria just recommended they borrow the extra futon from Reirousa's room and have the three of them share the same room. Reirousa said she preferred sleeping alone anyway, so it was a happy compromise.

* * *

Link soon walked out from his new room with Nemisa and Togau, their things all packed away safely in their room, and all three of them were wearing nice silk robes, a gray one for Link and light blue ones for the girls.

"Say, this is pretty comfy!" Togau said, rubbing her robe against her face.

"It's nice, though the sash belt shows my hips off too much..." Nemisa said, looking behind her and putting a hand to her hip.

"Ya look fine if ya ask me, those hips are gonna make it nice n' easy to carry and fire out some kids someday!" Togau grinned, grabbing at Nemisa's sides, "I'm pretty jealous of em!"

"H-Hey now..." Nemisa said blushing.

The two girls looked over to Link, who was pulling on the top of his robe a bit, and it was just open enough the two were getting a good look at his muscular chest.

"Gee, our lover-boy is lookin' pretty good himself." Togau purred a bit, her eyes briefly changing to the cat-like ones of her Lynel form.

"I wonder if the Gorons would mind if they 'lost' one of their men's robes..." Nemisa said staring at him just as much with a gentle smirk.

"I think I now know what food sees when I'm hungry." Link said sweatdropping, looking at the two girls.

"Hey there, you all ready to check out the hot springs now?" Nabooru spoke out as she, along with Saria, Aviel, Sarami, and Reirousa all walked up to the three. The five of them were also all clad in robes. Nabooru's in particular hugged her body frame just right, though it was pretty short due to her height and showed off her shapely legs, something that Link couldn't even resist not looking at.

"Yeah, come on! I've never gotten to be in a hot spring!" Aviel said excitedly, throwing up her arms, the sleeves of the robe were clearly just a little too long for her smaller size.

"This robe is a little too tight..." muttered Sarami, who was holding the robe together with her arms, as her chest was almost about to pour out of it.

"All they had for me was a kid's size..." Saria sighed wearing a cute pink robe.

"..." Reirousa seemed a little embarrassed, she was looking to the side, and still seemed to be wearing her bandages over her chest despite wearing an extra large Goron robe to contain her muscular frame.

"Sounds good, let's go!" Link nodded.

The group went ahead down the hall, by the guidance of a housekeeper, until they arrived at the hot spring entrance, where there were three different spots to pick from, one for men only, one for women and one for couples. There was an elderly Goron clad in a robe and with curled hair sitting at a desk, presumably to keep an eye on who goes in where.

"Well, guess I'll be heading to the men's part then, you girls have fun." Link said, walking towards the men's curtain, waving his hand behind him.

But that was when Nabooru grabbed his wrist, holding them in place.

"Woah there tiger, where do you think you're going?"

"I... was just going to have some alone time in the men's spring." said a slowly worrying Link as he turned to see Nabooru grinning at him mischievously, along with Aviel, Nemisa, Togau and Sarami, while Reirousa and Saria both had worried and sympathetic looks themselves.

"Na-uh-uh! " Nabooru said, waving her finger, "We're all going to have a fun time in the mixed spring together, now come on!"

"Oh boy." Link said sweatdropping, as he was quickly yanked into the mixed spring curtain.

Unknown to all of them though, a certain figure had been watching them undetected. They smirked lightly, before going off on their way.

The Goron at the desk meanwhile, seemingly unaware of the mysterious presence, simply adjusted his glasses as he muttered,

"Thank you for your patronage."

* * *

_**So that ends the chapter, next time Link and the group spend some time in the relaxing hot springs, only to meet a certain face Link thought he'd never run into again!**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or comment, your feedback is always appreciated!**_


	51. A Hot Time in The Hot Springs

_**Now it's time for Chapter 51, this time Link and the group have come to the hot springs to unwind, and Nabooru intends on Link joining them in the mixed bath...**_

* * *

"Wooooow, what a nice place!"

Aviel stood at the front of the group as they all were looking out at the mixed bathing area of the Happy Goron Hot Spring, the tourist local Goron City. Water was pouring in from statue fountains lined along the pool's edge, the fountains shaped like Gorons holding jugs. There were extra towels for drying, and buckets to pour water on each other. The water itself managed to stay quite clean thanks to specially designed passages that allowed the water to steady flow in and out of the spring.

Link and the group had all gone through the changing room that lead to the spring beforehand, and were now all washed up and clad in towels.

"This is really nicely set up, the Goron have really come a long way over the years." Link said.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" Aviel cheered out, throwing off her towel and doing a flip and dive into the water.

"Aviel, wait a-"

Nemisa was cut off by a loud, audible thunk, as they saw Aviel was sticking out of the water from the waist down, and her legs were twitching slightly. She slowly sunk down and emerged her head out, now with multiple bumps.

"Oooow... this water is really shallow... it's nothing like the lake or pool..." Aviel whimpered with tears in her eyes.

"I was going to tell you this place is for bathing, not swimming, dear." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

Link paused as he turned and focused his look at Nemisa and Togau, who were removing their towels. He then glanced over at some of his friends he wasn't engaged to; Saria, Aviel, Sarami and Reirousa, and blushed bright red. He was hesitant about removing his own towel in front of them, but then felt a strange tugging and realized Nabooru was grabbing at it herself.

"Come on Link, nothing to be shy about!" Nabooru snickered, who at that point had already removed her towel and standing nude.

He then took a look over to Saria who's head was lowered in embarrassment, as she was protectively gripping at her own towel which was covering her chest down to her knees. Reirousa meanwhile had her back turned to everyone and covering her chest with her arms and towel.

"Look, it's one thing for you, Nemisa and Togau, but I don't know if I should be stripping in front of the others!" Link protested.

"Oh, I certainly don't mind, fu-fu-fufufu..." Sarami giggled pulling off her towel, revealing her voluptuous form, "It's not like we're here for anything lewd... at least not quite yet!"

"You heard her Link..." chuckled Nabooru, grabbing at Link's own towel, "Now let's have fun tonight!"

With that, Nabooru quickly yanked off Link's towel, causing him to spin around like a tornado until he stumbled headfirst into the water. Quickly after Link propelled himself out of the water and clenched his fist at Nabooru.

"Hey, be careful with-" That was when Link looked down and realized he was completely nude in front of everyone. He looked up to see Nabooru grinning mischievously, Aviel looking curiously, Nemisa rolling her eyes, Togau laughing like crazy, Sarami looking at him intently with gleaming eyes, while Saria and Reirousa were both averting their gaze.

"Oops."

* * *

After everyone settled down, most of the group found themselves all laying back in the hot spring water. Nabooru herself just stretched out and laid her arms back against the edge of the spring, flicking the water with her hand, and she looked around at the rest of the group relaxing as well.

"This is really nice..." Saria said, still clad in her towel despite the others not being so, "I've never been in a hot spring before..."

"Me neither..." Aviel sighed with bliss as she sunk her body into the water until she was up to her neck, she wore a moist cloth on her head to allow water to soak her head and deal with the bumps she got from hitting the floor earlier, "This was a great idea Lady Nabooru..."

"Yes, this water is just splendid for my back." Sarami whispered, laying back.

"You made a good call bringing us here Nabooru." Link said, by now having pretty much gotten over how awkward it was sharing the spring with the other girls, he grinned a little knowingly and asked, "And you're sure coming here was pure business, right?"

"Oh of course!" Nabooru laughed, "I can't help they just so happened to have a hot spring at this place we just so happen to be visiting for delegations!"

Link chuckled, it was clear Nabooru was taking more opportunities to take breaks from all the work she did. Even if he himself couldn't do anything to directly help her, the most he could do was help motivate her to enjoy life more often.

"Come on in already Reirousa!" Togau called out, "Yer missin' out!"

"I'm.. um... uh..." Reirousa muttered with her back still turned to everyone, "I just wanted to uh, wait until the water cools down a bit."

Everyone sat there blankly at that bizarre excuse.

"Reirousa, it's a hot spring." Nemisa pointed out.

"Uh... right..."

"Come on Reirousa, you can sit by me if it makes you feel more comfortable!" Link said, patting the water beside him.

"Okay, okay!" shouted Reirousa, "Just don't rush me!"

Reirousa walked forward and stepped down into the water beside Link. She slowly slipped away the towel, exposing her nude form, and sat down. She felt self-conscious in that moment from everyone seeing her nude muscular form, especially Link. Reirousa then quickly grabbed a bucket and poured water down over her head, causing her normally permed hair to come downward against her back and onto her shoulders. She saw everyone looking at her and huddled closer to Link, who was trying his hardest not to gawk at her body himself. Her hair cascading down over her face, and further down her muscular frame was rather nice for him to see...

"I don't know how you guys talked me into doing this..." Reirousa muttered, looking away.

"Oh my," Sarami said, putting a hand to her cheek and smiling, "I never knew you fancied our beloved king so much Reirousa, he really provides you with comfort doesn't he?"

"WHAT?" Reirousa exclaimed, "That's a load of bull, we're just... you know... we confide in each other... ya know, like best buddies! Right Link?!"

"Uh, sure?" Link answered, trying not to look directly at her.

"Yeah! There ya see?!" Reirousa shouted frantically, now wrapping both her arms around him, her bare breasts pressed against his head, "Nothing between the two of us!"

"Reirousa, I can't breathe." Link said, his mouth covered by her arms, and starting to remind him of the death hugs the Gorons would subject on him.

"She's got it bad for him." Nemisa whispered to Aviel.

"Yup." Aviel nodded.

"Hey, come on guys, stop making such a scene..." Saria said blushing, "The other guests might complain..."

"You mean those other guests?" asked Nabooru.

She was pointing over to a lone couple who were standing in the hot spring water, spinning in place as the man had his hands on the woman's hips, while the woman had her hands on the man's shoulders.

"Oooh darling, this vacation was such a wonderful idea.. hee hee hee..."

"Why yes honey, we could stay here in the hot spring until we collapse from the heat and I wouldn't care a bit... hoo hoo hoo..."

"...somehow I think those two are in a completely different world then ours to be bothered by it." Nabooru said sweatdropping.

Sarami took a moment to look over at Nabooru, watching the couple spinning in the water, and sported a slight mischievous grin. She turned away and covered her bosom in her arm, looking over her shoulder and calling out to her new king.

"Oooh Link, could you scrub my back, please?" Sarami asked him with a flirty tone to her voice, as she took her long hair and pulled it over her shoulder to expose her bare back.

Link was a little startled and flushed at Sarami's request, after prying Reirousa's arms off him, he looked over to Togau and Nemisa who both just seemed to be in complete bliss from relaxing in the hot spring, and he decided to go ahead with it for Sarami's sake... or at least that's what he told himself.

"Okay Sarami, where'd you need it?" Link asked, taking a wash cloth and wringing it out.

"Just all over, especially the shoulders..." Sarami said, "I've been quite sore lately."

"Hope you're not pushing yourself too hard again." Link said, taking the cloth and rubbing it on her back slowly and firmly. Aviel and Saria in particular were watching carefully.

"I... ooh... no... I just threw out my back once lifting.. ooph... something heavy years ago and it still aches from time to... oooh... time... by the name of Goddess Aifet you're good at thiiis...!" she moaned out a little, she found even her legs were fidgeting in reaction as he rubbed her down, she glanced over at Nabooru who quickly looked away from them, "Can you rub down my shoulders to?"

"Where, here?" Link asked, putting the wash cloth around his shoulders and putting his hands down on her own shoulders.

"No, no." Sarami said, reaching behind her with both hands and delicately taking his wrists to position his hands just right, "Right here... please be gentle..." she whispered, peeking behind herself with a stand of hair hanging down over her eye.

Link couldn't help but blush red at Sarami's voice, it was silky and smooth, with a hint of lust to it. He didn't have the heart to decline such a request, and he started rubbing her shoulders delicately but firmly, running his thumbs against the back of her shoulder blades as his fingers clenched the fronts, coming close to tickling her at times.

"Ooof... ooh... hee hee... you're masterful at this..." Sarami giggled lightly, "Nabs taught you this didn't she?"

"Yeah, she thought my fiances would enjoy it if I gave them massages, and she's been training me in different techniques." Link said.

"Well, I'm certainly enjoying this myself..." she moaned out, "If I married you would you give me massages like this all the time...?"

"I... well... um..." Link blushed bright red, turning his head away at her forward attitude, "I suppose I would... if you.. would.. allow..." he gulped, "Ugh, what am I saying...?"

Sarami giggled at Link's modesty, before turning around and then embracing him in her arms. Link was caught off guard by this, and he blushed bright red, feeling her large breasts pressing against his chest. She then whispered into his ear.

"...I'm glad to hear that, because I'm finding the desire harder and harder to pass up, my dear king..." she whispered.

"S-Sarami..." Link whispered.

"Okay, okay you two!" Nabooru shouted out, pulling Sarami off of Link, "I think the heat from the water is getting to your head, doctor!"

"Fu-fu-fufufu... did I overdo it perhaps...?" Sarami giggled as Nabooru dragged her off.

"Whew I'm saved..." Link muttered to himself, gasping out for air.

"Ms. Sarami can be... really bold, huh?" Saria asked Aviel with a blank stare in he eyes.

"Yeah..." Aviel said with a similarly blank look.

"And you two aren't bugged about that kinda thing?" Reirousa asked Nemisa and Togau.

"Na ha ha! Nah, we know Link's gonna be picking more girls then us." Togau grinned widely, "Honestly I'd really love ta have Dr. Sarami as a co-wife!"

"As long as she continues to take good care of Link, I'm fine with it." nodded Nemisa.

"Huh..." Reirousa muttered, looking to the side.

"Why? You wanna join up with our group too?" Togau asked with a catty grin.

"T-That... I... shad up! Don't go puttin' word in my mouth!" Reirousa shouted.

"Hey Link, how about you give Saria a massage while you're at it?" Aviel spoke up, "She told me she'd really like it!"

"Eeehh?!" Saria exclaimed, "I didn't say something like that! I don't think Link would even-"

"Well sure, why not?" Link said, cracking his knuckles and loosening his hands up, "Y-You sure about doing this Saria...?"

"Um..." Saria glanced down at the water, then to Sarami, recalling how much she seemed to enjoy the massage, and her curiosity peeked, "O-Okay..."

Saria turned away from Link, and nervously sat there as Link slowly reached out and put his hands on her small shoulders. Saria's face turned red at the touch, but Link started to slowly rub her shoulder down.

The hot spring was one thing, but this was a whole new sensation that Saria had never felt before. Link was rubbing his fingers and thumbs delicately against her and she found herself enjoying it way more then she could had thought. His movements were strong, but he moved lightly and gently.

"Ooh... ooh wow... Link... this is..." Saria sighed out, "You're... really good at this...!"

"Well if this whole king thing doesn't work out I could at least become a massage therapist." Link chuckled as he ran his hands along her shoulders.

"Don't forget her back then Mr. Therapist!" Aviel called out with a cheeky grin.

"U-Um..." Saria blushed, normally she wouldn't even consider doing something like this, but the feeling he was giving her was so good, and she wanted more. Saria timidly took her towel and slowly slid it downwards ever so slightly to expose her back while still covering her chest.

Link's own face flushed as he moved downwards and worked on her back, it was kind of awkward doing this sort of thing with his childhood friend, but as time went on it became more natural then ever. Her skin was smooth and soft, and Link found himself starting to experience sensations he never thought he'd feel around Saria in that very moment...

"Oooh... thanks Link... this... is... ooh..." Saria stammered, as Link got a certain spot between her shoulder blades, and found herself letting out a loud moan, "OOOH YES LINK!"

Realizing what she had just done, Saria quickly clasped her hands over her mouth, and looked around at the other girls, mortified that she made a sound like that, but the Gerudo surprisingly didn't seem to care at all about her immodest reaction.

"Feels good huh Saria? He does wonders fer me and Nemisa!" Togau said, then flashed a catty grin, "He usually does it right after we bonk like rabbits too, right Nemisa?"

Nemisa simply cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Should... I stop now Saria...?" Link asked, seeing the look of embarrassment in Saria's eyes.

"I... n-no... please... don't stop..." Saria found herself saying, as Link continued to work on her body.

Aviel meanwhile watched the two with a bright smile on her face, happy to see Link and Saria like that. After what the two had gone through back in the Forest Temple, and the guilt they had both felt neglecting each other for so long, seeing the two of them now closer then ever delighted her. It was in that moment she saw the longing look in Saria's eyes, and she wondered how long it would be before the two of them might finally-

"Hey... is the water a little weird to you guys...?" Nabooru realized, feeling that the water was pushing itself against her.

"Now that you mention it... it is kind of odd..." Nemisa said, running her hand through the water.

"What's going on here...? It's like the water is moving itself... " Link asked.

"Huh...?" Saria asked with a dreamy look in her eyes, only to snap out of it when she found herself being pushed by the water, "Link, what's going on?!" Saria shouted, being pulled away from his grip by the water current.

"Hang on Saria!" Link said, quickly wrapping his arms around Saria to keep her from being pulled away.

That was then they all realized the water in the hot spring was starting to shift and move, creating a slowly rapid whirlpool effect, and everyone was getting caught up into it.

"Gack! What's going on here?!" Togau exclaimed, hanging on to the side of the spring as she tried to climb out.

"Is this something like what Darunia ranted about earlier?!" Nabooru shouted as she forced herself through the current to pull Sarami out of the water.

"This is just like what happened back at Lake Hylia!" Link realized as he quickly grabbed Aviel's arm as well to hold both her and Saria, "Don't tell me Morpha is back!"

Reirousa didn't even seem to flinch at all from the water thanks to her bulk, and was taking advantage of it to grab up Nemisa and Togau to help them out of the water.

"Wait, could the reason why the water's moving like be...?!" Nemisa realized.

Everyone looked over to see the two who referred to themselves as 'honey' and ;darling', who were spinning in place so much and so quickly in the hot spring that they were actually causing the water around them to move in circles like a whirlpool, and that it was getting everyone else caught in it.

"Hoo hoo hoo, my darling, it seems we might be in danger at the moment..." the man said, holding his darling in his arms as he looked down at the rapid water moving around them, not even seeming to mind at all what was going on.

"Hee hee hee, it appears we are darling, of course I would allow these tides of wrath to carry us all the way to the realm of spirits where we may be locked together for eternity..." the lady said.

"That sounds delightful my darling, hoo hoo hoo..."

"WOULD YOU TWO STOP?!" shouted Link and everyone else, as the hot spring staff hurried in to put a stop to everything.

* * *

"The room is spinning..." Saria said laying on the straw floor of the hot spring. She had a slap happy look on her face and her eyes spiraling. The group had managed to escape from the hot spring whirlpool thanks to Reirousa and the Gorons and were recovering in the changing room.

"Saria, hang in there!" Nemisa shouted in panic as she was knelling over her.

"She's fine Nemisa, Sarami said she's just dizzy." Link said, dousing Aviel in water to snap her out of her own daze.

"Ayayayayaya..." Aviel sat up and wobbled left and right with her own eyes spiraling.

"Where the hell is that couple?!" Reirousa demanded, looking left and right, "I'm about ready to bash their lovey dovey heads into each other!"

"Before ya do that, ya might want to put something on." Togau said, pointing out Reirousa was stomping around in the nude.

"Ah shit!" she shouted, grabbing at the closet towel she could find, only for it to turn out to be Nemisa's, leaving the bodyguard in the nude now.

"This towel's too small." Reirousa muttered.

"It's cause it's mine you moron!" Nemisa shouted, whacking Reirousa upside the head, only for her to not even feel it.

"This is ridiculous." Nabooru sighed as she was fanned off Sarami, who was laying on her lap.

"We're so sorry for the trouble!" the Goron staff shouted, on their hands and knees bowing for forgiveness from Link and the Gerudo, "We keep telling those two they're not allowed to do that sort of thing here at the resort!"

"If it would please you, accept a free extra night here at the inn, as well as some vouchers for our drinking bar!" said one Goron, holding up some coupons.

"Hmm, well, that sounds good to me!" Nabooru grinned, snatching the coupons up from the Goron and waving them in the air, "How about it everyone? Drinks are on the house!"

"That sounds good." Link nodded, "After what we just went through I could use something hard."

"Alright! Let's get plastered tonight!" Togau cheered out.

"I'm not really that much of a drinke- gack!" Nemisa exclaimed as Togau grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the changing room.

"You guys go on ahead, I'll take these two to their rooms so they can rest." Reirousa told Link and Nabooru, as she lifted Aviel and Saria up.

"Alright, but don't forget to come over yourself." Link said, "You should get a drink too!"

"Heh... alright then." grinned Reirousa, carrying the two girls out.

"Hee hee, it's cute seeing her with Aviel and Saria, I think Reirousa would make a great mother someday." Sarami giggled when she were convinced the muscular woman was out of earshot, "You're going to eventually need to work on that Link." she said with a smile, as she got up to go to her and Nabooru's room herself, "Don't wait up for me, I'm going to take a rest myself."

Link didn't say a word, but blushed bright red at the thought of what Sarami suggested.

"Liking the idea, huh lover-boy?" Togau grinned, nudging him, "I admit I kinda wanna see a maternal side of Reirousa myself!"

"Hey come on, Link said he wasn't ready for that sort of thing yet." Nabooru said, changing back into her robe.

"Oh yeah, you probably wanna have a kid with Link first, huh?" Togau snickered.

"Don't make me switch you from livestock care to outhouse cleaning duty, Togau." Nabooru said in annoyance.

"Can we all just get to the bar already?" Nemisa sighed.

* * *

"Whoo! Another round of drinks over here!" Nabooru shouted out, waving around a mug.

"Ah, right away miss!" a young Goron spoke out as he hustled over to the table where Link, Nabooru, Nemisa and Togau were all sitting at.

The group had arrived in the bar area of the resort, where the five of them all took to sitting at a table booth and ordering drinks, Nabooru of course was drinking the most. While she was doing better to curb her drinking habits ever since what happened at the Hall of Knowledge, she still found time to drink up when it was the right time.

"Na ha ha hahaha! Another round or five or twelve for me and the missus here!" Togau shouted out.

"Hey, keep your hands off that!" Nemisa shouted.

Togau, being kind of a lightweight when it came to alcohol, was hanging off of Nemisa laughing like crazy, while Nemisa was trying her hardest to keep Togau from groping her rear end,

"But it's ssso round and soooft!" Togau said in a slurred voice, "What're ya eatin' to keep it like this?"

"Let go!" Nemisa shouted, grabbing Togau and hurling her through the air and falling behind the counter.

A few moments later, Togau stood up out from behind the counter in her Lynel form, roaring out loud.

"Ha! Now I got the bigger butt!" she said, slapping her horse half.

"A LYNEL?! Where'd that come from?!" exclaimed a Goron.

The other patrons freaked out and stepped away from her, tripping over themselves to keep their distance.

"It's okay! It's just our friend!" Nemisa shouted, "Togau, settle down!" she then shouted to her companion, running over to subdue the half-gerudo, half lynel.

Link meanwhile sipped his chu drink mix, letting out a blissful sigh, "This is pretty relaxing Nabooru, I'm glad we went through with this."

"Heh, glad to hear." Nabooru grinned, "We have to speak with Darunia tomorrow about the alliance negotiations, but we can treat this as a sort of vacation as well. Don't worry, I had Sarami prepare us some chu jelly capsules for dealing with hangovers tomorrow."

"So you planned out this little vacation from the get-go then." snickered Link knowingly, "You must have known they had this resort and drinks if you had the capsules prepared."

"Maybe I did." Nabooru said smugly, holding up her mug to Link for them to clink their drinks together.

Meanwhile, Nemisa was riding on Togau's horse half as the rancher was bouncing around kicking up her feet.

"Woah you damn beast! Woah!" Nemisa shouted, trying to get her to stop, but Togau was too drunk to slow down.

"Nyaaaeeigh!"

Link meanwhile was too busy smiling warmly at Nabooru as he watched her drink down another mug. While she had spent so long working to help her people, it seemed after their talk back at the Hall of Knowledge she was starting to unwind more and more, especially after he recruited Halei to be her assistant, which gave Nabooru much more free time then before.. Seeing her so happy and enjoying life the way she was, it made him truly believe this was what she was meant for...

"Link, you okay there?" Nabooru asked, "Having too much to drink?"

"Nah, just soaking in the atmosphere..." Link said happily.

Nabooru blushed lightly, looking away as she took a small sip of her alcohol. She wasn't sure if he was hitting on her or if it was the alcohol in him talking at that moment.

Nemisa soon managed after that to subdue Togau so she would change back to her normal self, and brought her over to another table to relax.

It was then Link noticed someone new walking into the bar. She took a moment to look around before placing an order at the counter. It took Link a second to figure out why she looked familiar, until he did a double take in shock and spit out his drink.

"Link, what's the matter-"

"Get down!" Link shouted, grabbing Nabooru by her top and pulling her down under their table.

"What's the matter with yo-?!" Nabooru started to shout, but was muffled by Link covering her mouth.

"Shhh, take a look over at the bar counter." Link whispered.

Nabooru looked in that direction to see a tall strong looking woman with slightly tanned skin and long white hair that was done into a braided ponytail. She was wearing a skin tight dark blue jumpsuit with a belt that had sharp throwing knives known as kunai attached to it. She leaned forward on the counter and the jumpsuit emphasized her firm rear end. A few men in the tavern turned their heads to look at her figure, but the woman then turned towards them, showing her angry face. She had what looked like a red scar under her right eye, which unnerved the men enough that they turned away from her.

Nabooru let out a light whistle, "Damn, I like her style. So who is she, an old girlfriend or something?"

Link practically faulted over from Nabooru's guess.

"No, that's Lady Impa, Princess Zelda's caretaker!" Link exclaimed in a low voice.

"Oooh... I've heard about her, she's said to be the last of the Shiekah race right?" Nabooru said, "I suppose it wouldn't be a good idea if she saw us... as far as we know the Hylian Parliament still doesn't know about you being king."

"Right, let's lay low for now." Link nodded, he looked cautiously over to see Nemisa had gotten Togau into hiding behind a table as well, though she was trying to keep Togau under control.

"Do you think she'd recognize you?" Nabooru asked Link.

"I don't know, we haven't seen each other since I left for my journey eight years ago." Link said, "Let's just lay low, hopefully nothing happens to get her attentio-"

"Nyyyeeeiighh!"

"Oh boy." Link groaned.

Togau, still in a drunken state, had changed back into her Lynel form and was hopping around the area with her eyes spiraling in dizzy drunkenness. Nemis was clinging to her back in desperation to calm her down.

"Togau, stop this!" shouted Nemisa.

As the men at the bar counter ran away in terror, the Shiekah known as Lady Impa didn't move a muscle, before suddenly leaping into the air within a split second, then hurled out a barrage of kunai from her belt down at Togau. The kunai didn't so much as touch her, but instead impacted onto the ground around her, and Togau for some reason was forced to the ground and immobilized. It turned out there was a nearly invisible net attached to the ends of the kunai, holding Togau and Nemisa's bodies down to the ground.

"Gack... gwraaar... can't... move..." Togau muttered with a lynel growl.

"Crap...this is bad..." Nemisa said, trapped under the net herself as the two looked up to see Impa land to the ground and stare down at the two.

"A Gerudo... and a Lynel...?" she asked, "Just what are you doing h-"

It was then Impa heard a table shift a bit some distance away. She turned and heard some shushing and voices from underneath it.

"You don't think she heard us, do you?"

"Dunno, but we have to get Nemisa and Togau out of here before she-"

The voice was cut off by Impa then kneeling down and looking at Link and Nabooru under the table with a knowing smirk, causing the two of them to freeze up in shock.

"Hello there. It's been a while, hasn't it... Link?"

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. Needless to say, this one wasn't what I'd call hard work to compose. It was pretty fun putting Link in this situation and the reactions of his friends. Next time though, Impa has discovered the new king of the Gerudo hiding under a bar table, but what does she have to say about this matter? Find out next chapter!**_

_**As always, leave a like follow or comment if you choose, your feedback is always appreciated!**_


	52. The Shiekah Ninja Appears

_**Hello folks, time for a new chapter! Now that Impa's caught Link and Nabooru, are they in trouble, or will something else come about? Enjoy!**_

* * *

"Bartender, another round!"

"Oh, of course! Right way!"

A Goron bartender served three more mugs of alcohol to four people sitting at the counter of the Happy Goron Hot Springs resort bar. They consisted of the Gerudo King Link, his second-in-command Lady Nabooru, Link's bodyguard and fiance Nemisa, and the Shiekah nanny of the royal family, Impa.

"I have to say, it's good to see you again Link." Impa grinned, "Or should I call you King Link now?"

"Ah-ha-ha, no need for that, you can just call me Link like before." Link grinned, knocking his mug against hers in a toast.

"You've grown quite well, it feels like just yesterday you were a little kid swinging around a wooden sword." Impa said, before going to read over a bar menu.

After Impa had discovered Link and Nabooru hiding under their table, they told her about the situation with Togau, and she released her and Nemisa from the kunai net trap. Nemisa joined them in the conversation while a drunken Togau was currently sleeping on a table nearby.

"So you two were close all that time ago?" Nemisa asked.

"Yeah, after I got Nabooru out of that situation at the Spirit Temple, Impa helped train me to prepare for my seven year journey." Link nodded.

"He was a little too headstrong for his own good, but I enjoyed training him." Impa said, "Sometime I'd love to practice with you again and see how truly strong you've gotten over the years." she then spoke up to the bartender, "I'd like to place an order for some takoyaki please."

"Right away miss!" the Goron said, setting up the octorok meat and dough and putting it into a frying pan with seasoned sauce.

"So, you're sure you're not going to tell anyone over at the castle about us being here?" Nabooru asked.

"Ah, don't worry about it." said Impa, "I understand you're working to establish relations with the neighboring tribes. In fact, we already know about Link's engagement with Princess Ruto and the alliance you're forming with the Zoras."

Link, Nabooru and Nemisa all collectively spit out their drinks in reaction.

"What?!" Link exclaimed, "How did you know about that?!"

"I was there at Lake Hylia when you proposed to her." Impa said, "I had come to investigate the creature Morpha that night, only to find out you had already destroyed it, and I simply overheard you break the ice with the zora princess."

"You got to be kidding me..." sighed Nabooru slapping her forehead, "None of us even saw you..."

"I'm a Shiekah ninja for a reason, my friend." Impa chuckled, holding up a kunai.

"Wait, so you're a Shiekah?" Nabooru asked, "I've been told there aren't too many of you these days."

"Yes, I'm actually the last full-blood of my kind. Time sadly wasn't kind to the lives of my people..." Impa said, "We have suffered greatly over the years due to war and diseases of the past. We've pledged our lives to the Hyrulian royal family, but we kept facing such brutal hardships..."

Impa sighed, and lamented sadly,

"At times, I wonder if the goddesses have forsaken us due to our bloodstained past..."

Link just paused at looked at the mournful stare in Impa's eyes as she looked upwards. In that moment, he thought about another time he saw Impa, in the dark future...

"Um, sorry about that..." Impa said, forcing a smile, "Sometimes I ramble on that about that sort of thing."

"No, it's fine, Impa. It sounds like we share something in common in that regard..." Nabooru said, referring to the bleak time when the Gerudo were on the verge of extinction themselves, "Though it sounds like your people have actually have it worse then us, you have our sympathy."

"Thanks for that..." nodded Impa, feeling her spirits lifted a little.

"Say, Ms. Impa, do you happen to know a half-Shiekah woman named Tuldon?" Nemisa asked.

"Why yes, she was the daughter of my father's friend." Impa stated with surprise at hearing the name, "You know her?"

"Master Tuldon's the one who taught me karate." Nemisa said with a nod, "She mentioned her father passed it on to her."

"Glad to see she's carrying on his technique then." Impa nodded with a relieved smile, "I advise you hold that power close to you Ms. Nemisa, and use it to protect those you hold dear in her name."

"I do, and I also intend to pass on this art on to my future children someday." Nemisa nodded, flexing her arm.

"Your children, how nice..." Impa smiled lightly, taking a glance at how close Nemisa was to Link before asking, "And I presume Link will be the father?"

"...yes indeed," Nemisa said with a smirk, leaning against him.

"Heh, you've grown more then I could have thought Link, courting the zora princess, as well as this lovely Gerudo lady." Impa said.

"And me!" Togau shouted out from over at her table, before falling back asleep, and leaving a large drool puddle on it.

"Yeah, it's been a wild ride this past year, and I'm going to be taking more wives before I'm done." Link said, putting an arm around Nemisa and holding her close to him, as she brought an hand to his chest, "But I love this life I'm living now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"I see..." Impa said, "It would be weird to some, but I think Princess Zelda will be happy to know you're doing so well."

"Zelda..." Link muttered, Nemisa looked to her future husband and couldn't help but notice the look in his eyes as he spoke her name, "How is the Princess doing herself these days anyway? She still keeping up her training?"

"Yes indeed, and she's doing quite well." Impa nodded, "I admit I was worried for her back when I found out she was to be engaged to the prince of Fargent, but she seems to have taken to him quite well. He doesn't really approve of her training in the art of the rapier, but he doesn't really make that much of a big deal about it."

"I see..." Link muttered.

"Wait, Princess Zelda is a sword fighter?" Nemisa asked, raising an eyebrow, "I always figured princesses and such never engaged in that sort of thing."

"It was actually Link who inspired her to take up the blade." Impa said, "You should have seen them training with wooden swords back when they were children, it was so precious seeing them get along like that. It made a real impact on her, and she's getting stronger by the day."

"That's sweet, I knew you had connections with the princess, but I didn't know you were that close to her." Nabooru grinned to Link.

"It was a lot of fun working with Zelli- Zelda." Link quickly corrected himself, he sighed a little and had a reminiscent look in his eyes, "I promised I'd come back to see her again someday, but I didn't have much luck when I came back to Hyrule."

"Yes, security has been rather tight lately." Impa nodded, "With everything that's been going on in Hyrule, Zelda hasn't even been able to leave the castle in years." she turned to Link and smirked, "Between us though, she hasn't been idle. Zelda's working under the noses of the Hylian Parliament to try and fix many of the situations going on that they're unable or unwilling to do anything about."

"Really now?" Link said with a raised eyebrow and slightly amused grin

Impa took a sip of her drink. "Yes... in fact, while I won't go into details, I'm actually here on a mission for her, to meet with a contact in a couple days about a certain matter that's come up."

"How interesting..." Nabooru said with a smirk of her own.

"Well either way I'm just glad to hear she isn't taking this whole thing sitting down at least, though I'd like to see her again myself..." Link said.

"Here's your takoyaki miss." the Goron served Impa a plate of fried octorok wrapped in flavored dough, "That'll be sixty five rupees."

"Sixty five?" Impa questioned, "But your menu said forty!"

"Ah sorry, that must one of our old menus." the Goron said sweatdropping, "We had to increase the price due to a shortage of octorok meat."

"Why is there a shortage?" Nemisa asked.

"Not really sure, their numbers have been going down considerably over the past months." the Goron said, rubbing the back of his head, "There's even rumors around here about a ghost that might be scaring off or destroying them..."

"A... ghost?" Nabooru asked raising an eyebrow.

"Ah.. um..." the Goron gulped nervously realizing what he just said, "A ghost? Who said anything about a ghost?"

"You just did." Nemisa said flatly.

"I heard it." Link said.

"Me too." Togau said from her table.

"You're not just making up excuses about the price are you...?" Impa asked crossly, putting the Goron into more of a panic.

"T-That, I... um..."

"It's okay Impa, I'll cover you." Link said with a small grin, pulling out twenty five rupees from his wallet to give the bartender, "Consider it a little due payment for helping me train back in the day."

"Oh... thank you Link..." Impa said with a light blush.

That blush didn't go unnoticed by Nabooru, and she bore a little mischievous grin.

"So... uh. what is this Fargent prince like anyway?" Link asked, as Impa slid him a few takoyaki balls to eat, which he was quick to gobble up, "Ish he gud tu Zelda?" he asked with his mouth full.

"He's a kind man, no doubt about that, and a skilled sword user. He's even quite a hero of his own country; Before he came to the castle, he defeated an occult that was practicing evil magic in Fargent." Impa said, "In some ways, he kind of reminds me of you actually."

"Really now?" Link asked after swallowing.

"Yes, he's definitely devoted to improving everything going on with both Fargent and Hyrule, even if he doesn't have much authority himself. Even when he and Zelda marry, she'll be the one in charge of Hyrule rather then him due to her bloodline. Though they're still both going to have the Hylian Parliament breathing down their necks."

Impa ate another takoyaki ball and looked a little distant.

"On the other hand, while he's good to comfort Zelda in her times of need, for whatever reason he doesn't seem too interested in being intimate with her... and the royals are pressuring the two about conceiving an heir to the throne as soon as possible, even if it's before their marriage." Impa frowned.

"I-I see..." Link muttered, for some reason something about what Impa spoke about Zelda made him uneasy, and it showed on his face.

"Does that bother you Link?" Impa asked with concern in her tone.

"I... um... don't get the wrong idea or anything... it's not that I... think anything like that about her..." Link stammered, "I'm not one to judge her relationship or anything..."

"Heh, don't worry about it Link, I read you like an open book, I know your past with her. and honestly even I can understand myself how hard it can be to let go of her..." Impa said.

"What do you mean?" Nabooru asked.

"Well, Zelda's growing up now, she's getting stronger and wiser, and is about to marry a fine prince to unite the kingdoms, someone that can care for and protect her... It's selfish of me to say, but I suppose in a way I feel like she's leaving me behind as well... As her nanny I used to look after her so much when she was growing up... and now, seeing Zelda about to be married, and someday become the Queen of Hyrule, I suppose this is the feeling a parent would have about letting their child go out into the world..."

"So then what do you plan to do yourself once that happens?" Nabooru asked with a slight smile growing on her face.

"I'm... not positive really.. I devoted my whole life to the responsibility of Zelda's protection, but I'm not sure if that will be needed much anymore..." Impa muttered, taking a slow bite of her takoyaki

"Than perhaps what you need is an outlet for that devotion." Nabooru said nodding, "Maybe you should consider having a child of your own?"

Link and Nemisa practically fell off their bar stools from hearing that.

"Nabooru!" Link exclaimed, "That's kind of overstepping it, don't you think?"

"It's... not a bad idea to consider actually." Impa said, leaning against the bar counter.

"Wait seriously?" Link turned to Impa.

"It's not like I haven't considered doing something like birthing a child... I have had an interest in continuing the Shiekah bloodline anyway." Impa explained, "Only full-blood Shiekah like myself can produce other full-bloods, and as the only known surviving full-blood, it falls on me if I want to keep the Shiekah people alive."

"So if Tuldon had a child it would only be a half-blood like her then?" Nemisa asked, which Impa nodded, "It's kind of random for us, usually we Gerudo bare full-bloods, but occasionally we have a half-blood who more resembles the male."

Link thought on that note that Malon from Lon Lon Ranch was a half-blood Gerudo herself, and was thankful she looked Hylian enough that she could stay at Lon Lon Ranch without the Parliament recognizing her as a Gerudo.

"Part of the challenge though is finding the right man..." Impa sighed, eating another takoyaki ball, "I tend to scare most men off thanks to my strength and authority in the royal family, and those who do work up the nerve to speak to me are either perverted pigs or frail weaklings who wouldn't be able to produce a good heir..."

"Sounds rough." Link said.

"Hmm..." Nabooru said stroking her chin, then sporting a grin, "Actually, if you like I know a fine young strong man to introduce you to Impa!"

"You do?" Impa asked with a takoyaki ball sticking out from her mouth.

"She does?" Nemisa and Link said in unison, as Link took a drink of his alcohol.

"If you ask nicely, I'm sure our beloved new king Link would be happy to give you a child!" Nabooru said cheerfully.

Upon hearing that, Impa practically gagged on the takoyaki she had been eating and spit it out, while Link spit out his drink again.

"We really need a 'No Spitting' sign here for the bar..." the Goron bartender muttered, now covered in octopus bits and alcohol.

"Excuse me Nabooru?!" Link exclaimed, "You're suggesting me and Impa have a kid?!"

"Relax, I'm not saying to marry her or anything, unless you really like that idea," shrugged Nabooru, "Just have a quick session with her tonight. I'm sure you would both enjoy it!"

"I... um..." Link looked hesitantly at Impa, who slowly looked away with a hard blush on her cheeks. He had to admit seeing his mentor embarrassed like that was kind of cute, "I mean... I guess, if she's okay with that sort of thing... what do you think, Impa?"

"I'll just... have to... um... think on that..." Impa said standing up with a clearly nervous and embarrassed look on her face, "T-Thank you for covering the price of the takoyaki, Link." she added, before walking out a door, only to step out and say "T-That was the kitchen." then going out the bar exit.

"I swear, one of these days I'm going to have to figure out the secret of that affect you have on women, my husband." Nemisa smirked with a teasing voice, poking him on the cheek.

"Ah-heh-heh..." Link grinned sheepishly.

* * *

After the girls all left to go to their rooms, Link himself decided to take some time to relax at the men's hot spring like he had originally planned. He also wanted a little time to himself to think about his situation with Impa. After checking in, he changed and went out into the spring area. There was no one else there that night, which he didn't mind at all.

Link sighed out, removing his towel, stepping into the water and laying back as the heat soothed his body, "Ah... this is nice..."

He took that moment and gazed up at the stars in the sky, which were shining quite brightly, even in a heated volcanic place like Death Mountain. It reminded him of his nights during his journey, when he'd camp out under the stars. While he had gone through many trials and hardships on his quest, he always found a little comfort in the night sky, both tranquil and peaceful...

His thoughts then drifted to when Impa was teaching him some outdoor survival skills during his training time with her. He had some basic knowledge during his quest to stop Ganondorf, but she taught him more then he could had thought, and it proved helpful for his seven year journey.

At times she would stay with him overnight at his camp to ensure his safety, or help position him for battle training, and at time he would feel a little awkward about it. Sometimes during breaks the two would talk about their life and times. Link thought of those times fondly, and was happy to see Impa as she was then and now, happy and free to watch over himself and Zelda...

"Hey Brother Link, how are you enjoying the water?" spoke up a familiar voice. Link looked up to see Chief Darunia standing there, "Can I join you?"

Link took his thoughts off of Impa for the time being and grinned, "Be my guest, Brother!"

Darunia laughed and stepped down into the water and laid back himself.

"Well this isn't the lava baths of the volcano crater like I prefer, but I suppose it'll do." Darunia said, "Everything good with the resort?"

"It's amazing Darunia, I'm impressed how far you've come in setting up a whole resort like this." Link said.

"Well, I just thought it was about time we reach out to the people of Hyrule more." Darunia said, "The citizens of Kakariko Village were a big help getting this place set up. I don't really get the decor or the food and everything, but the tourists like it, so I can't be one to judge!"

"So what brought about this desire to reach out then?" Link asked.

"Well... it was you Brother Link." grinned Darunia, "After Ganondorf sealed up Dodongo's Cavern we were trying to get help from Hyrule Castle to do something about it, but we kept getting ignored. I was getting pretty resentful of them because of it. And then just out of nowhere, you showed up to clear out those monsters and save our food supply! I think it was then I realized we've spent too long in here without making much effort to speak to the world around us."

"So that's why you're working to have a voice in the Parliament?" Link asked.

"That's right brother!" Darunia said, "You proved to me there's plenty of good people out there, and I needed to change our ways, if just a little, so we could speak to them all!"

"Nabooru feels the same way with the Gerudo, she worked for years to reform them from their old ways as thieves to become a real society." Link said.

"Bwahaha, I'm glad to hear that. I'm looking forward to forming an alliance with you and the Gerudo then." Darunia said.

"Me too." nodded Link.

The two of them then went back to looking up at the stars in the sky.

"You workin' with any other tribes as well yet?" Darunia asked.

"Yeah, the Kokiri and the Zoras. Saria said she's going to be a diplomat on behalf of the forest people, and I'm finally engaged to Princess Ruto." Link said.

"You and the zora princess?" Darunia said with wide eyes, "Well congratulations Brother! You're gonna have to invite me to the wedding!"

"Course I will." grinned Link.

"She was always going on about that sorta thing, even back when the three of us were all involved in that one incident." Darunia chuckled, "She sure went out of her way to protect you, course she kinda had to, what with what your situation!"

"Yeah..." Link said, somewhat distantly.

"Um, you holding up okay from what happened?" Darunia asked curiously, "I don't mean to open old wounds or anything, but I know how tough it was for you to go through that..."

"It's fine..." Link whispered, as he thought about something from his past...

A town he had arrived in, a lovely woman smiling at him, some lively townsfolk, then a memory of him being shut into a room of some kind, as that kind lady smiled happily to him...

"It's been about six years for me since then, and I've come to cope with it." Link simply said.

"Glad to hear." nodded Darunia, "But what about that... other thing?"

"Never found it... at least I don't think I have." Link said, as he recalled another past memory...

He saw Darunia, Ruto and a third person all gasping out in pain, and himself in a panic at the sight of a powerful being approaching them, as he reached behind his back and pulled out something, and a great force of energy surrounding him...

The two of them sat there for a while, until Darunia spoke up again.

"Do you think they're all doing alright?"

"I'm sure of it." Link nodded, "They're all strong people, and I'm sure they're dong well now."

"Haha, glad you still have your optimism after all that. I don't get the whole thing about marriage and stuff, but I'm sure you'll make Ruto good and happy." Darunia said.

"Yeah, thanks..." Link said smiling, as the two continued to watch the stars in the sky.

* * *

Meanwhile in Aviel and Saria's room, the two girls had long ago recovered from the whirlpool hot spring and were now siting on their futons, talking the night away about their lives before they met. Aviel told Saria about her life as a lookout, her work as an archery instructor, and her time guarding Link, while Saria told her about her life in the forest and helping to look after Link.

"Hee hee, so you actually got Link to dress up in Gerudo women's clothes to hide from an enemy?" Saria giggled, "And it even fooled Nemisa as she was dancing with him? I wish I could have seen that!"

"He even used it to sneak into the Wyvern Keeper's hideout! I still got the outfit if he ever needs it again!" Aviel said grinning.

"It's really sweet that you look out for him so well, you even helped Link the day you met him." Saria said, "He means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, I've always been really klutzy and not very bright, and I used to think I could only do so little in Gerudo Town. But then I became Link's bodyguard, and I feel more important then ever! I couldn't be happier to be his friend, and I want to protect him forever." Aviel said, blushing a little.

"I can relate, I thought I couldn't really do much for Link other then stay in the forest and support him with encouraging words." Saria said, putting a hand to her chest, "But he welcomed me into his new life, and I'm glad to stand by his side, and now I'm going to do what I can to help you do away with the banishment law!"

"We all really appreciate what you doing for us Saria, and I'm honored to have you as my sister." Aviel nodded, she paused for a bit, then spoke up, "So make like a sister and tell me about how you feel about Link then!"

"Ah ha..." Saria's eyes shrunk down and she gulped a bit, "I... um... really think he's a great friend and I... uh, ah ha ha ha..."

"Come ooon Saria!" Aviel said, now laying on her stomach as she was kicking her legs in the air behind her, "Tell me what you _really_ think of him, I saw the look on your face while he was massaging you at the hot spring!"

"T-That's only because you egged us on!" Saria protested in a fit, grabbing her pillow and covering her head with it out of embarrassment, "I can't believe I actually acted like that in front of everyone!"

"Hee hee," snickered Aviel, "No one has a problem with it, they know you're not just a kid and you have desires like any of us!"

"I guess... but..." Saria sighed, "Do you think Link possibly sees me like that?"

"I think so, he sure looked like he was restraining himself as he was rubbing you down!" Aviel giggled, "I bet if you pushed him a little more, he might just give in and take you as his wife!"

"His... wife..." Saria whispered, holding her pillow down against her chest, her face flushed, "For the longest time I never thought something like that could ever happen for me... You see, I used to have weird dreams years ago... I wasn't sure of what they meant, but... for some reason I had this feeling that they were trying to tell me that Link and myself weren't ever meant to be anything more then friends, or exist in the same world for that matter..."

Aviel looked in confusion and tilted her head.

"But those dreams went away a long time ago, and over the months I've come to love living with you all! As for Link.. we're closer now then we've ever been, and I've never been so happy." Saria said smiling, before taking a deep breath and telling Aviel what she wanted to say.

"And you're right Aviel, I can't help myself... I love Link, I love him so much, and I want to stay happy with him forever."

Aviel couldn't help but beam with happiness at hearing Saria confess to her.

"I'll bet you can be happier..." Aviel said, "... like on the day you approach Link in a wedding dress, and then later in a queen's gown!"

Saria just blushed at that thought of Aviel's words, going down he aisle to see Link along with his other fiances, marrying him alongside all of them, then Link taking her into the bedroom for their honeymoon... and spending their whole lives together as king and queen with the others... She tried to block out those thoughts, but was finding it harder to ignore... and to not enjoy the idea of...

"W-Well, how about you then?" Saria then asked to change the subject, "What is Link to you, sister Aviel?"

Aviel paused as she pondered that question, then shrugged.

"Well... to be honest I'm not really sure myself. I think for now I'm just happy having him as he is to me now..." Aviel said.

"How do you mean, like what is he to you then?" Saria asked curiously.

""He's... well..." Aviel pondered, folding her legs together and putting a finger to her mouth as she swayed left and right, "He's kinda like a big bro to me; he gives me nice hugs, he goes out with me for shaved ice, he comforts me when I get scared of things like ghosts or lightning... He means the world to me!"

Aviel thought about the day the two went on their tour of the town, going the archery grounds, having lunch at the diner, going clothes shopping... and the kiss she gave him.

"In fact, I also see Nemisa and Togau like my big sisters, Dr. Sarami as my sweet nursing auntie, while Reirousa's my big, tough cool aunt, Lady Nabooru is kinda like our mom of sorts, then there's Kesuta and Korume who are my weird cousins... and then there's you, my little sister!"

Saria blushed a little at being called that, "Little sister? You know I'm probably almost four hundred years older then you!"

"Hee hee, I just feel being around all of you... is what having a family is like." Aviel said.

"Really? What about your own mother or father?" Saria asked.

Aviel paused, and whispered somewhat sadly, "Well... I don't really know where they are right now..."

"What?" Saria gasped.

"When I was a kid, my mom and dad were travelers, and I went with them everywhere. I saw all kinds of neat places and things, and met all kinds of people... Then one day, I think I got separated from them..." Aviel said, siting back on her futon, "I forget exactly what happened, but the last thing I remembered after that was waking up in a village, and I had been wearing my Roc's Wing sleeves." she gestured to the feathered sleeves among her things that allowed her to turn her arms into bird wings.

"Anyway, some of our Gerudo sisters found me at the village and they escorted me to Gerudo Fortress, then after the war we all went to Gerudo Town, and I was given the job of a lookout."

"So you never saw your parents again...?" Saria asked sadly.

"No..." Aviel sighed, "But... there's something about these Roc's Wings I had..." she said, taking a sleeve and running her hand along the feathers gently, "I don't know where they came from, but I feel a connection to them.. like they were given to me by someone important..."

Saria was in awe of Aviel's story, for her to confide in her about this, it made her feel as though she was closer to Aviel then she ever could have thought.

"Hey, so enough about that!" Aviel grinned, reaching into her travel bag and pulling out a small sack, "Wanna share some candied berries with me?"

"Oh, of course!" Saria smiled, as the two went to town on the bag of sweetened fruit.

* * *

"Hi there Nabs, how was the bar?"

"It was... certainly an interesting experience that's for sure." Nabooru said to Sarami as she walked into their inn room, she told Sarami about the encounter with Impa, and her suggestion that Link should give her a child.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you to suggest that Nabs!" Sarami said happily, "With Link's youth and strong body, I think he'd give his friend a fine healthy baby!"

"Yeah... though they still haven't decided on anything yet." Nabooru smiled lightly as she thought about that. "Your back feeling alright Sarami? You can have my futon for extra comfort if you want."

"Oh no Nabs, I feel just fine now, better then I could have thought, thanks to that massage Link gave me back in the hot spring." Sarami said, putting her hand up and rubbing at her shoulder, "You did well teaching him!"

"W-Well... thanks..." Nabooru stammered a bit, recalling when Link gave her a massage back at the Hall of Knowledge.

"It reminds me of back when he helped me with Sister Maifeki back at my clinic, the way he held her hand to calm someone in labor like her... I was impressed with him even as early as then. Link can be so strong, yet so gentle..." she said with a warm smile.

"You sound like you fancy our king after all." smirked Nabooru lightly, "You keep trying to say you're too old for him, but he treats you as if you were as young as Aviel."

"Fufufu... he's certainly been a good boy... Then again after what I saw back in the springs I don't know if I can just call him a boy anymore." giggled Sarami, "So where is he now?"

"He said he wanted to go to the men's hot spring and relax. I guess sharing the spring with all of us was the exact opposite of relaxing." Nabooru said with a smirk, "Course you sure didn't help in that regard."

"I'll have to apologize to him, but I couldn't help myself." Sarami said, "I was hoping you'd ask him for a massage yourself, but I wasn't expecting Saria of all people to want one."

"Yeah, I'm glad those two are so close." nodded Nabooru, "Link thinks the world of her."

"I'm sure he feels the same way about you too Nabs." Sarami said, "In fact, I think you should take this little semi-vacation of ours to act on that."

"I... don't know about that... he actually confessed to me back at the Hall of Knowledge... but I..."

"What?! Really?!" Sarami exclaimed, standing upright and looking at Nabooru with sparkling eyes, "Oh I wish I had been there to hear him say that!"

"I don't know if you wanted to, as I couldn't accept his feelings..." Nabooru sighed.

"Why not?" Sarami asked, "The two of you are perfect for one another... you should go through with it and became his Grand Queen! You'll be so happy together, and I'll see to it the two of you have strong healthy children!"

Nabooru blushed red at her friend's words, but looked a bit skeptic.

"It's just... I can't do it... not after what had happened..." Nabooru muttered, "...all that time ago."

"...is this about what you went through?" Sarami frowned, "You know... with that person?"

"Is it really that obvious?" sighed Nabooru.

"Listen Nabooru..." Sarami started, Nabooru was surprised at hearing her, as Sarami usually only called her by her full name when she was very serious, "You can't keep beating yourself up over what happened all that time ago, it wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't it?" sighed Nabooru, "If it hadn't been for what I did, he would have never-"

"Stop Nabooru, it would had happened even if you weren't involved..." Sarami said shaking her head, "You need to stopping putting that on yourself."

Sarami placed her hand over Nabooru's, and smiled lightly.

"Link told me about when he first heard about the war from you when he arrived in Gerudo Town, and how he blamed himself for it, and how you comforted him in that time of need." Sarami said, "And I think you need to give Link a chance to do the same for you, Nabs."

Nabooru felt Sarami squeeze her hand, and looked to her friend who was smiling to her serenely.

"...okay, I'll think about it." Nabooru said with a light smile, thinking back to that time when she comforted Link, "Thanks for that Sarami."

"Anything for my friend." Sarami giggled, reaching into her bag and pulling out a deck of playing cards, shuffling them in her hand without even looking, "Now how about a game of poker or two?"

"I'm game." grinned Nabooru, even though she knew Sarami would probably win in a few turns, she was just happy to spend time like this with her friend.

* * *

After the hot springs closed and he saw off Darunia, Link walked down the hallway of the inn, heading towards his room where he was staying with Nemisa and Togau. While he had made love to both of them in the past, this was the first time he'd be sharing a private room with them at the same time. He wasn't sure what to expect, but thanks to the hot spring he felt plenty refreshed for whatever they wanted to do that night.

As he walked down the hallway, he felt a certain presence in an odd place. He paused in his tracks and spoke up without so much as looking.

"Hey Impa, just hanging around?"

"Heh, your instincts have sharpened well." Impa spoke out to him.

Link looked up to see her not on the ground, but actually standing on the ceiling with her arms folded. Just what ninja technique she used to pull off a trick like that he'd never know, but his past experience dealing with her in his training, as well as field experience during his journey had given him more a sense of awareness of ninjas like her.

Impa leaped down to the ground and stood before him. He had to admit he always found Impa to be a rather attractive woman, despite how much older she was then him. Sh ewas wearing less make up then he recalled from before, which highlighted her natural beauty, which he always preferred in women. Her skin-tight jumpsuit did a fine job showing off her athletic but somewhat curvy figure. Her skin was tanned more then he remembered her, and he found her longer white hair to be more appealing then her short style from eight years ago. He also noted the scar on her face, which she didn't have before, and made him wonder where she got it...

"So I take it from that stare you approve of my new look, young hero... or should I say Gerudo King Link now?" Impa asked with a smirk.

"Ah ha ha, sorry, I couldn't help myself. But you do look good." Link nodded.

"Good enough to have a child with?" Impa spoke with a modest chuckle, causing Link to fault over a bit.

"...s-sorry about earlier." Link said, rubbing the back of his head, "Nabooru can be pretty blunt like that."

"It's no problem, I know the Gerudo in general aren't exactly known for being subtle, especially when it comes to child-making." Impa said waving her hand.

The two of them paused for a second, before Link sported a grin.

"It's been a long time, but I'm happy to see you're doing well, Impa."

"You too, my protegee." Impa nodded with a small smile, "I have to say I never would had expected you as the Gerudo King of all things, but if there was anyone I'd rather see in that position, it would be you."

"It's been pretty crazy over the past year, but like I said before I love being where I am now, with the people I care about... and I'm going to do whatever I can to make things right for them all, including doing away with the Gerudo Banishment Law, so they can be happy and free as I feel they've earned the right to be." Link said.

"Well said, Zelda would admire hearing that from you. She's been speaking with the Parliament about the law as well, even if she often gets ignored or snubbed about it." Impa said nodding.

"I see..." Link said softly, lowering his head a bit, as he thought about what Impa said earlier about the princess, her engagement, and the troubles with the Parliament. Impa quickly picked up on his concern and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry too much about Zelda, she's staying strong... and I'm sure you'll see her again soon enough." Impa said reassuringly, "The two of you can make up for lost time then."

"Thanks for that Impa." Link nodded, "Well I'm going to get to bed then. Have a good night."

"You too." Impa nodded back.

Link then turned and started to walk away, when he heard Impa speak again.

"...I will say, you've definitely gotten stronger and more mature then I could have thought, Link..."

Link stopped in his tracks, and turned to look back at Impa, only to see she was gone already, as quick and silent as a ninja could be.

He stood there wordlessly, before heading off to his room.

* * *

"There, the futons are all set up." Nemisa said standing up.

In Link, Nemisa and Togau's room, the two girls had obtained the extra futon from Reirousa's room so the three of them could share the room together, with the three beds all parallel to each other.

"Good work, but is Link gonna be comin' back tonight, or do ya think he's gonna go give that Shiekah lady friend of his a baby?" Togau asked, sitting with her legs crossed, and her hands clutching her knees.

"I'm not entirely sure..." Nemisa pondered, "He was skeptic about it, but Ms. Impa did seem to like the idea, if just a little... and you know how be draws women to him."

"Na ha ha, definitely Well when he does come to our room, what do you wanna do with him?" Togau asked, "Wanna alternate nights bonkin' him?"

"No need for that, my dear Togau. If you're fine with it, it can just be the three of us all at once." Nemisa smirked lightly, taking the three futons and sliding them together, "Link's been with Kesuta and Korume plenty of times, and they tell me he does just splendidly in a threesome."

"J-Jees, I didn't even think of that sorta thing..." Togau said blushing. She looked at Nemisa's figure wrapped in the robe, namely how it showed off her wide hips, "Ya got a really nice body Nemisa, I hope you get to have that nice big family you want with Link someday."

"So do I..." Nemisa let out a small sigh.

"Somethin' on yer mind?" Toagu asked.

"I suppose I can't stop thinking about what Lady Nabooru suggested about Link having a child with Ms. Impa." Nemisa said.

"Didn't you say before you were fine with him givin' her a kid?" Togau asked.

"Oh, it's fine, after all he has those child-bearers back home that Lady Nabooru wants him to impregnate, and this isn't any different then that. I'm honestly glad for Link to take the initiative to help Impa with preserving her people's bloodline... but I suppose I'm a little jealous of them all..." Nemisa said.

"Jealous like how?" Togau asked tilting her head.

"Well you know how we agreed to hold out on marrying Link and have children with him until after he's assembled his harem and everything's resolved with the banishment and the rebels? Well the more time we spend together the more I find it hard to wait..." Nemisa said.

She placed a hand on her firm stomach and rubbed it slightly, "Whenever me and Link make love, I can feel such incredible sensations within me... and my body practically begs to be pregnant. Sometimes I find myself almost holding back from eating the black chu capsules Dr. Sarami gave us for birth control..."

"Wow, you're really into that sorta thing, ain't ya?" Togau asked.

"I am..." nodded Nemisa, "I can't wait to feel that sensation more... I want to feel my belly grow with Link's children, to have him hold and make love to me in that state... But I can't do it just yet, I have to protect my beloved with all my strength, and if he were to ever get hurt when I should had been there to help him... I couldn't forgive myself for it. That's why I have to wait, for the sake of Link as well as our people."

"Yer really faithful to him, ain't ya...?" Toagu said grinning, "Well if ya like, ya can just let him plow you full of kids and I could protect him with Aviel in your place! I've gotten a hang of my ax and Lynel powers, so I could take over as his bodyguard!"

"I appreciate that Togau..." Nemisa smiled warmly, "But it's something I have to do for myself as well. I want to keep protecting Link from anything that tries to harm him, and when everything is said and done, then perhaps I can retire from being a guard and finally become the mother I want to be."

"That sounds nice..." Togau said, "But I don't think ya need to give up being a guard or warrior if yer gonna become a mother, after all ya gotta protect your little rugrats too, right?"

"Huh? Well, I guess..." Nemisa nodded.

"Even when I become Link's wife and start birthin' his kids, I'm still gonna stick to my job at the ranch. Just because I'm gonna be a queen and mother doesn't mean I wanna give up what I'm good at! I mean, you're gonna stay a dancer too ain'tcha?"

"Y-Yes, you're right..." smiled Nemisa with realization, "I want to pass on my martial arts and dancing skills to my children as well."

"Then there ya go, just keep doin' what yer doin'! Being a parent doesn't mean havin' to give up on the things you like doing!" Togau said.

"That's a good point. Thank you for that Togau." chuckled Nemisa, "I'm proud to have you as Link's fellow wife."

As the two girls were chatting, Link had just arrived there to meet with them. He had overheard the end of their conversation, and found himself reflecting on Togau's words in particular. His thoughts drifted to Impa and her own situation, before he nodded to himself and spoke up to get the girls' attention.

"Hey girls, how are you liking everything?" Link asked with a goofy grin.

"Oh, hey there Link!" Togau said grinning widely, "Everything's been peachy-ken! Me and Nemisa were just chattin' it up!"

"Yes, why don't you lay down here, my husband?" Nemisa asked, patting the futon in the middle.

Link obliged and laid back on the futon, with the girls taking the ones to the left and right of him, laying on their sides so they could face him.

"So you're not going to be with Ms. Impa tonight?" Nemisa asked tickling Link's chest, while Togau watched.

"Nah, I think she just needs a little more time to think about it." Link said, "I can understand that myself."

"Well in that case, how about the three of us have a little fun tonight then?" Nemisa whispered suggestively. She looked up at Togau who grinned and nodded back, as the two suddenly kissed Link on both his cheeks at the same time.

"You know what, I think I'd be fine with that..." Link said with a soft smile, taking both Nemisa and Togau around their waists and pulling them closer to him...

...and the three of them had a wonderful night together.

* * *

In another room of the inn, Reirousa was sprawled out on her futon that she was clearly too big for. One of her arms had escaped the sleeve of her robe, and she was laying back snoring loudly, oblivious to everything that had been going on over the past hours. After what had happened in the hot spring, she had second thoughts about going to the bar, as she had a hard time thinking about Link without getting strange urges that were foreign to her, and was hoping to sleep it off.

Instead though, she grumbled a bit in her sleep, as she was having an odd dream. She grinned lightly in her sleep, and absentmindedly scratched at her abs a she did.

"Well, whatreya waiting for Link...?" Reirousa muttered, "If you wanna make me a mom then get to it..."

* * *

Meanwhile, out above the hot springs area everything seemed calm and tranquil that night. It was past closing time for the springs a while ago, and the hot steam from the spring was still rising up from the water.

But strangely enough, the steam started to die down, until it was completely gone without a trace.

If anyone had been in the area at that moment, they could have heard a mysterious roar echo through the area...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. This chapter ended up going pretty nicely as far as I'm concerned, it was good to have Impa show up and explain some things going on as well as establish some important plot points for later. I'm not sure how well received Link/Impa stuff is, and I don't plan on it being an outright new pairing in the story... unless of course people like the idea. I also liked having the opportunity to let the characters have heart-to-heart conversations together, including Saria finally being honest with someone about her feelings for Link.**_

_**Next time, the group go to visit the Goron Mines, only to run into a shocking surprise...**_

_**As always, thank you all for your support, and leave a link, follow or review if you want!**_


	53. The Goron Mines

_**Howdy-do folks, it's time for Chapter 53! I admit this arc has been a bit of trouble for me as I was trying to tie another plot point into it, but I decided to wait on that for later and keep the story simpler. This time the group investigates into the troubles Darunia and his Gorons are facing...**_

* * *

"So this is the place, huh?" Nabooru asked.

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, and Darunia all stood before a large passage in the lower depths of Goron City. It was a long hallway that seems to stretch as far as thy could see. The path was lined with wood planks to support the ceiling and prevent cave-ins. There were also steel tracks that lead all the way in. Various mining equipment like pickaxes were laid about carelessly around the entrance.

The others in their group were busy with other matters; Togau was meeting with the stores in the city, Sarami was doing more research on the Gorons themselves to learn of their unusual body structures and dietary needs, Reirousa was aiding a group of Gorons with some supply lifting, while Saria was playing her song to a group of the younger Gorons.

"Yep, this is the Goron Mines, one of the most important methods we have to establish relations with the other tribes." Darunia nodded, "Originally we were just gathering things like iron ore for improving our home and building weapons, but we started finding more and more of these stranger rocks, and for some reason travelers absolutely loved these things and were willing to trade top rupee for them..."

Darunia then reached into a bag strapped to his waist and pulled out some ruby, emerald and sapphire jewels, which instantly got the attention of the others, especially Nabooru, whose eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"They call them jewels, and I don't know why they want them so much, they taste absolutely awful!" Darunia said sticking his tongue out in disgust.

"I... see..." Nabooru said, almost licking her lips at the sight of the jewels in Darunia's hand, before he closed it up and put them away.

"I mean the Goron's Ruby is a great treasure to our people, but we'd never put a price on it. I only gave it to Link as a sign of our brotherhood!" he grinned, slapping Link on the back, almost knocking him over as well.

"Is that anything like how Ruto gave Link the Zora's Sapphire as an engagement gift?" Aviel asked.

"Um, it means something way different then Ruto's, that's for sure..." Link clarified, rubbing his back.

"So you've been trading with travelers, and that eventually led to you doing business with Hyrule Castle as well?" Nabooru asked.

"Ugh, yeah..." Darunia sighed, "At first things were going pretty well, we were trading the ore and jewels we'd mine for rupees that we could use to help improve our city and upgrade the hot springs, but recently the Parliament's been trying to reduce the usual payment we'd receive for everything, claiming it's because of trade-tax-this and import-tax-that, like we somehow owe them for doing this!"

"Sounds like them." Nabooru said rolling her eyes, "Back in the past we went through a similar situation with the border guards disrupting trade with our caravan acquaintances and we had to risk our people's lives to trek through a dangerous area of the valley to avoid them."

"Yes, and it turned out it was a bunch of rogue knight mongrels who were extorting and even killing some of our sisters!" Nemisa snapped angerly, punching a fist into her palm.

"Man, that's terrible." muttered Darunia, "When we all get to meet those Parliament guys I'm going to give them all a big Goron earful!"

"Heh, I'm looking forward to seeing that!" snickered Link.

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement on this alliance then." Nabooru nodded, "Perhaps the Hylian Parliament would be more eager to give you a fairer trade for your materials if they knew you had more potential buyers." she added with a smirk.

"Ha ha ha! I like the way you think!" Darunia laughed, "That'd honestly help us a lot, since actually looking for the materials in the Goron Mines has been tougher lately, what with the things my brothers have been going through."

"Huh?"

It was then they all heard a loud shout from the inside of the mines, and Darunia's eyes widened.

"Everyone step out of way quick!"

The group did as they were told, as a stampede of Gorons came running or rolling out of the mines while shouting in terror. Everyone stood there in surprise at the stampede, as one last smaller Goron came stumbling out. Link grabbed the Goron by the travel pack it was wearing to halt it in it's tracks.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Link inquired.

"It's... it's the ghost!" shouted the Goron desperately, "The ghost of the mines is back! Run for your lives!" the Goron broke free of Link's grip, curled into a ball shape and went rolling off.

"G-Ghost?!" exclaimed Aviel, her hair standing on end, as she clung to Nabooru.

"Oh no, don't start that again Aviel." Nemisa said rolling her eyes.

"A ghost in the mines...?" Link asked.

"I recall the bartender yesterday mentioned something like that." Nabooru muttered as she tried to comfort Aviel..

"The miners are claiming they see a dragon of some kind, but that doesn't make sense since I struck down Volvagia, and there shouldn't be any other dragons around here." Darunia groaned, "And even the hot springs occasionally loses it's heat at odd moments of the night. I just received a complaint that the water was freezing cold this morning."

"How odd, it was just fine when we went in..." Nemisa pondered.

"There's even talk that because I killed Volvagia that it's spirit is trying to get revenge on us by haunting the mines and stealing the heat from the hot springs. I swear if nothing's done, then we're going to be in big trouble. We need rupees from the ore mining to help keep the hot springs resort active. We also have a number of reservations we may have to cancel if we can't get some cash rolling in, and that'll make us look real bad to the Parliament!" Darunia sighed.

Link paused and saw the helpless look on Darunia's face, before he patted his sworn brother on the back.

"Don't worry then Darunia, we'll go find out what this 'ghost' is together." Link assured him.

"You will...?" Darunia asked.

"We will?!" exclaimed Aviel in a panic.

"Of course, we're allies now right? It only seems fitting we should lend a hand to you!" Nabooru nodded.

"Heh... ahahahaha!" Darunia laughed, "You all are the best! Thank you so much!"

"So you're going mine-spelunking for a ghost? Would you like if I joined you?"

Everyone looked around in confusion of who spoke, then Link glanced up and saw Impa standing sideways on the cave wall with her arms folded and with a smirk on her face.

"Huh? How's that lady doing that?" Darunia asked, rubbing the back of his head in confusion.

"You sure about helping us Impa? What about that thing you had to do?" Link asked, referring to her mission.

"I won't be seeing my client here until tomorrow." shrugged Impa, leaping down to the ground, "So would you like some extra help in this mission then? We Shiekah have plenty of experience in dealing with the shadows of the undead."

"Why not?" Link nodded with a big grin, "I'd love to work with my master again."

"Heh, very well then." Impa chuckled, "Lead the way my young protegee."

"Okay, have fun with the g-ghosts you guys!" everyone looked to see Aviel call out from a far distance, waving her bird wing, "I'll be... uh, over here guarding Reirousa!"

"Guarding me...?" Reirousa asked in confusion, holding five wooden crates of supplies effortlessly.

"Get back here, you coward!" shouted Nemisa, stretching her arm out and grabbing Aviel, dragging her by her shorts, as she followed everyone else into the mine.

"Nooo!" sobbed Aviel as she dug her fingers into the ground in a failed attempt to stay behind.

* * *

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Darunia and Impa all walked slowly down the tunnel of the mine shaft, taking time to look over the area. There was pure silence as they went deeper in. At one point Nemisa bumped a small rock aside, causing a loud echo through the cave that startled Aviel so much she screamed out and quickly clung to Link.

"Eeep!" Aviel squealed as she held Link tightly, "I'm all scared now thanks to what those Gorons said..."

"It's alright Aviel. If you like, you can stay close to me and I'll protect you." Link said reassuringly, patting her on the back.

"Thanks Link..." she sniffled with a faint blush on her face, as she thought about what she and Saria talked about last night. She leaned against him smiling lightly, "Heeeeeeee..."

Impa meanwhile said nothing, but took a glance at Link comforting Aviel, seeing the peaceful smile and reassuring words he was giving her, and how it seemed to be calming the girl down. She was becoming more and more impressed at how much her student had matured over the years...

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be the one protecting him?!" Nemisa pointed out to her fellow bodyguard.

"Uh... oh right!" Aviel said, snapping out of her comfort with Link, pulling out her crossbow and holding it on her shoulder, "I have a duty to my king, ghost or no ghost!"

"Heh, I still think you really are going to make a great father someday Link." snickered Nabooru, speaking in Impa's direction as she did to make sure the Shiekah woman could hear.

"Really now? Link's going to become a father himself?" Darunia asked, "I can't wait for my son to play with him!"

"Her you mean." Nabooru clarified, "We Gerudo can only give birth to females. The exception is the rare male one born every one hundred years, and it's going to be a while before that happens."

"Is that so? How odd, from what the Hylians at Kakariko Village tell us they have both boys and girls." Darunia said in confusion, "Why are Gerudo only female?"

"Not really sure to be honest." Nabooru shrugged, "It's been like that for as long as our people can remember. In order to reproduce we have to go seeking Hylian men to conceive a child."

"It can be a real pain, especially with the banishment law in effect." sighed Nemisa, "Before I met Link I tried to do something like that, and it ended badly..."

Link frowned at seeing Nemisa lament about her dark past, and he took to holding her close to him. Nemisa sighed blissfully as she laid her head against him.

"Jees, you guys sound like you have it tough. Not us Goron though, we just eat special types of rocks until our young bud off of our backsides!" laughed Darunia, smacking his stone-like back.

Link and the group all stopped in their tracks at those words as Darunia walked on ahead, all of their faces a pale white.

"That... was something I wish I never heard..." Impa muttered, her eye twitching a bit.

"So... it's agreed we never speak of that again then...?" Link asked with a blank stare.

"Agreed." said the others.

And with that they continued walking on.

* * *

The group went further and deeper into the mines, investigating the tunnels for the supposed ghost scaring off the Gorons. Upon exiting one tunnel they found themselves in a much more spacious area. There were mine carts and bags full of ore left laying around.

"This must be where the Goron miners were before they saw our ghost." Nabooru said, picking up one of the bags to examine the ore in it, "I must say, your people do good work with their mining, Chief Darunia."

"Yeah, we better settle this situation so they can get back to work and we can get to talking about trade with each other." Darunia nodded.

"Hey, did that rock move just now?" Impa asked, looking at one particular oval-shaped rock on the ground.

"T-That one did too..." Aviel said, looking at another rock that looked just like it.

Everyone looked around the area and saw multiple rocks just like those two everywhere, and they were all starting to shift a bit.

"Is... there a small earthquake going on or something?" Nemisa asked looking around.

"Uh oh..." Darunia said, pulling out his Megaton Hammer, "We better prepare ourselves."

Link was about to ask Darunia what it was, but then he saw the rocks started to rise up onto small stubby legs of sorts, and add longer limbs made from smaller rocks. They all started shifting towards the group, surrounding them.

"What's going on here?" Aviel exclaimed, looking left and right frantically, "Is this the ghosts?!"

"These are Stone Pebblits," Darunia said, "Rock monsters that populate mountains and crags."

"Do you deal with these often?" Nemisa asked, crackling her knuckles to prepare for battle.

"Yeah, they aren't much a threat, but can be troublesome in large numbers, and they're immune to fire." Darunia said.

"Well either way, we're in for a fight." grinned Nabooru, unsheathing her twin scimitars.

"Alright, let's lay into em!" Link said with his sword and shield at the ready.

"I'll assist as well then." Impa nodded, pulling out some kunai.

The Pebblits all then lunged at the group, who charged right into battle against them.

A Pebblit bounced up and tried to smack it's fist into Link, but he blocked it with his shield before shoving it backwards into a wall. Another tried to punch him from a low point, but he stepped backwards and swung his sword to strike it down.

Nemisa flipped through the air and performed a sweeping kick to shatter one Pebblit, before turning and punching a hole through another. Another charged at her, but she simply punted it into the air with her foot, sending it flying and smashing down on top of another one.

Aviel aimed her crossbow and fired off several shots at the Pebblits coming at her, but the arrows bounced harmlessly off their rocky bodies. She then instead ran at them and struck them with her crossbow, though it didn't do much. Thankfully Darunia jumped down and smacked the Pebblits all away with his hammer.

"You alright there, little lady?" Darunia asked.

"Y-Yeah... sorry, but my weapon isn't really built for enemies like these..." Aviel said sadly.

"Bwahaha! No worry about that, just let us handle it!" Darunia laughed. He spotted ten Pebblits all rushing at the two in a type of triangle shaped formation, but he quickly curled into a ball and rolled right into them, making a loud impact and sending them to the ground shattered to pieces.

"Ha, I really bowled them over!" Darunia boasted after unrolling from his ball form,, before going back into battle.

Impa swiftly kicked away a Pebblit that came at her, then leaped up and landed on top of one. Another Pebblit tried to leap at and strike her, but she jumped away at the last minute, causing it to strike down it's own ally. She then turned around and threw a bunch of kunai at three of the Pebblits, impaling into the joints of their rocky bodies but didn't hurt them. It was then some small objects attached to the kunai lit up and exploded, blowing the Pebblits up into dust particles.

"Woah..." Aviel said with wide eyes at Impa's technique.

Nabooru meanwhile charged forward, swinging her scimitars with great strength and bashing through the stone monsters. A big one tried to swing it's fist at her, but she cut off it's arm, surprising it, before she sliced it in half. She bought up both swords to block a bigger one's punch, allowing her to then quickly jump over the monster's body, fly over it and strike it rapidly across it's back, destroying it.

"Enjoying yourself Nabooru?" Link called out to her.

"I will when the tougher guys show up!" grinned Nabooru, smacking away another Pebblit.

It was then, as if on cue, the ground started to rumble more, and out from the ground emerged another rock monster like the Pebblit, only this one was much, much bigger. It easily towered over the group in size, and it sported not two powerful limbs made from rock around it. It's body color had more of a reddish tint to it then the Pebblits, while it's forearms were a white color. It flexed it's limbs and made some kind of loud grunting sound.

"It's a Stone Talus!" Darunia exclaimed, "A much more powerful species of the Pebblits!"

"Tough enough for you now, Nabooru?" Link asked.

"Maybe if it had four or five more limbs." Nabooru smirked confidently.

"So what's the plan for this one?" Nemisa asked, "Should we have Impa blow off it's limbs first or...?"

"Wait... that... that mineral..." Darunia muttered.

Everyone turned to see Darunia standing there with his eyes closed, and seemed to be sniffing at the air. They could see some drool also starting to hang out from his mouth.

"Uh... Darunia...?" Link spoke up.

"What's he doing...?" Impa asked.

"I recognize that rich, zesty smell anywhere..." Darunia said, before opening his eyes and shouting out in enthusiasm...

"This is a TOP!"

"SIRLOIN!"

"ROCK!"

The creature, now identified as a Top Sirloin Rock Talus, saw the hungry look in the Goron's eyes, and sweatdropped, realizing what was to happen. It didn't stand a chance as Darunia lunged at it. The Talus grunted it's last grunt, as Darunia tore into the monster with his mighty rock-eating Goron teeth.

What Link and the others saw could only be described as something that would be truly horrific and gruesome had the creature not been only made out of rock. They watched as pebbles and stones went flying as Darunia gobbled and munched recklessly at the monster.

Within minutes, any resemblance of life in the Top Sirloin Talus was long gone, as Darunia laid back picking his teeth, before letting out a loud belch.

"Bwahahaha! What a feast!" Darunia laughed.

"I... feel like I never want to eat again." Nemisa said blankly.

"What a glutton... no wonder you two get along so well." Nabooru snickered to Link.

"Sure saved us some trouble at least." shrugged Link.

"Yeah, looks like that was the last of them..." Impa said, checking around.

"D-Dad?" then spoke up a new voice, getting everyone's attention, especially Darunia's, as they looked to see a small Goron creeping out from behind a rock, holding what appeared to be a smooth round rock in his hands, and bearing a timid look on his face.

"Son?" Darunia exclaimed, getting and running over to his kid, "What are you doing here in the mines?! I thought I told you not to go in here!" he scolded his kid in a fit of fury.

"I'm sorry Dad!" Link-Goron trembled, "You've been having such a hard time dealing with everything bad going on, so I thought I'd come here to try and stop the ghost was that was scaring everyone!"

Darunia's eyes widened at those words, and his stern and upset expression softened a little, as he pat his son on the shoulder.

"Ah... I'm sorry Link...I was just worried about you. I suppose I let my anger over the state of affairs get the best of me, and I end up ignoring the things that matter..."

With that, the Goron father hugged his son with everyone watching with admiration.

"That's real sweet." smiled Nabooru, "You know, I suppose I now know more why you respect Darunia so much Link, he's a good man."

"Yeah." Link nodded with a grin.

It was then Aviel went up to Link the Goron and smiled widely.

"Hey, I'm Aviel, what did your dad say your name was?" she asked cheerfully.

"Hi, good to meet you! I'm Link!" the Goron said proudly.

"You're Link? That can't be right, he's Link." Aviel said pointing to Link the Hylian.

"Well, I'm Link too!" the Goron said.

"He's Link... you're Link..." Aviel muttered, clutching at her head as her eyes turned dizzy, "...then who is Link when he's Link in the Link to the past Link..."

"Is she okay?" Link-Goron asked.

"Yeah, she's just being Aviel." Nemisa sighed.

"Uh, so how about we all take a break before continuing?" Impa suggested.

* * *

The group took that time to set up a temporary camp to rest from their investigation and the Pebblit battle. They drank water from their canteens while eating some food rations they had brought along. Link in particular took out a small box full of sauce-covered balls that looked familiar to Impa. He took a chopstick and started eating them piece by piece.

"What do you have there? More takoyaki?" Impa asked.

"Yeah, they were really good last night and I thought I'd bring some with me on this trip." Link said, eating one whole. He then held one up on the stick he had been using to eat them to Impa. "Want one?"

"Um..." Impa paused as she looked at the dough covered octopus piece. They did sound good, but the problem was more that Link's own lips had been touching that stick he was using to eat them. She found her face blushing lightly at that, and she was a little bewildered at how childish she was thinking in that moment... maybe it was because she was seeing the young, well-built and admittingly handsome Gerudo King Link smiling softly at her as he was offering her a piece...

This didn't escape the attention of Nabooru who snickered under her breath as she saw her king offering his friend a treat... and an unknowing indirect kiss to boot.

"O...Okay." Impa said, deciding to just stop dwelling on it. She slowly opened her mouth and bit down over the takoyaki, trying to avoid her lips brushing against the stick, but the taste instantly hit her mouth, and she found herself putting her lips on it anyway. She jerked back a bit too suddenly and her face was a bright red.

"T-Thank you Link." Impa said, looking away as she ate the takoyaki slowly.

Link couldn't help but blush a little himself at the sight of Impa's shy expression, while he wasn't aware of the indirect kiss he had just given her, he couldn't help but think her expression was pretty cute. He could tell she was bothered though and decided to change the conversation.

"So, what were those kunai that blew up when you threw them at those Pebblits earlier?" Link asked Impa.

"Oh, those were bombling kunai." Impa said, regaining her senses, and thankful Link took attention off the takoyaki thing, "They explode seconds after they impact into their target."

"Woah." Aviel said with wide eyes, "Ca n you teach me how to do that with my arrows?!"

"Sure, why not?" Impa nodded with a smile, "It's just a simple matter of attaching the bomblings to the front of your arrows. I'll show you how when we get back to the inn where I keep my extras."

"Thanks Ms. Grima!" Aviel cheered out, hugging Impa with her bird wings.

"Erm, it's Impa, and you're... you're welcome." the Shiekah was thrown off by the display of affection by Aviel, as well as her unusual bird wings and her odd mispronouncing of her name, but after a second found herself hugging Aviel back slightly.

As Link was drinking some water to cool off, he took that moment to glance at Impa, and saw the look on her face as she held Aviel. The soft smile on her lips reminded him of how she'd dote over Zelda back when he was spending time with them as a kid, and he caught himself blushing at how serene and at peace she looked...

After Aviel broke from the hug to go over and talk more with Link-Goron, Impa then turned to Link to speak with him.

"Does she do that hugging thing often?" Impa asked.

"Often is an understatement." snickered Link, "She's been hugging me like that since the day we met. I think her hugging you is a sign she's starting to care a lot for you."

"She's sweet." chuckled Impa, "I can see why you get along with her then."

Impa then got up herself to go try and recover some of the kunai she had used in the battle earlier, as Link thought to himself on the words she told him. He looked to see Link-Goron over by Aviel and Nemisa and the three were chatting it up.

"So what's that thing you have there?" Aviel asked Link-Goron.

"Oh this? Just a rock I found here in the mines." Link-Goron said, holding up a hard round object in his hands, "Looked delicious and I was going to eat it, but I couldn't bite through it at all. It's even got this big cracked hole on the side of it, and I could see it was hollow. It's such a weird rock!"

"Honestly I'm still trying to work my head around you thinking this thing looked delicious." Nemisa said.

Link chuckled a little at seeing the three get along, then looked over to Darunia, who was eating away at the remains of the top sirloin rock monster they fought. He thought about how Darunia comforted his son just a while ago. The young king got up and walked over to Darunia's side, sitting down beside the Goron.

"Hey Darunia, I was just wondering... what was it like when Link was born?" Link asked, referring to Darunia's son.

"Hmm? Whatdaya mean?" Darunia asked with crumbs of rock falling from his half-full mouth.

"Like... how did you feel about it? Were you scared or worried at all about what you were going to do as a father?"

"Well jees, I dunno..." Darunia muttered, rubbing the back of his head, "I guess I was a little nervous when he was born. Sometimes I'd worry if I'd teach him the right things or not... or if I'd hurt him somehow..."

Darunia then looked to see Link-Goron happily talking with Aviel and Nemisa, and he sported a grin.

"But I think being a parent isn't something you know how to do right away. It's an instinct that grows and develops over time, just like a child itself. You're never going to be perfect at it, but you can at least do your best with what you know."

Link's eyes widened as he looked to Darunia wordlessly, seeing the wisdom in the rock man's eyes.

"Does that make sense at all to you, Brother?" Darunia asked.

"No, no it makes a lot of sense." Link said smiling, "I'll take that to thought, thanks Darunia."

"Ha ha, anything for my brother!" Darunia laughed, smacking Link across the back so hard the Hylian went flying across the room, "Uh, whoops."

"You okay there Link?" Nabooru asked, pulling Link out of a mine cart filled with ore that he wound up stuck in.

"I think if anything, Darunia needs to learn to know his own strength..." Link said with spiraling eyes.

It was then the peaceful rest was shattered when they all suddenly heard a loud roar go off, the cave causing it to echo through the area.

"W-What was that?" Link-Goron asked frantically.

The group looked around as they heard another loud roar. Aviel pulled her goggles up to scope around the area, until she saw a mysterious shadow on a high-up cliffside.

"It's up there!" Aviel shouted, she pulled out her crossbow and aimed it at the shadowy being, "Show yourself, whoever you are!"

It was then the shadowy being slowly emerged out from the shadows, making everyone gasp out in shock.

It was a somewhat large reddish-orange reptilian creature with long armored wings. It's head, from it's snout to it's forehead was covered in gray scales that made it look like a helmet of some kind, and it had short curved horns sticking out in front. The dragon stared down at the group with eerie green eyes, as a small flame started to rise up from a part of it's forehead.

"It's... a dragon?!" gasped Impa.

"Could that be... Volvagia?" Nabooru asked.

"But that can't be! Dad killed that bad dragon, didn't you Dad?" Link-Goron asked.

"Yes, I destroyed that fiend with my own hands!" Darunia stated with a nod.

"Maybe then the Gorons were right... maybe it is the ghost of that dragon after all?" Nemisa pondered.

Link paused as he stared up at the dragon, something about it bothered him, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. It looked a little too familiar, but not from the dark future where he battled Volvagia in the Fire Temple. It felt more like... something else...

"Just what is that thing..." Link muttered, then spoke out to his bodyguard, "Hey Aviel, can you use your goggles to get a better look at that-"

It was then Link turned to see Aviel, and his eyes widened at the sight of her. For some reason, Aviel was standing there with her eyes sunken in, her face a pale white and her body was shivering.

"A-Aviel...?"

"I... I..." Aviel stammered.

"Aviel, what's wrong?" Impa asked.

"I... don't know..." whispered Aviel, clutching at her head as she shivered, "I don't think that's a ghost... but... something else about it is really bothering me... and I don't know why! I... I..."

Link stared down at the look of horror in her Aviel's eyes. He turned to Darunai's son and spoke out.

"Link, please watch over Aviel." Link told him, "We'll all handle this thing."

"Right away Uncle Link!" Link-Goron said, running over to stay by Aviel's side.

With that, Link, Nabooru, Nemisa, Darunia and Impa all stood with their weapons drawn and ready to fight as the dragon loomed down over them. It screeched out as the small flame on it's head burst out and ignited. It spread it's wings and swooped down at the group, ready to battle.

"Everyone get ready and fight!" Nabooru shouted, and the five went into battle against the dragon as it landed down into a fighting stance.

Nabooru went in swinging out her scimitars, the dragon rose it's head up to avoid the strike and lunged down to bite at her, but she backflipped away and struck at the dragon across it's face, causing to screech out. It then swung one of it's wings down at Nabooru, so she jumped to the side avoid it, but was knocked away by the dragon's other wing.

"So it uses it's wings for battle too? Interesting." Nabooru said.

Impa quickly flipped into the air and clung to the side of the cavern wall, she deployed her kunai net trick, and threw down a bunch of the small daggers around the dragon, trapping it under the net like she did with Togau the other day. However, the dragon burst out from them and roared out.

"Tsk..." Impa narrowed her eyes and leaped off the wall, throwing down a barrage of bombling kunai. As soon as they hit the dragon they exploded, but the creature didn't seem phased, and breathed fire out at Impa, forcing her to land to the ground and keep her distance.

Darunia went in with a mighty swing of his Megaton Hammer at the dragon, but it spread it's wings and leaped backwards to avoid the impact, before breathing out a stream of fire at Darunia. The Goron however brought up his arms and allowed the fire to impact directly into him. When the flames went away, Darunia lunged out and slammed his Megaton Hammer into the monster.

"Ha, those weak flames won't work on a Goron like myself!" Darunia grinned.

"Woah, Dad's such a cool fighter!" Link-Goron said with sparkling eyes.

Nemisa ducked under one swing of it's bladed wing, jumped over a low swing of the other wing, before kicking the dragon across the face. It tried a tail attack, but she leaped up into a flip, then attempting to perform a flying kick on the dragon's back, but the dragon retaliated by swinging up it's wings to blow air upwards and repel her away.

"Hmph, such a stubborn lizard." Nemisa said landing to the ground.

Link ran in with his sword, smacking at the dragon, who then swung it's powerful tail at Link. The new Gerudo king however blocked it with his shield. The tail impact caused Link to get pushed back, but he then leaped forward, flipping over the dragon's tail and smacking it again with his sword.

As the others started to approach the monster for another attack, the dragon then breathed in air, then fired it down on the ground, causing a flaming wave around it that sent everyone backwards. Link gazed up at the ceiling and saw some wood planks set to support the room's foundation. He pulled out his Longshot and used it to grapple up into the air, then coming straight down on the dragon's back, giving it a solid smack of his sword, causing the dragon to roar out in pain.

"Did that do it?" Nabooru asked.

It was then the dragon did a powerful thrust of it's back upwards, sending Link flying off it, and allowing the dragon to take to the sky with it's wings. It breathed fire down around the room, forcing everyone to scatter. It then looked down and saw Link-Goron and Aviel in the back. The dragon swooped down and was about to grab at Aviel, who was still in a blank trance, but Link-Goron stepped out to protect her and the dragon snatched him instead. The dragon decided to just go with it and turn, flying off upwards towards the cliffside it had been on before.

"Daaad!" shouted Link-Goron as he was taken away by the monster.

"SON!" shouted Darunia.

"Not on your life dragon!" Link shouted firing off arrows with his Fairy Bow, but the dragon evaded the shots and flew off into the deeper darkness of the mines.

Everyone stood in shock at what had just happened, while Darunia was trembling miserably. Nemisa took one look at Darunia's pain, before snarling and looking to Aviel.

"Aviel you damn birdbrain!" Nemisa shouted in fury, running at and grabbing at the girl, shaking her in fury, "How could you let that thing take the chief's son?!"

"I... it took... that..." Aviel muttered.

"Hey come on Nemisa, lay off of her!" Link told his fiance.

"No! She calls herself your bodyguard, but look at her, she's cowering in fear like a child!" Nemisa shouted.

Aviel then snapped out of her daze at the words of Nemisa, and looked sadly up at her.

"I-I... let him... no... I..." Aviel stammered incoherently.

"Well it's not like you haven't done the same thing in the past!" Link retorted to Nemisa.

That caught Nemisa off guard, and she realized what he meant. She looked down at the pained look in Aviel's eyes, and it reminded her of her own past trauma with the slaver Jayde. It made Nemisa wonder in that moment what exactly it was about the dragon that scared Aviel the way it did...

"Look, now's not the time to be fighting with each other, we have more important things to worry about!" Link said, gesturing to Darunia.

"Son! SON!" wailed Darunia, before his body surged with flames and he flexed his arms, "Graaah! I'm so angry I'm about to burst like the volcano of Death Mountain itself! I have to save him!"

"Y-You're right, I apologize Link." Nemisa said softly to her fiance.

"Don't worry Chief Darunia, we'll do whatever we can to help!" Nabooru assured the rock man.

"I'll assist you all as well, that dragon won't get away with this." Impa nodded.

"Thank you everyone..." sniffled Darunia in gratitude.

"Alright then, let's go!" Link shouted.

With that, the group all hurried deeper into the mines to track down the dragon and save Darunia's son.

* * *

_**So that ends this chapter. Just when things have gone from trouble to just plain bad. Can our heroes save Link-Goron before he becomes premium dragon chow? (nah, they're actually just going to go back to the hot spring and get drunk /s) Find out next time!**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to, your feedback is always appreciated!**_


	54. Fire and Brimstone

_**Chapter 54 time, Link and the team are about to confront the dragon who captured Link-Goron, but what truly awaits them there...?**_

* * *

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Darunia and Impa all charged after the mysterious dragon that had captured and taken Darunia's kid Link-Goron into a large room of the mines. There wasn't a whole lot of mining work that had been done here, but it was even more spacious then the previous area. There was a large pool of magma in the center of the room, and in the middle of the pool was a large set up of rocks with dry straw laid out in it.

When the arrived, the dragon itself had just descended down onto the straw and set Link-Goron down onto it. The child Goron shivered at the sight of the dragon, worried of what it was going to do, but the dragon just stared down at Link-Goron with a somewhat uneasy expression. It didn't seem to be completely sure of what it wanted to do with the Goron in that moment.

"SON!" shouted Darunia to his kid.

"Dad! Help me!" pleaded Link-Goron, rushing past the dragon and to the side of the small island. He looked out at the magma pool and saw how long it stretched out, way too far for him to get over.

"It's no good." Darunia grumbled, "That magma looks too wide to jump over, and too deep for me or Link-Goron to walk through."

"Yeah, not even a heat-resistant Goron's Tunic could help us with something like this." Link said looking out at the magma lake.

"Hm... that's odd..." Impa muttered, kneeling down and seeing a few purple objects on the ground, she picked one up and looked it over, "These are the air sacs of Octoroks that give them their suction abilities, what's this doing here?"

"I don't know but there's a lot of them around the place." Aviel said looking around, "Somebody's a sloppy cave-keeper."

"We can figure that out later, right now we have a dragon to strike down, and a Goron to save!" Nabooru said, with her scimitars out.

The dragon, seeing the warriors from before that gave it such a hard time, growled out and spread it's wings, taking to the air and roaring. This frightened Aviel so much she went back to cowering like before.

"It's... so scary..." sobbed Aviel.

"Please Aviel, I know it's bothering you but get it together!" Nemisa said, admittingly feeling bad for snapping at her earlier, "We need to help Darunia's child!"

"I... o-okay..." Aviel gulped.

"Aviel, is there any way you can fly out to that island and save him?" Impa asked.

"I'm... not really strong enough," Aviel said, "I can barely carry a human if they grip my legs, let alone a big Goron like him."

"We'll figure out a way to save him, but for now we have to deal with this thing." Link nodded.

The battle began as the dragon flew upwards and breathed down fire onto the group, who quickly scattered to avoid the attack.

Link, Aviel and Impa stayed on the offense by shooting arrows and kunai at their opponent. The dragon shot a fireball down at the three to retaliate, but Darunia jumped into his ball form and bashed through the fire to protect the others from it. Nabooru and Nemisa meanwhile, being close range fighters, stayed on guard for any opportunity to attack.

The dragon growled at the barrage of arrows and kunai, realizing it's fire attacks weren't working, it decided to go back to a close range fight and swooped down at the group with it's wings spread out, as Link and Impa stepped to the side to avoid the attack. The dragon let out a steady close range stream of fire across the ground, forcing Link to run from it. Nemisa reacted by jumping off a wall and kicking the dragon across the face in midair. The dragon swatted Nemisa away with it's wing, before rushing at Impa.

"Impa, look out!" Nemisa shouted out.

The Shiekah ninja simply held her hands together with her index fingers pointing up, and just as the dragon bit at her, her body seemed to vanish, confusing the dragon. It looked down to see a short wooden log where Impa once was, with a poorly drawn picture of her face drawn on it. The dragon looked blankly at the log before Impa came down out of nowhere and slashed the dragon with a kunai.

"Impressive." grinned Nabooru, "She even knows the temporary decoy Shiekah technique I've heard of."

The dragon fell downwards from Impa's attack and it impacted across the ground. It staggered up to it's feet and growled, letting out a roar at everyone, who stood ready for whatever it tried next...

But it was then the ground started to rumble a bit, as the rocks all around them started to shift.

"Now what?" Nemisa asked, looking around.

It was then the rocks started to emerge out from the ground, with limbs growing out from them. They were more Stone Pebblits like what they fought earlier, and they all started to surround Link, his team and the dragon.

"More of these stupid things..." Nabooru said, spinning her scimitars in her hands.

It was then the ground rumbled more, and the much larger Stone Talus creatures started to rise up from the ground, letting out loud grunts, and pulling powerful stone limbs out from the ground to fight with.

"Okay, this just went from bad to worse..." Nemisa muttered.

The dragon growled and roared out at the stone creatures, lashing it's tail left and right.

"Looks like the dragon considers them a threat too." Link observed, "How about we ignore it for now and focus on these guys?"

"Good plan." grinned Darunia, "Now let's rock em and sock em!"

The Pebblits and Talus then all lunged at the group and they all went into battle. The Pebblits were easy enough for the group to battle, but the bigger and tougher Talus ones put up more of a fight. One brought it's fist down at Aviel, who leaped out of the way in time. She tired firing her arrows at the creature, but they had no effect.

"You wouldn't possibly be able to eat these things like the one earlier, could you Chief Darmani?" Aviel

asked the Goron chief Darunia.

"No way, these things taste way too bitter for us Gorons!" Darunia clarified, smacking away a Pebblit with his hammer, confused about where she got a name like that for him.

Link meanwhile blocked a punch from a Talus with his Hylian Shield, before smacking it with his sword. He backflipped to avoid a Pebblit's attack and punched it away with his shield. He then heard a roar and looked in the direction of the dragon.

The fire dragon they were fighting before was smacking away the Pebblits swarming it with it's wings. It bit down on one and threw it into the air and into the magma. It then swung out it's tail and smacked away more of the creatures, only for a Talus to come up and punch the dragon, giving the Pebblits and another Talus an opportunity to gang up on it.

"The dragon's really taking a beating." Link said.

"That might be the best for us." Impa said, standing by Link's side in a fighting stance, as she threw a bombling kunai at a Talus, blowing off it's arm, "If they weaken that thing then we can finish it off afterwards." 

Link thought on that note and looked back at the dragon. He wasn't sure why, but as he saw a Talus get a punch in on the dragon and it screeched out weakly, he found himself taking pity on it...

The fighting continued, and Aviel eventually realized she was out of arrows, and unable to do anything against the rock creatures. She found herself staying back to avoid combat, fending off any Pebblits that came at her with her crossbow. She gulped a bit as she looked out at the magma island where Link-Goron was standing there helplessly...

As Link continued to fight, he then heard a loud screech, as he turned back to the dragon who was getting beaten by the two Talus. It was knocked down to the ground and was groaning out in pain, and Link could see a sad look in it's eyes. He took a deep breath, before kicking away a Pebblit he was fighting and charged at the dragon and the Talus.

"Link, what are you doing?!" Nemisa shouted.

"Get away from that thing!" Link shouted out, running at the Talus and smacking one with his sword. The other tried to punch Link, but he puled out his Longshot and fired it at the creature's shoulder rock, attaching to it and allowing Link to yank the arm off the creature, then swinging it right into the other Talus, knocking it over.

The Talus with it's arm ripped off grunted angerly, but Link stepped out in front of the dragon, holding his sword and shield out. The dragon weakly looked up at Link in confusion.

"Why is Link protecting that thing...?" Impa pondered to herself.

The Talus was about to attack Link with it's other fist, but Nemisa flipped through the air and jump kicked the monster in the side, knocking it over to the ground as well.

"And stay away from my husband!" Nemisa shouted to the Talus, she turned to Link with a cross look on her face.

"Um, Nemisa, I'm sorry, but I couldn't just let it-" Link started, but was cut off by her.

"...it's okay Link I understand." Nemisa nodded with a light smile.

Link grinned lightly at his fiance before the two charged off to fight more of the rock monsters, leaving the dragon itself to gaze over at the two of them...

"He saved the dragon...?" Impa muttered. She was surprised to see what Link did for the dragon just then, as well as the understanding between him and Nemisa. It seemed as though Gerudo could understand him so well without much words...

"That's our king for you, he's just full of surprises." chuckled Nabooru standing alongside her. She impaled a Pebblit with her sword and swung it at a Talus to knock it down.

"I see..." Impa whispered, before going back into battle herself.

The battle soon came to end after that, with all the rock monsters having been destroyed by the group. But before they could even begin to plan what to do about the dragon and Link-Goron, the ground started to rumble again.

"Not this again!" Darunia shouted in annoyance "Whoever you are, come out already and we'll crush you!"

This time the earth shook more violently, with small rocks breaking off from the ceiling, before emerging out of it was a giant Stone Talus, far bigger then the others. It had four long legs made from smaller rocks and giant rocks at the ends to act as feet, and it had six arm limbs around it's body from all sides. It looked down at the group, letting out a loud moaning grunt.

"W-What the heck is that now?!" exclaimed Nemisa.

"That's a Igneo Talus Behemoth!" Darunia exclaimed, "One of the most powerful of it's kind!"

"Can we ever get a break?" sighed Link.

The Igneo Talus Behemoth then flexed it's six arms and jumped into into the magma. Everyone watched with curiosity as it started to draw in heat from the lava, causing itself to heat up, until it's entire body was overheated, and was now practically made of magma rock. The magma itself it had been in was now little more then melted, but hard rock.

"It... absorbed the heat from the lava...?" Impa muttered.

"Could it be that the reason why the hot springs were losing their heat was because of this thing?" Link asked.

"I assumed it was the dragon here doing it." Darunia said, looking to the fire dragon who was gasping out from the beating it had taken from the group and the stone monsters.

"Well regardless, we're stopping it!" Nabooru said, wielding her scimitars.

The Igneo Talus Behemoth grunted out loudly and the group went into battle once again. It brought up it's fists and punched down at the ground around it as the group ran around it, taking opportunities to smack at it's legs with their weapons, though not too close to avoid being burned by it's body. Nemisa couldn't do much to hit it herself due to her hand-to-hand battle style, so she instead oped to kick rocks at the Talus to distract it, allowing the others to get in extra attacks.

The Talus then bashed it's arm into the ground, pulled out another rock that it ignited with heat, then tossed it at the heroes, but Darunia stepped out in front of it, brought up his hands and blocked the fiery rock, before spinning around in circles and tossing the rock right back into the Talus. The rock monster staggered back, before slamming all six of it's limbs down at once, causing a fiery wave out at everyone, blasting them backwards.

The Talus then looked behind it to see Link-Goron attempting to climb out of the dragon's island now that the magma was solid enough to stand on safely. It brought up one of it's fists from behind with the intention of smashing the child Goron.

"Son!" shouted Darunia.

Link-Goron gulped and cowered at the giant's attack, but then out of nowhere, someone flew downwards and crashed headfirst into the Goron, knocking him to the side and barely avoiding the impact of the punch. Link-Goron regained his senses and looked to see who had impacted into him.

"Hey, you okay there, Lonk?" Aviel asked with a large bump on her head.

"Ms. Aviel, you saved me!" Link-Goron said with wide eyes.

"Course I did! I'm a bodyguard after all!" Aviel grinned.

"Thanks..." sobbed Link-Goron, hugging the bird girl tightly.

The Igneo Talus Behemoth then tried to bring back it's fist for another attack, but Darunia curled into a ball and spun forward, bashing into the leg of the Talus and throwing it off, while Impa chucked some explosive kunai into the monster's arm joint, stunning it and allowing Aviel and Link-Goron to escape.

Getting far enough away, Link-Goron ran right into his father's arms in comfort. Seeing he was okay now, Aviel let out a gasp of relief, rubbing her head. She then looked to see Nemisa looking down to her. The martial artist just smirked lightly and gave her a thumbs up.

"Nice work there, partner." Nemisa said.

"Yes, thanks so much for saving my boy Ms. Aviel!" Darunia sobbed out loudly to her.

Aviel just smiled with a bit of pride at the sight of Darunia and Link-Goron untied..

"This thing is still pretty tough though, we need another plan of attack." Nabooru said.

"Stand back, I'll handle this now that the magma is gone!" Darunia shouted with his Megaton Hammer, he curled into a ball and rolled right at the monster, bashing into one of it's legs.

The Behemoth stomped around trying to hit Darunia, but he was too fast. He bashed into another leg as the Behemoth tried to punch the Goron with it's fist. Darunia however, curled out from his ball form and smashed into the fist with his hammer, breaking it off, causing the monster to groan out loudly in pain.

"Ha-ha! Take tha-!"

Before Darunia could finish though, the monster stomped on the Goron with it's foot, leaving him embedded into the ground, before swatting him away, causing him to roll backwards and crash into a wall.

"Dad, are you okay?" Link-Goron exclaimed, running up to him.

"Grooouuhoo.." Darunia muttered with his eyes spiraling, "I'll be fine... but that thing really packs a punch!" It was then the Goron looked to his son, noticing something off about him.

"What's wrong Dad?"

"Uuugh... say Son, what's that thing you have there?" Darunia asked Link-Goron, pointing out something red and yellow stuck in the rocky cracks of his son's back.

"Dunno, I think it got stuck there when the dragon put me on that island." Link-Goron said, pulling it out, seeing it was a large feather of some kind.

As Aviel was watching Link in desperation, unable to do anything to fight the monster, she looked and saw the feather Link-Goron held. She stared at it with upmost curiosity, walking over to get a close look at it. She also most felt drawn to it somehow...

"Hey Lunk... can I possibly see that...?" Aviel asked.

"Huh? My name's not Lunk, but sure." Link-Goron said handing the feather to her.

It was then as Aviel slowly reached out and touched it, the feather brushed her feathery Roc's Wing sleeves, and the three of them looked in surprise as her sleeves began to glow brightly...

As the group were fighting off the rock monster, it tried to smash Link with two fists at once, but it was then the dragon had gotten itself up and roared out, flying right at the Talus and bashing it in the side with it's head, before swinging out it's tail and smashing off one of the monster's arms.

"Woah, look at it go!" Nabooru said wide-eyed.

The dragon bit down on another arm to rip it off, but the Talus then swung out and punched it, sending it flying off and falling to the ground in a daze. The Talus then turned to the dragon and swung out for another punch at the dragon, but it was blocked off by Link firing off his Longshot and grappling onto the monster's arm. The Talus looked to see Link pulling on it's arm and yank it backwards to protect the dragon.

"Lay off that thing you bastard!" Link shouted.

It was then however the Talus instead swung it's arm upwards, sending Link flying skyward above the monster.

"Link!" Nemisa shouted as they all saw the Gerudo King start falling downwards towards the Talus Behemoth monster, who rose up all of it's still functioning arms, planning to crush Link between all of them. Even the dragon looked up somewhat in shock at Link and roared out.

But it was then something flew by and snatched Link out of midair, shocking everyone, even the Talus.

"Huh?" Nemisa gasped out seeing a swift figure take Link into the air far away from the monster, before slowly descending to the ground and releasing him from it's grip. Everyone just stared in shock at who it was that saved him...

"What the hell-:" Link spoke in surprise, seeing who is was that saved him, "Aviel?!''

"Link, are you okay?" Aviel asked desperately, trying to dust him off with her wings before stepping back to look him over..

Link took a brief second to look at Aviel as she was now. She had her Roc's Wings out, but they looked much different then before; much bigger and longer in size. In addition, her hair seemed to spike out slightly longer in back, she now had tail feathers sticking out from just above her rear end, and her legs were now longer and skinnier, much like that of a bird, including large bird talons in place of her feet.

"Aviel, what happened? Your bird form changed!" Link exclaimed.

"Yeah, I don't know how it happened exactly, but I'm not complaining!" Aviel grinned, doing a quick little spin around and spread her wings out. She moved her butt a little to make her tail feathers wave around.

Impa meanwhile flipped into the air and chucked some bombling kunai at the Talus monster, but it then flexed it's arms and released a wave of heat from it's body that caused the bomblings to explode in midair.

"Damn, it's too hot from absorbing the magma heat..." Impa said landing down, "If only we could cool it down first then we could destroy it easier."

The Talus slowly lumbered towards the group, really to launch another attack. They all deployed their weapon to prepare themselves for anything, even the dragon forced itself up and roared out, standing alongside the group, seeming to recognize that it's help would be needed despite how weakened it was. The Talus brought up it's fists and was about to assault the group with it's fiery punches...

But it was then a new powerful roar went off, and out of nowhere a shockwave of sound shot out and impacted into the Talus monster, the powerful vibration blasting through it, paralyzing it's movement. The monster then staggered backwards as everyone turned to see who was there.

"Howdy yall The cavalry's arrived!" Togau shouted, grinning widely in her Lynel form, as Dr. Sarami rode on her horse half's back, and standing alongside the two was Saria and Reirousa.

"We got worried about you all and came to check on you!" Saria said.

"Nice timing." grinned Nabooru with a thumbs up.

"Now back off ya rockhead!" Togau shouted, gripping and tossing her hand ax out at the monster, slicing off one of it's limbs. The creature was about to retaliate with a punch, but then the ax returned back the other way, slicing off that other arm and leaving the creature with just two left.

Before the Talus could retaliate with another attack, Aviel took to the sky and used her talons to drop a glass bottle on top of it. The bottle shattered and caused a large amount of blue liquid to pour out all over the monster, and it looked in surprise as the strange goop caused the excessive heat it had absorbed to cool off, with great amounts of steam escaping it's form.

"Aviel? Just what was that?" Link asked the bird girl.

"I don't know, Sarami just gave it to me and told me to spill it on the Talus!" Aviel said landing down.

"Fufufu... my blue chu jelly typically works as a cooling agent for medical purposes, and it can be used to sooth burns, but this makes for another nice use for it." Sarami answered, giggled darkly, "I made sure to bring extra for us since we were coming to a hot place like Death Mountain."

"Alright, my turn now that it's cooled down!" Reirousa said, loading a bomb into her Bombos Warhammer. She ran at the monster, who tried to punch her, but she brought up her Warhammer and impacted it directly into it's fist, causing the rock to blow up into dust. The Talus staggered back, giving Impa a chance to throw an exploding kunai into the other arm's joint, blowing it off.

The Talus was at a loss of what to do since all it's arms were blown off at that point. It limped a bit trying to get some distance to make more limbs from the earth, but then realized it's legs were bound to a halt. It saw some strange vines were tied around it's legs, leaving it immobilized.

"You're not going anywhere!" Saria said holding out her Deku Staff. She had used the power of her weapon to trap the monster with vines and bind it.

This allowed Darunia to roll forward and bash into the monster, knocking it backwards and impacting to the ground, then allowing Link to jump into the air and bring his sword down on the main rock of the body and pierce his sword right into the center. The Talus let out one last groan before it exploded into purple mist.

"Ha ha ha, we did it! Great work everyone!" Darunia shouted out, raising his hammer, and everyone else cheered out as well.

"I don't know what happened while you were here Aviel, but just I love your new look!" Sarami said, stroking her hand along Aviel's longer bird wings, "You make for such a cute little birdie!"

"Yeah, you and I are like real kin now!" Togau grinned, gesturing to her Lynel body, before changing back to her normal Gerudo form.

"Hee hee, thanks." Aviel grinned, "I can fly way easier now, and I can use my talons to grab stuff too like Link and Sarami's potion!"

"It's probably because your wing span allows you to stay airborne. Your thinner legs also make your body weigh less, and the tail feathers help to increase wind resistance for flying." Sarami pointed out.

"Yeah, guess that does makes sense." Aviel nodded, putting away her wings which made her body change back to her normal self. She looked down at the feathery sleeves and saw the straps that held them on now had a gold color to them, "I don't know how that feather did that, but I felt a strange attachment to it... like something was calling out to me to use it."

"Gee, wonder why it did that for you...?" Link-Goron asked, "And what was it doin' on that dragon's island of all places?"

"I'm not sure..." Aviel said, taking a nervous look over to the dragon.

Speaking of which, Link, Nabooru, Darunia and Impa all looked to the dragon who had collapsed, and was now laying on the ground, exhausted and injured from the battle. It let out a weak growl, and looked helplessly up to see the four before it.

"So what do we do about this one?" Impa asked.

"Think I outta just smash this darn thing and put it out of it's misery?" Darunia asked with a snarl, remembering how it seemed like it had been about to ate his son.

"...hold up on that for a second Daunia." Link spoke up.

The young Gerudo King paused, staring down at the creature. He then slowly walked forward towards it, his features darkened by his hair hanging down his head.

"H-Hey Link, what are you doing? Be careful!" Nabooru said worriedly.

Link slowly reached out his hand at the dragon. The creature flinched and closed it's eyes, too weak to fight back, and actually fearful of what the man would do...

But that was when Link placed his hand gently on the creature's forehead, surprising everyone, especially the dragon itself.

"It's okay." Link whispered, "The monster's gone now."

The dragon stared up at Link with wide eyes, having expecting him to finish it off. Instead, Link reached into his travel pack and pulled out a box, placing it down in front of the dragon. He opened it to show off the rest of the takoyaki from what he had been eating before back in the other room during their break.

Everyone looked on in confusion as the dragon stared down at the food, sniffing at it. It hesitated for a second and looked up at Link, before it stated slowly eating.

"Huh? What are you doing Brother?" Darunia asked in confusion.

Link didn't say a word, but watched as the dragon kept eating the food in front of it. Impa herself stared at Link, and saw a look of compassion in his eyes as he rubbed the dragon on it's forehead. By the time it finished, the dragon let out a relieved sigh.

"Was that good?" Link asked it.

The dragon seemed to stare up at him for a few seconds, before it's body was suddenly engulfed in orange flames. Link stood back as everyone watched in surprise, the flames started to die down, and in the dragon's place was a new surprise...

"What? This dragon is..." Nabooru exclaimed.

"So my guess was right..." Link nodded.

Sitting there before them all was a small boy, probably around seven or eight years old in Hylian years. He was completely nude, but had his legs folded which hid his loins. He had long red-orange hair which ran wildly down the back of his body. The hair fell over his eyes to overshadow his left eye, and they could only see his right eye peeking out from under it. They could also see a small fang sticking up from the side of his mouth.

"Oh my... the dragon is a child?" Sarami gasped out.

The boy just sat there, before slowly looking up at Link.

"You... saved... me...?" the boy spoke, shocking everyone once again.

"It can speak in human tongue as well?" Impa exclaimed.

"Um... hi, my name is Link." the Gerudo King greeted the boy.

"...Link...?" the boy muttered, "That's kind of a weird name..."

Link heard Nabooru let out an amused snort behind him and he sweatdropped.

"Um, so what's your name... do you have one?" Link asked the child.

"...no, don't really have one." shrugged the boy, "Guess you can just call me... uh, 'V'. Nice to meet you, I guess..."

'And he says my name is weird.' Link thought to himself.

"Aw, what a polite boy!" Sarami said cheerfully, "He's actually rather cute!"

"So uh... why did you save me before, mister?" V asked Link.

"I... well... do I really need a reason to help someone?" Link asked, rubbing the back of his head, "You were getting ganged up on by those things and... I guess I couldn't just leave you like that."

"But I took away your friend there..." V said, looking to Link-Goron, who was peeking out from behind Darunia, "For all you knew I coulda tried to eat him."

"Well you didn't right?" Link pointed out.

"Y-Yeah, sorry 'bout that... I needed to make a getaway and I guess I sorta panicked..." V said looking to the side "I really wasn't gonna eat him or anything like that... Gorons don't look very tasty to me..."

"Hey, that's...!" Darunia shouted in protest at first, but then paused, "Wait, should I be offended by that or not? I'm confused..."

"So how did you know this dragon was a child Link?" Nabooru asked.

"Something intrigued me when I saw that round cracked rock Link-Goron found earlier." Link spoke, "I think that might have actually been a dragon eggshell."

"Yeah, sounds like mine." nodded V in confirmation.

"Oh, so it was an egg? No wonder it tasted so horrible!" Link-Goron said in disgust.

"Then that means the island in the center of that magma pool with all the straw was a dragon's nest!" Aviel realized.

"Yeah, that place was my home all this time." V nodded, "A bunch of Gorons started making noise and making it hard for me to sleep, so I thought roaring at them would scare em off."

"So this means the supposed ghost all this time wasn't Volvagia, but it's child!" Nabooru said, she smirked lightly, "Well that's a nice surprise."

"Hey uh, what are these things you gave me to eat anyway?" V asked, "They tasted kinda familiar."

"That's cause they're cooked Octorok meat." Link grinned, "I figured you'd like them."

"You mean those squealing things I go out and hunt at night?" V asked with lit up eyes, "Never tasted them like this before."

"Oh, so then it was this kid who was causing the Octorok shortage then!" Impa realized, "That also explains the air sacs we found earlier!"

"Yeah, that part of them is really gross, so I spit them out." V said sticking out his tongue.

"Fufu, like a little kid spitting out the vegetables they don't like." Sarami giggled.

"So... uh, what're you going to do to me now...?" V asked a little nervously, "You gonna finish me off or something...?"

"You're not going to try and run?" Darunia asked.

"Y-You all bested me in battle, and as part of a dragon's code, my fate is yours to decide..." V muttered, gripping at his knees in worry.

Link just paused, staring down at V. He looked over to Nabooru who looked uncertain, Impa who was observing the two, and Darunia who was trying not to look directly at the child. Link looked back to V and closed his eyes, nodding to himself.

"...nah, I don't think I really want to do that." Link said with a light smile.

"Wait, really? Even after I kidnapped that Goron over there and all the trouble I caused you?" V asked in confusion.

"Well yeah you did cause everyone some trouble, but you also helped us out against the rock monsters earlier." Link nodded, "What do you think Darunia?"

"I... guess so..." Darunia spoke as he turned and looked a little awkward at the child before him, "Just... you know... don't do it again."

"Sounds like we're both willing to forgive you then." nodded Link, "Sarami, can you look over his injuries?"

"Of course!" Sarami said, kneeling down to the child, pulling out her medical supplies, and started examining his arm.

As Sarami tended to V's injuries, Darunia gulped a little and cleared his throat, "Um, listen kid, as the Goron leader, I had to stop Volvagia before it hurt my brothers..." he then let out a sigh, "But as a father, I kinda wanna apologize for.. um, killing your mom..."

"So Mother's dead then? Eh, don't worry about it." V said with a shrug, looking away, "She disowned me a long time ago. She didn't like my scent for whatever reason, and I refused to hunt Gorons, so she abandoned me here in the mines and went to some place called the Fire Temple."

"Your own mother abandoned you? That's terrible..." Sarami said sadly, as she applied some cooling agent jelly to a bruise on him.

"How sad..." Aviel whispered, she herself took those words to heart. As fearful as she was of the dragon before, she instead now saw a small child, lost and alone. Aviel thought back to when she had been separated from her parents, and her blanking out before waking up in that village like she had told Saria the other day...

And it was then a horrible thought occurred to her.

'Could... my parents have possibly...?'

She thought to herself, with faint tears forming in her eyes. Saria was quick to see the pained look on Aviel's face and she placed her arm against the Gerudo girl to comfort her.

After a short while, Sarami looked at her medical work on V and nodded.

"There, I think that should do it for your injuries!" Sarami said, giving a bandage she placed on him a gentle kiss, "You're a strong little one, and you seem to be healing nice and quickly, I'm sure you'll be just fine!"

"T-Thanks..." V said blushing red.

"So what are you planning to do now then, kid?" Nabooru asked.

"Well, my nest was destroyed by that monster, guess I really need to find a new place. Didn't really like dealing with the rock monster things anyway." V said, getting up, "Um... I'm sorry again for everything I did to you guys..."

"It's alright, everything worked out anyway." Link said with a big grin, patting the dragon boy on the head, "

"Y-Yeah..." V said with a slight smile, "I'm probably going to go do some traveling for a while and try to find a place for myself... So uh, thanks again, all of you for sparing me."

With that, V engulfed himself in flames and changed back into a dragon. He spread his wings and flew off into the air. He stopped and took one last look at the group and gave then a slight nod, before going through a small hole in the wall

"Think he'll be alright?" Nabooru asked.

"...yeah, I think so." grinned Link.

"Well with that Talus' destruction, the hot spring heat problem's dealt with. And the dragon's gone so my men can finally get back to work now! This calls for a celebration, we'll rock the mountains tonight!" Darunia shouted out with a wide smile.

The group all collectively cheered out in agreement, while Impa took that moment to glance at Link and the bright smile on his face.

She was rather impressed at how kind and strong the Gerudo seemed to be, as well as how well they all worked together as a team.

Impa reflected on how well Link himself took to the dragon child V and the kindness he gave him, and she couldn't help but smile a little herself, as she thought more about the suggestion Nabooru gave her...

Unknown to all of them however, they were being watched by a mysterious person in the tunnel that led to the area. The person was covered by a strange silver cloak with blue markings, and his face was half-hidden by an eye-mask with golden markings on it that had the resemblance of a single eye. The figure had just watched the dragon leave the cave, as their teeth were clenched in what looked like anger. But it was then something gave off a faint glow under their robe, as their attention was focused on the young blonde Hylian man in the black vest.

The figure smirked a little, and left without anyone even seeing them...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, thank you all for reading! Next time the group are going to celebrate their victory, while Impa has a choice to make...**_

_**(also, unless I forgot, I think this is the first chapter in forever that I've written without a scene transition, neat!)**_

_**Drop me a like, follow or comment to show your support if you choose!**_


	55. The Joy of Parenthood

_**Now we're on to Chapter 55, enjoy!**_

* * *

"Yeaaah! Gimmie another mug of dirt mixed with extra hematite pronto!"

"'Please Chief Darunia, get off the table! You're going to-"

A loud smash could be heard by everyone, and they all turned to see Darunia laying back on the ground amid the remains of a shattered wooden table, as he was swinging around an empty mug laughing, with a red, drunken look on his face.

"What the heck is he even drinking?! I thought that was just dirt!" Link exclaimed from the bar counter, where he was sitting alongside Nabooru and Impa.

"Uh, some of the miners figured out the idea of grinding down iron ore and mixing it with dirt to give it more flavor, and our chief developed a liking for it." sighed the bartender.

"Heh, so he's a man of taste then." Nabooru said grinning, holding up her mug of alcohol.

After the group arrived back from their successful mission in the mines, they took to spending the remainder of the day celebrating. With his worries gone, Darunia in particular was fullly back to his jolly self once more, and was partying it up without restraint.

"Hey little one, play that catchy song again!" Darunia shouted out to Saria, who was siting at a table with some of her Gerudo friends.

"Huh? Oh sure!" Saria said, pulling out her ocarina and started to play it.

"Ah, wait miss, when the chief gets drunk on hematite he-!" the bartender shouted, but it was too late.

The music was already playing, and Darunia immediately started dancing.

"Oooh! OOOH! Yeaaah!"

Darunia swing his arms from side to side, kicking his feet up with a large grin on his face.

"HOT! What a hot beat!"

It was then Darunia seemed to be moving his legs so much, everyone could swear for a second he was starting to pick up some air. He then took out his Megaton Hammer and threw it into the air, and when it slammed down on the ground embedding itself in the ground, a small burst around it actually caused Darunia to go flying upward into the air, still dancing all the while, before he impacted into the ceiling.

Everyone sat there in stunned silence and disbelief as Darunia was halfway stuck in the ceiling, his legs still moving in dance all the while.

"Uh, oops. Sorry." Saria said sweatdropping, now realizing what the bartender meant.

"Whoa, he flew up pretty well for a big guy!" Aviel said with wide eyes.

"Is he going to be okay?" Nemisa asked the bartender.

"He'll be fine," sighed the bartender, before calling out to the Goron waiters, "Someone get the ladder so we can get him down."

* * *

Some time later, after dislodging Darunia from the ceiling, he had finally calmed down, and was laying back on a chair relaxing as Link sat by him to make sure he stayed put.

Saria was advised to leave for the bar so Darunia wouldn't be tempted with another song, and left a while ago with Aviel outside so the bird girl could show her friend something in particular, while the rest of the group took to enjoying their time at the bar.

A large Goron miner was sitting at one table, drinking down an entire mug of dirt, then slamming it down. The Goron paused for a second, before belching in the face of the person sitting beside him.

"Ha, beat that!" the Goron said proudly, as his comrades were all gathered around the table cheering out for him.

The person he spoke to shrugged and chugged down a whole mug of alcohol in one big gulp, before letting out a loud belch of their own, so powerful that it caused the Goron to stumble and fall backwards, leaving him sprawled out on the floor with spiraling eyes.

"Woah!" the Gorons all shouted out with wide eyes.

"So did I win?" Reirousa asked with a grin, as the Goron miners all congratulated their new champion.

Meanwhile over at another table, Sarami was having a pleasant conversation with another of the Goron miners. He had a small bag of jewels and ore he had collected from the mines before V the dragon had scared them off out on the table with him.

"So could you please tell me about your digestive system and how it can process hard rock minerals into nutrients?" Sarami asked, scribbling down notes on a notepad.

"Gosh I dunno, we just take the rocks and eat them." the Goron said rubbing his head in confusion, "Big Brother Darunia says the best ones for us are the top sirloin rocks in Dodongo's Cavern, helps us get big and strong!"

"Fascinating... so specific types of rock provide better nutrients... very good, very good..." Sarami said writing more notes.

"Yeah, we didn't know what to do when that Gerudo King Ganondorf guy sealed up the cave, but then Brother Link just came in out of nowhere and took care of it! We owe him a lot!" the Goron said happily.

Sarami smiled warmly at those words, she had always admired Link's heroism and kindness, and she could only hope to hear more about him from others throughout Hyrule, including the Princess Zelda.

The Goron reached out for a cup of dirt he was drinking, only to knock it over by accident.

"Whoops!"

As the Goron was reaching down to clean up the mess, Sarami paused and saw the bag of ore and jewels on the table. The jewels in particular stood out to her with their color and shine. A strange temptation was starting to uproot, and Sarami took a look around to see no one was watching.

She slowly and discreetly reached her hand out to a small amount of jewels, only to stop her hand at the last minute. She pulled her arm away and looked aside in shame.

'Goddess... what am I doing...?' Sarami thought to herself, 'We're here to become allies and friends with the Goron, not extort them...' she put a hand to her cheek and sighed, 'I suppose old habits can be hard to break after all...'

At that time, the Goron had gotten back up, having refilled his mug with the dirt he gathered.

"Sorry about that miss." the Goron said with a goofy grin.

"Oh no, it's quite alright." Sarami said, gently smiling despite the guilt she had put on herself.

"Hey, did you want one of these sparkly things I found in the mine earlier?" the Goron asked, sliding a green jewel towards Sarami.

The doctor sat there with wide eyes, looking at the jewel, then up to the kind smile on the Goron's face, before she sighed and slid the jewel back to him.

"No... no it's fine. I'm just content talking with you." she said nodding.

Meanwhile Link was at another table still conversing with Darunia about a certain matter.

"...it's a bit of a coincidence." Darunia spoke, "But I can't deny it might very well be him."

"That's what I thought." Link nodded, "Hopefully things will work out differently for-"

"Hey Link!"

Link turned to see the Gerudo leader Nabooru standing alongside Impa with an arm wrapped around her shoulder, and it was clear from her movements and the silly grin on her face that Nabooru was a little tipsy from her drinking too much again.

"We were thinkin' about going to the hot spring to rest from the battles, wanna come with us to the mixed spring?" she asked.

"..." Impa didn't say a word, but just looked to the side awkwardly.

"I uh..." Link said sweatdropping as he saw the awkward look on Impa's face.

"So it's agreed then, let's go!" laughed Nabooru, grabbing Link by the arm and yanking him off, pushing him and Impa along to the springs.

"Uh, sorry Darunia, guess I'm going!" Link called out as he was dragged off.

"Alright, have fun Brother!" Darunia said waving.

Darunia sat there for a moment watching the three going off on their way, and laughed out to himself.

"Bwa ha ha! My brother sure knows how to draw people to him!" he then held up his drink, "Another mug of dirt, bartender!"

"Okay, but no hematite this time!" the bartender scolded his boss.

* * *

"Woohoo!"

Aviel squealed out as she shot through the air above Death Mountain, her Roc's Wings were spread out as she did flips and swoops all around the place. She dived downwards at blinding speed before bringing up her wings and shooting back up into the air.

"Woah, look at her go!" a Goron exclaimed.

After she left the bar with Saria, Aviel was over-anxious to spread her stronger wings out and take to the air. It took a brief while to get used to them, but she found herself flying freely through the skies. Saria and the younger Gorons had all taken the time to come out and see, and Saria sat with wide eyes as she watched Aviel soar through the sky.

"This is so much fun! I've never been able to fly like this before!" Aviel shouted out.

She did a few loops around a large rock sticking out from the mountain side, accidentally banging her head into the bottom for it, before going right back to flying around swiftly and freely. She soon landed down to the ground, taking careful steps to slow down her landing, and not even stumbling thanks to the length of her new bird talons.

"Saria, did you get a look at that?" Aviel asked grinning. There was a small bump on her head from hitting the rock, but she was too excited and energetic to even notice or care about it.

"That was amazing Aviel! I don't know what happened to make your wings like this, but I'm happy you're taking to them so well!" Saria said, smiling brightly.

"That's not all though, I got something else to show you," Aviel said grinning, "Can I use a leaf from your Deku Staff?"

"Oh sure." Saria said, growing a leaf from the staff which she plucked off and gave to Aviel.

"Alright, now watch and don't blink!" Aviel said, flying back into the air. She let go of the leaf into the air and it started to slowly drift back down towards the ground.

It was then while still flapping her wings that Aviel used her bird talons to reach and pull her goggles up over her eyes. She then reached behind her, pulled her crossbow off from her back, aimed it carefully with her talons while still flying and fired an arrow. The arrow shot down with blinding speed before impacting into the ground. Saria and the Gorons all crowded around it and saw Aviel had managed to pierce through the leaf she had dropped just a second ago.

"You got it!" Saria called out to Aviel, who swooped down to land and see it for herself.

"Yeah, I can finally use my bow while flying! This is going to make things a lot easier when I'm in battle!"

"That's great, you mentioned before you were having trouble before doing that sort of thing." Saria said.

"Yeah..." Aviel nodded, pulling out the arrow and look at the leaf closely. She then grinned a bit mischievously as she looked to Saria, "...and there's even more stuff I can do when I fly now!"

"Huh?"

* * *

"H-Hey!" exclaimed Saria in a panic as Aviel flew into the sky with her, gently holding the Kokiri by her shoulders with her talons as they went higher and higher, "Aviel, please don't let go of me!" she pleaded with tears streaming down her face.

"Hee hee, I won't!" giggled Aviel as they flew up to a cliff at the peak of Death Mountain. Aviel set a shaken Saria to the ground and she landed down shortly after, "So wasn't that fun?"

"I can't believe you did that without warning me first Aviel!" Saria shouted in a fit, "That scared me! Why'd you do that?"

"So you could see this surprise!" Aviel said, changing back to her normal Gerudo self and pointing her finger out at the sky.

Saria turned and her eyes widened in shock to see the land before them. From the peak they could practically see the entirely of Hyrule, stretching out farther then she could have ever imagined. A blue sky that was only now starting to turn orange as the sun was beginning to set. She also saw the vast green landscape of Hyrule Fields, the majestic waters of Lake Hylia in one direction, as well as her new home of Gerudo Desert in the far distance. She also finally saw the grand Hyrule Castle towering over the bustling market town. It was all a great sight for Saria to behold.

"It's beautiful..." whispered Saria.

"I was so happy back when I first realized I could use my Roc's Wings to fly, being able to see so many new things around me... it reminded me of those days back when I was traveling with my parents." Aviel said, "And now that my wings are like this, I can see so much more of this great world."

The two watched as some birds flew by over the land, and Aviel smiled softly.

"...I feel like with these wings I can do more now for Link and everyone then I ever could before." Aviel said, she looked to Saria and her Deku Staff and sported a wide toothy grin, "Course, you know what that's like, right?"

"Yeah... you're right..." Saria said, realizing Aviel meant how she was using the Deku Staff to protect Link now. She took a long look out at the vast landscape and spoke to the bird girl,

"I spent my whole life in the forest, and I never thought I could leave for the longest time. Now that I've have the chance to go out and see the world outside the forest, and all the wonderful people I've befriended, I think this is how Link felt when he left all that time ago. That's why I want to help you all with your banishment situation, so the Gerudo can see the world of Hyrule like this, and feel the same freedom I do now!"

"Alright, we're going to have to give Link and Lady Nabooru all our support if we're going to do that then!" Aviel said pumping her fists, then circled her hands around her mouth and shouted out over the horizon, "You hear that world?! We're going to free everyone, so they can soar like us!"

Saria smiled brightly and put her hands around her mouth like Aviel did, shouting out "Yeah! Like us!"

As the two girls were calling out to the world before them however, Aviel was so into her shouting that she didn't realize she was a little too close to the edge of the cliff, and stumbled a bit before falling off the side of the peak.

"Kyaa!"

"Aviel!" Saria exclaimed, running over to the edge and looking down, only to see Aviel flying up to her eye level.

"Ah hee hee... I slipped." Aviel said sheepishly.

"Jeez, I know you can fly better now, but you still need to be careful!" Saria scolded her in annoyance as the bird girl landed down onto the ground.

"Sorry, guess I'm just a bit of a birdbrain!" Aviel grinned.

There a brief pause between the two girls, before they then just laughed out loud, and went back to enjoying the view together.

* * *

Link stepped out of the men's changing room for the mixed hot spring, clad in just a towel at the waist, ready to meet with Nabooru and Impa. Even after what happened the other day with all the girls though, he was a little awkward about it in that moment, namely due to one of the two that were about to join him in the spring.

"Hey there hot stuff." Nabooru spoke out. Link turned to see the Gerudo leader standing there with her towel on up to her chest. It was a sight he was used to, but then his gaze wandered to who was beside her.

Impa was gripping at her towel with an embarrassed look on her face, and he couldn't help but feel shy about it himself. It was one thing for Nabooru of whom he had been with for over a year now, but Impa was another story. She was his mentor during the time he was preparing for his long journey, and he used to see her as sort of a big sister of sorts. The way he was looking at her now though, it was something very different, and he was having hard time getting his mind off it...

The three soon got into the water and removed their towels. Link was thankful Nabooru didn't just try stripping them both off beforehand. All three of them let out a collective sigh as they submerged their bodies into the hot water.

"Looks like with the Talus Behemoth destroyed, the heat's already returned." Impa said, "Glad things worked out so well."

"I feel like there's still a lot of unanswered questions about what happened back there, but I'll just take it as it is." Nabooru said, stretching herself out.

As Link laid back himself, his could have sworn out of the corner of his eye someone was watching him from the men's changing room door. He looked in the direction of pathway, but there was nothing.

"Link, something the matter?" Impa asked.

Link paused, then shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong."

"He might still be a bit weary with what's been going on in our land lately." Nabooru said. She thought for a little, before nodding to herself and speaking out, "Tell me Impa, are you aware of a group called the Ebony Sisterhood?"

"Impa, I rally don't think we need to tell her abo-" Link spoke, but was cut off.

"Yes, I am." nodded Impa, surprising Link, "I have contacts who have been bringing me reports of a black-clothed Gerudo group that's been plotting to overthrow you, Lady Nabooru."

"We haven't mentioned it before as we were weary of causing more unrest and mistrust with Hyrule, but they wish to kill me and Link, and free Ganondorf from his prison." Nabooru said.

"They consider me a false king, and that they need to recruit our people so they can grow strong enough to free him." Link said, "They're resorting to anything they can to try and get rid of the two of us."

"Working to free Ganondorf... to free that damned monster..." Impa muttered in a low voice. "After what he did..."

Link looked to see the bitter scowl Impa made as she looked down. While it was natural for her to hate the evil former Gerudo king, he saw something else in her eyes, it wasn't just anger, but some pain as well, and it made him wonder what Ganondorf might had done in the past to affect her so badly...

"Impa?" Link asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm... fine..." Impa said, blushing a little at Link touching her like that, "More importantly, I've been talking with the Hylian Parliament about those rebels in the past, but they don't take me seriously. They act like it's just a rumor at this point since the knights haven't encountered any of them."

"So the rebels are avoiding confrontations with the Hylian knights...?" Link realized, thinking a little on that note.

"Tsk, I bet it's wonderful working with those bastards." Nabooru said rolling her eyes.

"You don't know the half of it." Impa sighed. "They're not completely incompetent and have at least made some positive changes over the years, but they can be too stubborn-headed to see the bigger picture going on. Me and the princess been put through hell trying to deal with their jumbled policies and laws they've made..."

Link paused on those words by Impa, and looked down himself, now thinking about a certain person within the castle.

"Why the long face Link?" Nabooru asked, then sported a small knowing smirk, "Could it be maybe you're just thinking of a certain Hylian princess still?"

"H-Hey, I didn't say that..." Link said blushing red.

Nabooru laughed out loud at Link's embarrassment, and even Impa couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"You'll meet her again soon enough Link, I'll see to that." Impa said, "I'm going to have a talk with Princess Zelda and the king in regards to setting up a meeting with you all and the Parliament so we can properly discuss the peace treaty and the rebellion's goals." Impa said, she looked to Link in particular, "Though this will mean I'll probably have to tell them about you becoming the new Gerudo King..."

"Hm, yeah... if I'm recognized as the official king that means I might not be able to legally leave Gerudo Valley until we're permitted to meet with Hyrule Castle." Link pondered, "Well I already decided I'm part of the Gerudo now, so I guess it was inevitable."

"Me and Halei will have a lot of paperwork to go through if that happens, and even then it'll probably take months before we can actually go through with the meeting, so we'll have plenty of time to prepare ourselves for that day." nodded Nabooru, "We still have to meet with the Zoras soon for our alliance anyway."

"Either way, I'm sure the princess would be happy to hear about the decision you made in becoming the official king, and wanting to make peace with the Gerudo and Hyrule." Impa said with a small smile.

"Yeah..." Link whispered softly, then grinned, "Well how about for now the three of us just enjoy ourselves at this resort?"

"Sounds good to me." smiled Nabooru, laying back.

Link, Nabooru and Impa all took to relaxing, watching the stars in the sky. There were no words said at that time, just the three of them enjoying the night and each other's company.

* * *

"Well I'm feeling pretty refreshed now, so I think I'm going on ahead inside." Link said after some time later, climbing out of the water.

Nabooru shot a glance to Impa, who had been looking at Link as he started putting on his bath towel, before she realized Nabooru was watching, then turned her head away.

"Okay, see you later Link!" Nabooru said with a big grin.

After he had gone into the changing room, Impa took a deep breath, with an unsure look on her face. It was then Nabooru placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I just say go for it Lady Impa." Nabooru grinned, "Trust me when I say you won't regret it."

"I... I'll consider it." Impa said, standing up from the water, "I need to go myself, have a good night Lady Nabooru."

Nabooru took a small glance behind her to see Impa walking off to the women's changing room. She sported a small smirk and laid back, continuing to enjoy the hot spring more, and spoke to herself.

"I have a feeling something wonderful is going to happen tonight after all."

She paused on that note and looked up into the night sky, seeing the stars shining overhead. She thought about the idea of what Impa was more then likely going to do with Link that night, and found her legs shifting a bit as a small blush formed on her face. She let out a sigh and flicked at the water with her hand.

"Nabooru, you really are pathetic sometimes..." she sighed.

* * *

As Link was leaving the changing area to get back to his room with Nemisa and Togau, he felt a presence, and turned to see Impa standing on the wall behind him with her arms folded. Her robe was hanging downwards, but not enough to show anything naughty. He did a good view of her nice athletic legs though.

"Impa?"

"Link..." Impa muttered, landing to the ground and walking up to him, "Listen, I've given Nabooru's suggestion from before some thought, and I've come to a decision."

Link's eyes widened as she then took his hand, staring down at him with a light blush on her cheeks.

"Would... you do me the honor, my protegee?"

"I-I..."

Some distance away, Nemisa and Togau were walking down the hall talking happily between each other. They then stopped in surprise to see Impa holding Link's hand. The two said nothing, but watched as they saw him nod to her, and she escorted him off down the hall.

Togau whistled lightly, "Well looks like Link's not gonna be staying in our room tonight after all."

"Indeed." nodded Nemisa, "In that case, perhaps we could go to the bar for some more drinks instead?"

"Alright, sounds great!" Togau grinned.

"But you're getting the extra light alcohol this time."

"Awww..."

* * *

"So you sure you're ready for this Impa?"

"I-I guess so..."

Link and Impa both stood in her inn room that night, clad in their robes. They had taken out Impa's spare futon and put it together with the other for that night.

"If you're not, we can always wait or-" Link was cut off

"No, no I think I should." Impa shook her head, "As the last surviving full-blood Shiekah, it falls on me to continue our bloodline. If something were to ever happen to me..." her voice sounded a little strained at that point, "Then my people would eventually be no more."

Link frowned at those words, as his thoughts went to a moment when he saw her in the dark future, and a long look of regret in the Sheikah's eyes, as he realized that look meant more then he could had thought in that time...

But it was then something else bothered him as well.

"Impa, that's not the only reason you're doing this, is there?" Link asked.

"What do you mean?" Impa asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well... I'm not exactly what I'd call an expert on having kids or anything..." Link said rubbing the back of his head, "And I might be the last person who should be saying this considering the Gerudo's own population problem..."

It was then Link thought to Darunia consoling his son back in the mines, as well as the Gerudo mother Maifeki, of whom he had helped birth her child Selil at Sarami's medical clinic so long ago.

"...but I don't think that children are just something you have for the pure sake of having them. That just makes them seem like a chore you impose on yourself, when they're much more then that. They're a new life that you bring into the world, and they're a part of you. Ensuring their happiness is great, but they should also be able to bring joy to you as well..."

Link recalled the time he held the newborn Gerudo baby Selil in his arms, and how happy it made him feel to do so, even after his worries about holding her. He then thought to Nemisa, as she talked about how much she wanted to someday become pregnant, and give Link a huge family they could love forever... He smiled lightly and looked to Impa.

"...and I think there's a lot more to having a child then just the responsibilities that come with it."

Impa paused and looked up to her friend, astonished at the wise words he spoke, and the mature look look in his eyes at that moment, as she found herself recalling her earlier days as the royal family's guard and servant...

* * *

_Flashback - 18 years ago_

"Oh Impa," called out a sweet silky voice, getting a younger Impa's attention, "I have a meeting to attend to tonight, can you please watch Zelda for a little while?"

"Of-Of course, your excellency!"

Impa stood before the queen of the royal family and Zelda's mother. She was holding the infant Zelda in her arms, who was making small cooing noises as the beautiful queen was tickling her lightly. Impa held nothing but respect for the powerful but loving woman before her. They had grown up together as servant and princess as children, but they were close friends and confidants as well.

"Oh Impa, I keep telling you that you don't have to refer to me by rank. We're friends after all, aren't we?" the queen smiled warmly.

"Y-Yes, of course we are, I-I just-" Impa stammered, before the queen just handed her daughter to her.

"Hee hee, it's fine. Just please watch Zelda until I'm done." the queen giggled lightly, her voice sounding almost like a harmonious bell that could call angels from the heavens.

"Um, forgive me, but are you sure you don't want to get one of the nursemaids to watch her?" Impa asked nervously. She had never really been good with children, and she looked awkwardly down at the baby Zelda in her arms.

"You'll do just fine Impa." the queen smiled, "In fact I think she's already warming up to you."

"Well..." Impa looked down at Zelda, who gurgled a little and blew a small bubble out of her mouth.

"Besides, you can see it as training for when you have your own child someday!" the queen said cheerfully with a hand to her mouth.

"I... don't really know about doing something like that..." Impa muttered, glancing to the side.

"Well either way, thank you for this." the queen gave a bow of her head, before turning and going off on her way.

Impa stood there blankly, holding Zelda in her arms. She glanced down at the child who just looked up at her with wide baby eyes.

"Um... hello there... Princess Zelda?" Impa asked.

It was then the baby sniffled a little, before bursting out crying loudly, making Impa go into a panic, as she tried frantically to rock her.

"It's okay! Don't cry! Your mother will be back soon!" Impa exclaimed in panic

But it was to no avail, as the child kept crying. Impa realized how awkward it was to stand there in the hallway as Zelda cried out, and quickly went into her nursery to make an attempt to comfort the young princess. She set Zelda down in her crib and looked down at her, curious about what to do about her crying.

"Um... how about some milk?!" Impa exclaimed, holding up a baby bottle and a cute plush toy of a Goron in her hands, "Or maybe Mr. Daruk wants to say hi?!"

Still the baby was crying, and Impa was at a loss. She frantically tried to think of all the ways the queen would do to keep her baby so happy and relaxed, something that she herself could possibly do...

It was then she remembered something, a song that Zelda's mother would often sing. She used to sing it back when the two of them were children in the garden playing together, and even when she was pregnant with Zelda she'd sing the tune to comfort the child while it was growing within her, it was a song Impa could never forget...

The song of the royal family.

Impa looked down at the crying child and gulped a bit. She put her fingers to her lips and started whistling the song. It was a slow and passionate tune, soothing to the ears of anything who heard the queen sing it, and Impa mentally prayed that she could pull it off to a suitable degree.

As she continued, she could hear the crying start to diminish, she looked down to see the baby Zelda was calming down. Impa kept the song going, and saw in delight that the baby had stopped crying.

It was then after a short while she saw a truly surprising sight; Zelda was laying back in her crib, laughing happily. The great bright smile on her face was positively heart-warming to the Sheikah. Impa didn't stop the song though, and continued it until the baby's eyes grew tired and she fell asleep soundly.

Impa slowly ended the song after that, then looked down at the young princess sleeping. The tranquil look on her face captivated her, and she leaned forward on the crib, smiling warmly at the small child. She slowly reached out to Zelda to pat her on the head gently. The happiness she felt just seeing Zelda at peace like this, she wanted to continue to see it, forever if she could.

"You're a beacon to the future of Hyrule little one..." whispered Impa, "And I made a promise to my friend, that I'll watch over her, and you for as long as I'm able to..."

She gave the baby a sweet kiss on the forehead, and went back to whistling the blissful song to help her stay asleep...

* * *

'That's right...' Impa thought to herself, with small traces of tears in her eyes, 'That happiness... not just for the child, but for the parent as well... that's truly what's the most important of all..."

"Hey Impa, you alright?" Link asked, looking Impa over, "You zoned out there for a while."

"Oh," Impa realized she was back in the present, and nodded to him, "I'm fine, just fine Link. In fact, I think there's truth to what you said. Thank you for that."

"Hey, anything for my mentor, and my friend." grinned Link.

Impa blushed a little at the smile Link gave her, as the two looked into each other's eyes.

"So, what do you do want to do then...?" Link asked, "If you don't think you're ready then we can just talk, or play a game or-"

It was then that Impa took him by the back of his head and pulled him into a soft kiss.

Link's eyes widened as she deepened the kiss, her full lips pressing against his own. Link found himself getting into it and started kissing her back just as strong. The two of them fell to their knees on the futon, and then soon broke the kiss, panting out slightly for breath. Impa gave him a suggestive gaze and smiled lightly.

"I am ready Link."

"...well, let's get started then." Link whispered with a grin.

The two went back to kissing again, and started to remove each other's robes, which fell down to their waists around them. Link broke the kiss and gazed at Impa's half-nude body. Despite her age, she was a very beautiful woman, her white hair was undone from the braids and it hung loosely behind her. It was a huge contrast from her short hair eight years ago, and frankly he felt it looked much better on her. Her skin was a healthy tan from years of field training, and she had a fine combination of lean muscle and womanly curves, making her look both fit and yet somewhat motherly.

Impa herself couldn't help but take in the sight of Link as well; he had nice defined muscle. Not overly bulky, but more then she imagined he'd have. His skin was heavily tanned from the time he spent in the sun-scorched desert, and his hair was bleach-blond as well. Yet despite all that had changed about him, he still had those gentle blue eyes and that kind demeanor from when he was a child. She found herself being drawn into his looks, and thinking more and more about the idea of what their child could be like...

"So you're okay, with an older woman like myself?" Impa asked with a light blush.

"Of course I am, you're beautiful." Link whispered, crawling up to her, his robe slipping off his waist as she then saw how okay with her he really was.

"Oh my..." Impa gasped out, before Link silenced her with a kiss.

Link's skilled hands wandered about her lean body, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and he laid her down onto the futons. Soon Impa's own robe went flying off to join Link's beside it...

And the young king and his Sheikah mentor spent a wonderful night together.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. I have to say I had some fun writing some more personality traits for Impa since her OoT self was always kind of... limited in character. The flashback with baby Zelda was a delight to write in particular, seeing Impa grow to care about her as a surrogate mother of sorts.  
**_

_**In addition, I really enjoyed writing Aviel and Saria back in their room, so I included more of that this time.**_

_**Also I absolutely had to throw in another Darunia dance just cause.**_

_**Next time we wrap things with this arc up. Impa will complete her mission, and she'll find herself making an important decision...**_


	56. Decisions for The Future

_**Now it's time for Chapter 56! Impa is set to complete her mission, and she has an important choice to make, while Link has gained new resolve himself. Enjoy!**_

* * *

The next morning came at the Happy Goron Hot Spring, and Impa's eyes slowly opened. She was in her room, and she glanced over at the young man laying beside her. He was sleeping soundly, just as she remembered him from the days when she'd come wake him up during the time she was training him as a child. The difference now though was he wasn't just a child like before; but a grown man, a king to the Gerudo people, and as she learned last night, a fantastic lover.

Impa smiled softly, taking some strands of bleach-blonde hair hanging over his face and pushed it aside to get a good look at him as she thought about what they did last night. Impa knew he had experience with the Gerudo over the past year, but she could have never thought he'd make her feel as good as she did; the way he kissed her, the places he touched her... it was a night she'd never forget.

It was then Link's eyes slowly opened, and he smiled lightly, seeing the woman before him, "Hey Impa, how'd I do last night?"

"Wonderful my protegee." Impa smirked, "I can see Lady Nabooru was a fine mentor to you in many ways..."

She then gave Link a kiss on the lips, then tracing her finger slowly along his chest.

"Or maybe you're just an upstanding student."

"I'm fine with either." grinned Link.

With that Impa got herself up from her futon and started changing into her skin-tight jumpsuit. Link took that moment to get a good look at her figure, the one he was holding closely in his arms and making love to all of last night. For a moment his mind curiously thought about how she would look carrying his child, both within her stomach and eventually in her arms, and the exciting feeling he get from it.

But it was then he also recalled a promise he made to himself before he met with her last night.

"So Impa, I know you said you're ready now, but just in case you have a change of heart, I asked Dr. Sarami to get something for you." Link spoke up to Impa, taking out a small wrapper with something in it from his robe and giving it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, opening the wrapper, and seeing a small rubbery capsule that was colored black inside of it.

"It's a black chu jelly capsule, made from Dr. Sarami's chuchu alchemy research." Link said, "If you take one within seventy-two hours of having sex, it'll prevent any possible chance of you getting pregnant from it."

"That's fascinating." Impa said with wide eyes, "That doctor can do this much with chuchu jelly?"

"Yep, she's definitely a miracle worker, and she's saved my ass a number of times." Link nodded.

"No kidding, after what the cooling jell did to that Talus back in the mines, and her work in treating that dragon, she's an impressive woman. That kind of ability would be invaluable to helping Hyrule with it's own problems." Impa said.

"I'll talk with Sarami and Nabooru about it then. It could be a good way to build some relations with the people of Hyrule if she shared her medical skills with them." Link nodded.

"Sounds good, I'm sure Zelda will be happy to hear of this as well." Impa said.

"Yeah..." Link whispered at the mention of the princess.

Impa paused and looked to Link, seeing the distant look in his eyes again. She nodded to herself and spoke up to the young king.

"Link, I know Zelda's situation is still bothering you... but there's something I want you to know..." Impa said.

"W-What?" Link asked, startled that Impa caught on to his worries so quickly.

As she took her long hair and started braiding it with swift fingers, Impa spoke to him,

"No mater what happens with her marriage to the Fargent prince and her eventual inauguration as queen... she never stops thinking about you and what you did for Hyrule. Despite these peaceful times, she trains in the art of the rapier, not just to strengthen herself, but as a reminder of those happy times the two of you spent together as children..."

Link paused and looked down. As Impa finished with her hair, she stood up and walked up to him, taking him by his cheeks and giving him a gentle, loving kiss on the lips.

"...and no matter what, you're always going to have a significant place in Zelda's heart, my young hero." Impa whispered with a smile.

"Thanks Impa..." Link whispered with a light blush on his cheeks.

"Well, I have to meet with my client soon, I'll see you later." she said.

Link watched as Impa walked on out of the room, unable to take his eyes off her firm rear end as she left. He laid back on the futon they had spent the night making love on, and he then thought deeply about a particular situation he was dealing with over in Gerudo Town, with three certain women he had unresolved business with. He knew he had to answer to them when he got back, and knew exactly what to say.

He then remembered something else, and reached into his pocket, pulling out a certain thing he was holding on his person; a small key on a string in the shape of a pretty green leaf. He held it up into the air and gazed at it, with a faint smile on his face, as he reminisced about where it came from, and the words the person who gave it to him said...

'I almost considered just giving this to Impa and forgetting about it... but I made a promise, and now I know more then ever I intend to see it through.' Link thought to himself.

* * *

"So are you the contact we made?"

"Yes, it's good to finally meet you Ms. Impa, would you like one?"

"Oh, thank you."

Impa sat down on a chair in a private room set up for her by the Gorons to meet with the contact she was to speak with. She sat at a table across from a man who laid back casually on his own chair. The man had handed her an apple to eat, and she took a bite of it after making sure it wasn't dangerous.

"I don't normally do this sort of thing, especially now since I'm currently on the run after everything that happened." said the man. He was a large muscular man in a vest and baggy pants, and had a large beard done into braids. He had a basket of apples beside him which he was taking and crunching into with big mouthfuls, "But I felt it was important to talk about this."

"No worries Mr. Rassan, me and the princess have already agreed to see to your safety in exchange for this information you have." Impa assured him.

"Wahahaha, I appreciate that!" the man named Rassan said with a big hearty laugh.

This was Rassan, the former leader of the slaver organization the Wyvern Keepers. After the slavers were invaded and defeated by Link, Nemisa Nabooru, and the Gerudo, he himself had vanished and was traveling the land, hiding out from Hylian Knights and potential assassins alike.

"So let's cut right to the point, what can you tell us about that item you said you had before, where is it now, and whom might have it at the moment?" Impa inquired.

"Wahahaa, if you're going to play twenty questions with me you have to let me answer one first!" Rassan laughed, as he stroked his beard, "Well to answer your questions in no particular order; about four years ago, my slaver gang were under hard times after the Hylian Knights sought out and captured my boss. Then out of nowhere, we were met by a benefactor who was willing to provide the funding to rebuild our group. I'm still not entirely sure who the person was, but I couldn't pass up the rupees. They only asked for two things in return; a small cut of our profits, and that we acquire for them a certain item, a powerful weapon, using our connections to the black market." Rassan explained.

"Yes, the black market has been dealing in the procurement of many dangerous items and weapons across the lands over the past years..." Impa said, "From what I've been told their own connections have fallen greatly since your group was disbanded."

"And even now even they're after my head as payment for my failure, wahahaha!" Rassan laughed out loud, bits of apple were flying out from his mouth as he did.

'So your worries were right then, Zelda...' Impa thought to herself, 'If the weapon that benefactor wanted is that one you mentioned in particular then...'

Impa paused and continued to think to herself, taking another bite of her apple.

'If that person wanted to remain anonymous even with the Wyvern Keepers, then they're likely of a high position of power and influence... They wouldn't risk keeping that weapon under their personal ownership either... they must have given it to someone else to hold... someone who would be staying in seclusion themselves...'

"Do you have any idea who it is that has the weapon now then?" Impa asked.

"From what I could gather, it's some gang far off in the valley. The one who received the delivery was an old man and some others, though I'm not sure who they were exactly, my team couldn't quite recognize them..." Rassan said.

"Anything about the man in particular?" Impa asked.

"The boys said he was covered up, they only knew he was an old man was because of his voice. Speaking of the voice though, they mentioned he had a weird way of pronouncing the word 'rupee' when they were discussing the payment, for some reason he kept calling it a 'rubee'." Rassan said.

"Huh, that is a bit odd..." Impa pondered to herself, "I see then, thank you for this information Mr. Rassan. I was surprised when I was told you wanted to speak to us about this to begin with."

Rassan's big smile lowered, as he sported a far more serious tone in his voice, "Well I may have been a slaver, but that doesn't mean I don't understand the gravity of this situation... If that weapon falls into the wrong hands, it could very well mean disaster for Hyrule as a whole." he muttered, "I doubt I can ever fully redeem myself for what I've done as a slaver, but I intend to do whatever I can in this life while I still have it."

"...that's quite noble of you." nodded Impa, "If you don't mind me asking, what brought about this desire?"

"I fought someone during the raid on my hideout. A strong warrior who showed me compassion and mercy, despite all that I had done. It made me think a lot about everything going on here in Hyrule, and it made me focus on the bigger picture, you see."

Impa's eyes widened at those words, and in that moment, all she could think of was a certain blue-eyed young man she knew quite well, and smirked lightly.

"Very well then, I'll be off." Impa nodded, finishing her treat and setting the apple core down on the table. She got up and started to walk out, "Thank you for your time."

"Wahahaha! My pleasure, you enjoy yourself here at the resort while you're at it!" Rassan laughed.

"Believe me, I already did..." Impa chuckled as she left.

After Impa was long gone, Rassan simply sat back in his chair and took another apple, crunching into it, as his thoughts drifted to a certain young man with a sword and shield who had confronted and batted him back in the Wyvern's Nest, and changed his view of the world.

"I hope you're doing well with your life right now, my friend..."

* * *

"So you're leaving already?"

Nabooru stood at the exit to Goron City, along with Link, Darunia and the Gerudo, all there to see Impa off.

"Yes, I need to report back to Hyrule Castle. Thank you all for everything." she said bowing at the waist.

"Bwa ha ha, no problem!" laughed Darunia, "Thank you for helping us with the situation in the mines!"

"I'll be including the plight your people had to go through in my report, as well as you speaking with new clients about trading your ore." Impa said, as she glanced to Nabooru with a light smirk, "We'll see if it makes those members of the parliament sweat a little."

"Heh, I like how you think Impa." Nabooru chuckled, "If you ever feel like dropping by our town to observe the progress we've been making over the years you're welcome to it anytime."

"That sounds good. I'm sure the princess would like to hear about it herself." Impa nodded.

"We'd all love to have over Ms. Impa, and if you do decide to have Link's baby I can give you a checkup whenever you want!" Sarami said cheerfully.

"O-Of course, thank you..." Impa said to the doctor with a light blush.

"And thanks again for teaching me about bombling arrows!" Aviel said, holding up her crossbow, "Now I can make my arrows have more punch if I need to!"

It was then an arrow accidentally shot off from her bow, causing it to explode into a cliffside, everyone stared at it blankly.

"Uh, oops." Aviel said sweatdropping.

"Is Impa sure it was wise teaching her that...?" Nemisa asked.

"Well anyway, you take care Impa, and give Zelli- Princess Zelda our regards." Link said to her, quickly correcting himself

"That I will, farewell for now." Impa said, turning and walking off, waving to everyone without so much as looking back, while everyone called out goodbyes to her until she was out of sight.

"So I heard you had some fun with Impa last night, what do you think she'll do about it?" Nabooru spoke up to Link with a snide grin.

"Not certain, but whatever she does, I know she'll make the right choice." Link smiled and nodded.

Nabooru looked to Link closely, seeing the somewhat eager look in his eyes, and smirked knowingly.

"Well with that done, how about we go back to the resort? We still got one more day here thanks to the free pass!" Nabooru spoke out to everyone.

"Yeah! Come on Link, let's go to the mixed bath again! I wanna get a massage from you too!" Aviel chirped out, grabbing his wrist, as well as Saria's, "And Saria said she wants another one as well!"

"I didn't say that!" Sara shouted with a red face.

"Yeah, let's get goin' lover-boy!" Togau grinned, grabbing Link around his free arm, "When we get back to the inn room tonight me and Nemisa got a lot planned between the three of us!"

"Yes, emphasis on 'between' for you, my love." Nemisa purred into Link's ear as she wrapped her arms over his shoulders from behind.

"Uh, wait..." Link stammered in embarrassment, but was quickly taken away by the girls, with Nabooru, Sarami and Reirousa all following after.

"Bwa ha ha, you all have fun and enjoy the resort!" Darunia laughed. He turned back to look out at the view of the land of Hyrule. The Goron smiled proudly and nodded to himself.

"I think this will be the beginning of a great alliance with my brother and his people." he spoke outloud.

* * *

Impa slowly walked down the road of Death Mountain to Kakariko Village to prepare for her trip back to Hyrule Castle and give her report to Princess Zelda. She stopped in her tracks, and took a look up at the mountain she had been staying at for the past few days, and the fine people she had spent that time with, especially her young protegee Link. She turned and saw to her left a vast canyon that went down to a shallow river below. She stared out at it in deep thought of her time meeting with everyone, and especially the wonderful night she spent with Link.

She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a certain gift she received from Link. It was the black chu capsule Dr. Sarami had created to prevent pregnancy. She held it up in her open palm, gazing at it and thinking. She then nodded to herself and slowly opened her mouth...

...before blowing the capsule out of her hand, sending it flying off the side of the cliff and into the depths of the canyon below. She placed a hand to her stomach and gave it a gentle rub, with a light blush on her cheeks.

"You've truly grown over the years Link..." she whispered to herself, "...and I hope this child will grow and mature to be as strong and virtuous as you someday..."

And with that, Impa sent off down the road to complete her mission.

* * *

A couple days later, Link, Nabooru and the gang returned back to Gerudo Town, having been refreshed by the little semi-vacation at Goron City. Thanks to their assistance with the crisis in the mines, and Link's own close bond with Darunia that soon leaked over to Nabooru and the others, negotiations of an alliance between the rock-people and the desert women went splendidly, and Darunia was eager to make sure that the Gerudo's voices would be heard during the meeting with the parliament.

While the others went back to their homes, Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and Saria went back to their rooms at the palace to unpack their things and relax from the trip.

"Hey Nabooru?" Link spoke up to the head lady of the Gerudo in her study.

"What's up?" Nabooru asked as she and her assistant Halei were working on paperwork for the Goron's alliance and trade.

"I'm about to take a warm bath, could you possibly call over you-know-who to my room?" Link asked.

"You-know-who..." Nabooru muttered, then her eyes widened, "Oh, sure! Are you certain?"

"Yeah." Link nodded, "I think I'm ready."

"Alright then, go get em tiger." Nabooru grinned.

Link nodded and went off on his way.

"Is... is he really going to...?" Halei asked with a heavy blush on her cheeks.

"Yep, I think he's learned a lot during our trip." smirked Nabooru. After she completed the last paper she was worked on, the Gerudo leader stretched out and spoke to her assistant, "Hey it's getting late, did you want to quit for the night and go get some dinner at the diner, Halei?"

"Oh, okay!" Halei said brightly, finishing up her own last paper before following off after Nabooru out into town.

* * *

Link stood before his bedroom door, preparing himself for what was in there. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened the door. When he walked in, sure enough, he saw the three child-bearers Nabooru had chosen for him laying back on his bed of pillows he had been sleeping on since he arrived in Gerudo Town.

The three girls were all chatting lightly with each other while doing other activities at the same time. Ragome was juggling some oranges from a nearby fruit bowl, Leivuri was reading a light novel and Esolu was painting her toenails. Ragome's eyes lit up as she was the first to notice Link.

"Oh hey there King Link!" Ragome spoke up and raising up her hand as she caught all three of the oranges with her other hand, "Wassap? You called us here for something?"

"Yes, how was your trip?" Leivuri asked happily, putting a bookmark in her novel and setting it aside.

"Went pretty well, we had a good time." grinned Link, "And I think I learned a few things while I was there."

"Really now, like what?" Ragome asked, tilting her head slightly.

It was then Link leaned down over Ragome, surprising her, as he pressed his lips against hers. Ragome's eyes were wide in shock and her face was a beat red, while Link deepened the kiss further, reaching up and cupping at one of the Gerudo woman's large breasts, causing her to moan out lustfully.

"Oh... oh my!" Leivuri said, covering her mouth.

Esolu simply reacted with wide eyes and holding up a picture on her sketch pad of three exclamation marks.

Link then pulled away from Ragome, and she reacted by leaning toward him a little with her mouth agape, as if she was suddenly deprived of him kissing her in that moment and wanted to reclaim his lips again. He then spoke softly to all three of them at once.

"I think I'm finally ready to give the three of you the children you've been waiting for, and for me to become a father for them."

"Link..." whispered Leivuri crawling forward somewhat nervously, but motivated by the idea of bearing Link's child, as the young Gerudo King turned to her with a grin, giving her a kiss as well. Leivuri moaned out a little herself, while Link's hands trailed along her curvy body, running his hand along her soft, thick thigh.

Esolu meanwhile just paused, looking at the three of them. She took a breath and went forward, pushing Link back to lay on the pillows. She then straddled his waist, and stared down at him, before leaning down and giving him a kiss as well. The two of them made out as Link put his hands on her waist and round butt, rubbing them softly.

Ragome was still in a light-headed daze, as she was hugging herself, gasping out from how forward Link was being, and how much she was enjoying it, as her legs squirmed in desire. She wasn't about to be deprived of her king anymore, and took Link's head, pulling him away from Esolu and towards her. Link and Rogame went to making out as Leivuri came up to the other side and ran her hands along his chest and tickled his ear, using the seduction skills she had learned from her training to entice him further.

As Link broke his kiss with Ragome, he looked to Esolu, who was sitting there on his lap with a wide-eyed expression on her face.

"What's the matter?" Link asked.

It was then Esolu held up her sketch pad to show a picture she did of a cute elephant. It didn't take long for the others to pick up on what she meant with it, considering where she was sitting at that moment.

"Kyyyaaa! Esolu!" Leivuri shouted, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment, "You ruined my image of elephants now!"

"Heh heh, can't help myself." Link grinned sheepishly, "You girls and your sexy bodies have that effect on me."

"Well I'm glad to hear that," grinned Ragome, grabbing Link and practically yanking off his sleepwear in seconds, "So let's get to babymaking!"

"But are you sure about this your highness? You seemed so uneasy about it before..." Leivuri asked, trying not to look directly at his nude toned body.

"I am." Link nodded, "I've learned there's a lot more to being a parent then just the stress and worries, but the happiness and love you feel for them, and I' want the three of you to enjoy that feeling as well."

Esolu sat there contemplating what he said, with a blank expression, before nodding and running her hand along Link's cheek, giving him a kiss on the nose, as if to affirm she was ready to everyone as well.

"Alright then, let's get started." grinned Ragome, pulling off her own clothes, as the three of them all started to move closer to Link. The girls all fondled Link passionately, as his hands went to work on them as well.

And the four spent the night working to bring new life and happiness into the world together, with the desert moon beaming down on them gently through the windows...

* * *

Outside the palace, a group of Gerudo soldiers were returning home from a mission they were on, and arrived back to the war barracks to give the report of their mission to their superior.

"Hello sisters, how was the hunt? Seems as though it went faster then normal." the commanding officer asked.

"The Octorok infestation have been cleared out for now." nodded one of the soldiers, "We're certain there's still plenty hiding, but the numbers are much lower then before."

"Huh. Well General Reirousa will be happy to hear this news, but I wonder what's causing their numbers to decrease all of a sudden...?" the officer spoke.

"Not sure maam, but we have found large numbers of these things everywhere where they usually show up." the soldier said, holding up a purple Octorok air sac.

"Heh, maybe we have some help now." chuckled the officer.

Meanwhile, far, far away from Gerudo Town, up on a cliffside, a mysterious being was watching down over the desert. The being were small of stature, and had long red-orange hair.

After a while of watching, the being seemed to be surrounded, then suddenly disappear into flames, and moments later a large reptilian creature flew over the sands of the desert, letting out a mighty roar.

* * *

Meanwhile that night, back in the Happy Goron Hot Springs resort, a tall long-black-haired man, clad in a resort robe was walking down a hall. A Goron past by and he gave the creature a small wave of greeting, before going into an inn room. Shutting the sliding door behind him, he saw another man kneeling at a table, sipping tea. He walked over and knelt down as well.

"Hello my friend, so what have you learned?" the tea-sipping man asked.

"I'm afraid we were just a moment too late, the dragon left just the other day."

"Damnit, and after all that time we spent planning to sneak into the mines. I was hoping the ghost rumors that were being spread could give us the opportunity we needed."

"Yes, that beast would had been perfect for what we were after..."

The two paused, but it was then the black-haired man smirked lightly.

"On the plus side, I might have found something much better though."

He then pulled out a scroll from his robe and unrolled it, showing it to the tea-drinker.

"I overhead a conversation by a group in the mixed hot spring shortly after the dragon had vanished. It appears the Gerudo have chosen a new king, strangely enough a Hylian man."

"Oh? How odd..."

"Yes, and from what I sensed, he may very well be the one we've been looking for."

As he spoke, the black-haired man pointed at a picture on the scroll. The tea-drinking man looked down at the scroll and almost spit out his drink in shock at this news.

"You're kidding me, that was lost to us ages ago!"

"Yes, and now we know right where it is... it's just a matter of determining a way to unleash it." chuckled the black-haired man.

As the two continued to speak, a robe hung from a hanger in the inn room's closet. It was a silver full-body robe with a hood, and it was decorated with strange blue markings. Attached to the hood was an eye mask of sorts, made to wear completely over the upper half of one's head, and it was decorated with gold lines resembling an eye of some kind that let off a gleam...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, and this arc. I was unsure about whether I wanted Impa to keep the pregnancy or not going through this story, but encouragement from all of you helped me finalize my decision, so thanks for that! I've already decided how I want this story to eventually end, but that doesn't mean I'm not open to new material to write based on responses, so make yourselves heard and I'll take it into consideration!**_

_**Next time a new arc begins, and a certain lady has to finally build up the courage to say what she's wanted to for so long...  
**_


	57. A Great Surprise

**_It's time for chapter 57, and we're moving onto a new story arc. It shouldn't take long at all for you to know who it'll focus on this time! Enjoy!_**

* * *

"_Saria, look at what we got!"_

"_Huh? Who's this, Rulie?"_

"_Isn't he cute? The Great Deku Tree said he just came here, and he's going to be the newest member of the village!"_

"_Yeah, he is cute... so what's his name?"_

"_The Great Deku Tree says it's Link, and he wants us to watch over him so he can grow big and strong!"_

"_I see..."_

"_Hey, you want to hold him Saria?"_

"_Ah, me? I don't know about that!"_

"_Come on, just take him, you're usually good with the newborn Kokiri!"_

"_Ah... um... okay..."_

"_Hee hee, you took to holding him great, in fact I think he already likes you Saria! I bet when he grows up that you two will be great friends!"_

"_You... think so?"_

"_Yep, I know so!"_

"_...that'd be nice. Okay then... Link, as of now, you and I are friends!"_

* * *

Saria's eyes opened and she found herself on her bed in the palace of Gerudo Town. The sun was just beginning to rise outside, but she still felt a bit tired, so she laid back on her bed and thought about the dream she just had.

"I remember that... it was the day I met Link." Saria whispered.

Saria smiled warmly as she thought of the day Link came into her life, and how she took care for him for years as he grew up. She'd teach him about the wilderness of the forest around them, some basic self-defense maneuvers, and how to be kind and compassionate to others, including protecting him from bullies and wild animals, and the two overtime became best and nearly inseparable friends.

...then came the day Link left the forest to go avenge the Great Deku Tree's death, and Saria had wondered at the time if she'd ever see him again. It didn't help that her strange dreams had started around that time; dreams that were very unclear, but seemed to be trying to tell her something about Link and the Forest Temple, and the more times she had that dream, she started becoming more and more convinced it was trying to tell her something... that perhaps she and Link could never be together; as friends, or anything else...

But then Link finally returned one day, stating that the evil demon king that cursed the Great Deku Tree was caught thanks to Link and was soon defeated and captured by the Hylian royal family. There was much rejoicing and congratulations to Link for the part the young hero had done to stop him.

But it was then he confessed something he had come to learn while he was gone; that he wasn't a Kokiri, but a Hylian. Typically according to Kokiri laws imposed by the Great Deku Tree, outsiders weren't allowed in the forest, and Mido had tried to banish him with this news, but Saria was quick to come to Link's defense, and with support from the other kids, declared that Link was still their family despite his birth origins, and that he'd always have a home in Kokiri Forest.

Some time after that, Link said he had to go on a new journey to find someone important to him. He wasn't sure when he'd back, but promised Saria that he would return someday. Saria couldn't help but still feel sad to see him go despite the promise, but she bid him a heartfelt goodbye and prayed to the Great Deku Tree's spirit for his safe return. She spent the next seven years waiting for her prayers to come true.

Eventually he did return, only for her to see he had become a tall, strong Hylian man. As strange as it was to see how much he changed, she and the kids were all quick to welcome him back. Mido in particular was angry he had been gone for so long, but the kids presumed he was most likely just annoyed that Link had grown so much taller then him.

For Link and Saria to be reunited again was amazing, the two would spend their days hanging out in the forest and talking with each other, catching up on old times. Saria was in awe of how big and strong he had grown, yet despite how much he changed on the outside he remained as sweet and kind-hearted as ever to her and everyone else.

A few weeks after that, he had gone on a trip out to Gerudo Valley to fulfill another promise he had made to meet someone there, and much to her surprise, he had later called using her song to tell her that he wound up living with the people there. Link started sending her messages about how he was to become king of the Gerudo, and his relationships with the girls he had befriended and fallen in love with during his time at Gerudo Town, he had even become engaged to the zora princess Ruto.

As happy as Saria was for him, she still felt the fear of the idea that Link was gone yet again... only this time it was possibly for good, and started to believe more and more she had no real place in his life now, like those dreams were trying to tell her...

But it was then after the evil Straw Kid captured her and pulled her into the Forest Temple, Link ignored her attempts to keep him away and went in to save her, then shortly after that accepting her into his new family.

Saria just smiled warmly at those thoughts, it seemed no matter how far apart their lives got, they would eventually come right back together again, and each time even closer then before. Now she was seeing the world and befriending so many great people in it, such as Togau, Aviel, Nemisa and the others, and she and Link themselves were still growing closer together by the day...

She then found herself recalling that time they all went to the hot spring and she got to see his strong lean physique, made even more enticing by his newly tanned skin... She thought about the way he had massaged her back, how he touched her... firmly but gently, and how much she enjoyed it... Saria had felt something within her rise up at that time, a part of her that wanted Link to touch her in more places, for him to kiss her, to take her into his strong arms and make her feel pleasure in ways she thought she never could, like he has done for the women he had taken as his fiances and child-bearers...

"I wonder... if we could ever become..."

Saria blushed at that thought, but then remembered about something else that Dr. Sarami once told her when she went to the clinic for a physical examination, and frowned a little...

"But even if that would ever happen, I can never give him a..."

She sighed and got herself up, taking a moment to look at the calendar she had on her wall, upon realizing what day it was, she smiled brightly.

"It's finally time..."

* * *

"Link, it's time to get up already!"

"Mmh... don't wanna, still sleepy."

"What attitude is that Link? Get up and greet the day!" Saria stated firmly to her friend.

"The day was mean to me yesterday, and I'm petty." Link grumbled, turning and burying his face into his pillow.

Saria let out a sigh as she looked to her slumbering friend. This reminded her of the days when she'd have to drag him out of bed in the morning over at Kokiri Forest, so she knew what she had to do.

"Alright, you asked for it." Saria said, reaching up her hands and wiggling her fingers with a mischievous gleam in her eyes, "It's time for your awakening!"

"Oh no." Link said.

Before Link could do anything, Saria leaped onto Link's back and started tickling him all over his body.

"Hahaahaaha! Stop it! Ahahahaaha! Stop it Saria!" Link laughed out loud uncontrollably, squirming around trying to stop her, but he couldn't grab the Kokiri off of him in the position she was in. This is a tactic she used to do all the time back when he was too stubborn to get up as a kid.

"Surrender then!" Saria said firmly.

"You don't deserve this much power!" Link shouted, biting into his pillow to try and avoid laughing, but it came out as sputtering instead. The tickling continued until Link finally had enough.

"Alright! All right already!" Link shouted. Saria triumphantly got up, as Link forced himself up onto his feet.

"Hee hee, even as a king now, you haven't changed a bit, Link!" Saria giggled.

"Yeah, yeah..." grumbled Link, he slowly wandered over to his clothes he left on a chair to change into, but looked over his shoulder at her, "Aren't you going to leave so I can change?"

"Not going to risk you going back to sleep, you've done that before!" Saria pointed out.

"Well at least turn around so I don't give you a peep show." Link said, working to undo his sleepwear.

"Oh come on, I used to see you all the time like that as a kid." Saria giggled teasingly, "And then there was what happened at the hot spring..."

"Ah.. ha ha... yeah..." Link laughed nervously.

The two of them blushed heavily from that thought, as Saria decided to go ahead and spin around to avert her gaze and give him some privacy.

It had been a month since Link and his friends' trip to Goron City. After arriving back in town, Nabooru and her assistant Halei immediately got to work on sorting out all the matters involving trade with the Gorons, as well as providing them with advice on making the Happy Goron Hot Springs resort more enticing to tourists. Other then that, life continued as normal for everyone. Occasionally they'd have a rebel or two trying to attack the town, but they ended up quickly dealt with, resulting in the rebels either escaping or getting captured and imprisoned.

As Saria was looking away, she took a small breath, and slowly turned her head to see out of the corner of her eye Link sliding his royal garment pants up to his waist, and found herself getting a good look at his firm rear end. He turned a bit and started to put on the vest which gave her a good view of his tanned muscular chest and his toned arms. She fidgeted a bit as she watched him focusing on tying the belt sash onto his waist, while his bleach blonde hair locks fell over his eyes.

It was then Saria realized what she was doing and turned away again before Link could catch her in the act.

'Goddesses, what am I doing?' Saria thought to herself, putting her hands to her cheeks as she was blushing bright red.

"You ready Saria?" Link asked her.

"O-Okay, let's get going!" she said, turning back around and smiling pleasantly.

* * *

"So where exactly are we going?" Link asked.

"I just wanted to go check out a store Aviel mentioned." Saria said.

"If that's the case why'd you rush me out the door? I didn't even get to have breakfast yet." Link said, rubbing his empty stomach.

"I wanted to see about catching an early morning sale. Don't worry about it though, we can stop at Ms. Sovan's diner, I'll even treat you!" Saria said smiling.

"Alright, if you insist." Link said.

Link and Saria went walking down the street of Gerudo Town, and the young king took some time to look around at the bustling town and it's people doing their morning commute.

The Gerudo were happily going about their day; chatting with each other, carrying shopping bags, and a few sparring in combat as others cheered them on. Link smiled warmly, seeing how prosperous things were in the town as of late, despite the hardships they had all gone through. It felt like what he and everyone were doing was really making a difference in their lives.

He turned and looked to Saria, who was humming a happy tune as she walked alongside Link.

"So where's Aviel and Nemisa anyway?" Link asked, "I was hoping we could all do some training together this morning as well."

"Nemisa's practicing her dancing today and Aviel said she was working on crafting more Bombling arrows for the next rebel attack." Saria said, "They said they'll make it up to you later today."

"Oh hi King Liiiink!" called out a voice, as Link and Saria both looked to see a group of four young Gerudo ladies, all waving and sporting flirty smiles.

"Good morning girls!" Link waved back with a polite smile, while Saria rolled her eyes a bit.

The four girls all swooned out at his courtesy towards them, but it was then one of the four girls sported a mischievous grin and spoke out to her sisters...

"Okay girls, you know what to do! Three... two... one..."

"WHOOO!"

With that, all four girls lifted up their tops, showing off their bare chests of varying sizes to Link, his eyes turning to wide dinner plate size at the sight as blood leaked out from his nose. Saria gasped out and covered her mouth in shock.

"H-Hey, cover those up in public! There's little kids around here, you're going to teach them strange things!" Saria shouted in a fit.

"Hmm... good point." one of the flasher girls said looking to the others, who were in agreement as they lowered their tops back into place.

Saria nodded firmly, "Good, I'm glad you agree with-"

Then a second later, the woman cheerfully proclaimed, "So let's take King Link indoors to have some fun with him!"

With that, the four of them all swarmed around Link, knocking Saria out of the way, as they all lifted the young king into the air and started running towards their home.

"Hey, leggo of me!" Link exclaimed out, trying to squirm free.

"Don't kidnap Link!" Saria shouted in anger chasing after them all with her Deku Staff.

* * *

"Hmph, those girls had some nerve trying to kidnap you like that!" Saria spoke with puffed out cheeks, as she and Link headed down the street to the diner.

Saria had managed to chase down Link and the girls and make them give the king up by lassoing them to the ground using her Deku Staff's vines. Despite them apologizing for the attempted kidnapping though, they said immediately after that they would get back to him later for another attempt at their 'fun'.

"I admit I'm flattered by their affection for me, I just wish they wouldn't be so aggressive about it." sighed Link, rubbing his head.

"Well I-" Saria paused on that note. She thought about what she had admitted to Aviel back at the hot spring, how she was having a hard time working up the courage to tell Link her true feelings for him, "Aggressive, huh...?"

"Something the matter Saria?" Link asked.

"Oh nothing. Now let's get that breakfast!" Saria said cheerfully.

"Yeah, I'm starving." Link nodded.

The two of them eventually approached their destination, but just as the two were about to walk into the diner, Link bumped into someone coming out the door who had been distracted with some papers they was reading.

"Hey!"

"Ack, sorry about that, I-" Link stopped in his words when he saw the woman in front of him.

It was a tall Gerudo woman he had never met before. Her red hair was tied back into a small double bun, she had a small mole on the side of her cheek and she wore a pair of thin-rimmed glasses. Her outfit itself was rather unusual for a Gerudo; a white blouse with a dark purple vest over it, and a black skirt that showed off a pair of shapely legs, her legs for that matter were covered in gray stockings and she wore a pair of black high heeled shoes. Her expression was stern and angry, it felt like she was staring right through Link in that moment.

"You need to watch where you are going." the Gerudo said with a tone as sharp and stern as she looked. 

"Now wait a minute, you're the one that ran into him!" Saria pointed out.

There was a brief pause, as the Gerudo continued to just look at Link.

"...so you are the new Gerudo King?" the woman asked, narrowing her eyes a bit more.

"Don't ignore me!" Saria shouted in protest, but was calmed down by Link patting her shoulder.

"Um... yes, I'm Link. Nice to meet you?" Link asked, somewhat unnerved by her stare.

"...I see." the Gerudo said, walking past the two and continuing on her way without so much as a word.

"Hmph... I don't like that woman." Saria said with an angry pout.

"Hey, chill out Saria, it's water under the bridge now." Link assured her, "Come on, let's go eat, then we can go check out that store you mentioned."

"Alright..." sighed Saria as they went into the diner together.

* * *

By the afternoon, Saria wanted the two of them to go back to the palace as soon as possible. Link had wanted to get lunch at one point but Saria insisted they wait until they came home, but wouldn't explain why, so he just decided to go with the flow.

"Well that was a fun day wasn't it?" Saria asked as they went up the stairs of the palace.

"Yeah, though I'm wondering what happened to Sovan at the diner. She normally works today, but we didn't see her at all." Link said.

"Hmm, maybe she's sick?" Saria wondered.

Maybe Link was just reading too much into it, but Saria sounded somewhat vague in her tone for some reason. As the two went into the palace and down the hallway towards the main dining room, Link then realized how dark that room was. He was confused as usually the torches were lit up and the curtains were open at this hour.

"Hey Saria, does something seem off about the palace to you...?" Link asked.

"Yeah... it does..." Saria whispered.

An uneasy feeling overcame Link, wishing he had thought to bring his sword and shield with him. He did have his Fairy Bow though, pulling it out and preparing an arrow.

"Saria, stay on guard." Link whispered quietly. The Kokiri nodded and pulled out her Deku Staff, but after a moment she then grinned a little and started to slowly back away from Link without him knowing...

'Everyone, please be safe...' Link thought to himself about Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and Halei, as he slowly went down the hall, closer and closer towards the dining room...

When he took a step in, it was then a blinding flash of light went off, obscuring Link's vision. It was then a massive amount of light poured into the room by the curtains opening, and when Link's eyes came into focus, he saw what was behind all of this...

"SURPRISE!"

Link blinked in confusion at what was before him; the entire dining room was filled with colorful balloons, streamers, and banners hung everywhere. There was a table covered in various foods and drinks, while another table was covered in brightly wrapped boxes of some kind.

But more importantly standing before him was a large group of familiar faces; the palace dwellers Lady Nabooru, his bodyguard/friend Aviel, his bodyguard/fiance Nemisa, and Nabooru's assistant Halei were all there.

There was also Togau, Dr. Sarami, Reirousa, Sovan and the four other members of the Sandstorm Viper gang, the mystic twins Kesuta and Korume as well as heir mother Koleima, and even a number of the guards that normally patrolled the palace.

His zora fiance Princess Ruto of the Zoras was also there smiling brightly, as well as Nemisa's friends Sumof, Otuko and Ifemi. Even Maifeki, the new mother from back at the medical clinic and even her baby daughter Salil were there.

"Happy birthday Link!" Nabooru said proudly with her arms crossed and a wide smile.

"Wha- birthday?" Link exclaimed as Ruto came right up and hugged him, giving him a big kiss on the cheek.

"I hope you didn't mind being surprised Link, but we couldn't resist!" Saria said, walking up to his side, as she clutched at a small gift box of her own.

"Yes, a happy birthday to you my dear husband!" giggled Ruto, "Oh, you should have seen the look on your face, it was priceless!"

"Well I can't say I was expecting this." Link said blankly.

* * *

"So how did you guys know when it was my birthday? I don't even know when it is." Link asked.

Everyone had gathered around the long dining room table to celebrate Link's birthday, partaking in the huge banquet of various foods, while Ruto herself was snuggling her husband-to-be.

"Well we don't your actual birthdate, but as me and Halei was filling out paperwork to get you officially recognized as the Gerudo King by the Hylian Parliament, Halei wondered what your age was, so I spoke with Saria about the day you were born. While she doesn't know your actual birthdate either since you were adopted by the Kokiri, she did say today was the anniversary that she first met you in the forest!" Nabooru explained.

"Oh right, I remember we used to celebrate that sort of thing back home..." Link realized.

"Yeah, so we all decided we should consider today your birthday and celebrate it like you and I used to in the forest!" Saria said.

"In fact, since you've been here well over a year, that means you should actually be nineteen by now." Nabooru said.

"Huh, I guess so. I never really kept track of my age." Link said.

"Oh my, you grow up so fast Link." giggled Sarami.

"So that means we gotta party twice as hard to make up for missin' yer eighteenth one then!" Togau declared, holding up a drinking cup, "Eat up everyone!"

"Woo-hoo!" many of the girls cheered out wildly.

Link smiled softly and chuckled, the girls always seemed to always have his best interests in mind, seeing not just to his safety, but his happiness as well, and seeing them all enjoying the celebration along with him made it feel even better.

"So that means you knew about this all along huh?" Link said to Saria with a grin, "You were keeping me outside so they could prepare for the party."

"Hee hee, yep." Saria giggled, "It was all worth it for that face you made!"

"No one told me about the party..." Aviel said with an annoyed pout, "I was put on rooftop guard duty all morning and was ordered to let everyone know when you two came back... Why didn't any of you tell me about it?"

"Probably because you would have gotten so excited that you'd blab it out to Link in five minutes." Korume said shrugging.

"Hey, I wouldn't do that, I can keep a secret! I still haven't told anyone else about how you used to be a bed wetter!" Aviel protested.

Everyone stopped talking in that moment and paused for a few seconds, before bursting out laughing their heads off. Kesuta in particular was laughing so hard she was clutching her sides and banging her hand on the table, and even Koleima giggled a little to herself.

"What... was that... little birdbrain...?" Korume said, standing over Aviel with her features darkened, her eyes a blood red, and her entire body coated in icy frost and mist, almost making the mystic look more like a demonic ice spirit.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Aviel pleaded with teary eyes, covering her head with her bird wings as the laughter from everyone continued.

* * *

"Your baby is so cute, Ms. Maifeki!" Saria said with wide eyes, looking to the Gerudo mother's daughter Selil. Maifeki smiled warmly and tickled the baby's stomach, making her giggle.

"Thank you Sister Saria, Selil has been wonderful for me to hold since the day she came into this world," Maifeki said, "Would you like to try holding her yourself?"

"Oh... uh, me?" blushed Saria, "I don't know if I could..."

"Come on." encouraged Maifeki, "You'll do fine."

She handed Selil over to Saria, who sat there in wonder as she held the child in her arms. The cooing laughing baby just lit up the room, and Saria couldn't stop staring at her with a soft smile on her lips. It reminded her of the days she'd help look after the other newborn children of Kokiri Forest, including Link himself back then.

"You really look happy holding Selil like that Saria." smirked Nemisa, "You remind me of the look Link made when he held her back when she was born."

"Heh, as I recall you were trying not to look Nemisa." snickered Nabooru.

"Yes, Link just so happened to be at Dr. Sarami's clinic when I was giving birth to her, and he did so much to comfort me during that time!" Maifeki said with a nostalgic smile, "He held my hand so strongly and his words were so soothing and compassionate..."

Saria blushed at hearing those worlds, while Link was on the other side of the dining table, just leaning forward on it with one elbow as he looked curiously to Saria cuddling the baby in her arms. Maifeki glanced to Link, then to Saria and chuckled knowingly.

"So tell me Saria, have you thought about having a child yourself? You seem so good with Selil!" Maifeki spoke out.

"I um..." Saria stammered, and lowered her head a little, "That's... not really possible for me..."

"Houh, why'sh thaht?" Kesuta asked with her mouth half-full of food, spitting a bit of it out in the process, which grossed out her sister Korume.

"We Kokiri aren't actually able to have children..." Saria explained.

"Wait, you're serious?" Korume asked as she used her hand to close Kesuta's mouth for her.

Sarami adjusted her glasses and spoke to everyone, "Allow me to explain, I gave Saria a full physical exam a while back after she arrived, and I learned much about her and her people's anatomy from it."

"A little too much examining..." Saria muttered with a pale face as she recalled that day.

Sarami continued, "You see, just as Chief Darunia and his Goron people originate from rock minerals, Saria and the Kokiri are more in line with the Plantae Kingdom; a subspecies of Spermatophytes to be more specific, so they don't have sexual reproductive systems like Gerudo or Hylains do. In addition, unlike actual plants, Kokiri have a limit to their physical growth, which is why they remain as cute little children their whole lives!"

"Ayayaya..." Aviel muttered with spiraling eyes, trying to absorb the knowledge of what Sarami said.

"I think Dr. Sarami broke Aviel again." Nemisa said.

"Wow, so Saria's basically a plant?" Reirousa asked, taking a hydromelon from her bowl and chomping into it, then spitting out the seeds into a smaller bowl, "Couldn't you just produce a seed like these and grow a kid then or somethin'?"

"Eh... it doesn't work like that." Saria said sweatdropping.

"So you can't have a kid yourself then? That really sucks." Kesuta frowned with a sympathetic look in her eyes, "You're such a sweet girl, and you're so good with the Gerudo kids here in town. We were hoping you'd be able to have one for yourself."

"Oh, no it's fine. I was never really interested in having one anyway." Saria laughed, waving her hand dismissively.

"If that's the case, how do your people reproduce then, if you don't mind me asking?" Nemisa asked curiously.

"One of the Great Deku Tree's tasks as the forest guardian was to bring new life into our forest when he choose to, and we Kokiri would take care of them until they grew up enough." Saria let out a sad sigh, "After Ganondorf took his life, we weren't sure what was going to happen with our people."

Link grimaced at that thought, recalling back when he tried to fight the curse on the Great Deku Tree as a child, but was unsuccessful in saving him... the Great Deku Tree could only give him the Kokiri Emerald in his last moments, which kick-started his quest to stop Ganondorf. He could never forgive the demon king for what he had done, but he couldn't forgive himself either for failing to be able to help the forest guardian...

"Thankfully, a little after Ganondorf was captured by Link and the royal family, the Great Deku Sprout grew out, and once he matures, he'll be able to start creating more of our kind." Saria said.

"Oh... that horrible king of ours... I never knew that." gasped Maifeki, "I'm sorry he did such a terrible thing to your people..."

"Hmph, I'm not surprised that accursed man would go that far. After all he was raised by those despicable witch ancestors of mine..." Koleima scowled, recalling what Twinrova had tricked her and her late sister into doing...

"Yes, he would stop at nothing to gain the power protected by the royal family, to meet his ends he blocked off the Goron's food supply..." Nabooru said.

"...and cursed our Lord Jabu Jabu with a similar fate to the Kokiri's guardian." Ruto added with her cheeks puffed out, "If it hadn't been for Link's help he might have met a similar fate to the Great Deku Tree."

"I apologize again on behalf of the Gerudo for that Sister Ruto..." Nabooru spoke with a sigh, "I can only hope your people will be comfortable meeting with us when we go to discuss the alliance."

"Ah, don't trouble yourself about it Lady Nabooru, it's not your fault." Ruto said smiling, "I'm sure things will go swimmingly for us all." she added with a small joke to lighten the mood.

"...y-yeah..." Nabooru said somewhat distantly, which confused the fish woman.

"Maybe we outta change the subject, we shouldn't be dwellin' on things like that during Link's birthday!" Togau brought up.

Everyone agreed on that, and the party continued as before.

"Um, so Ms. Maifeki, may I possibly hold little Selil...?" Ruto asked, sitting down beside her and Saria.

"Oh of course Princess Ruto! It'd be an honor!" Maifeki said happily, slowly taking Selil from Saria and handing her over to Ruto.

"Aw, she's such a little cutie!" giggled Ruto as she cuddled the child.

"Waaahhh!"

Everyone sat there and watched as Selil had burst out into tears almost immediately after being placed into Ruto's arms. The Zora Princess sweatdropped as she held the baby, then tried rocking her back and forth in an effort to comfort her.

"Um, it's okay, don't cry!" Ruto said frantically, but Selil just continued to wail out. "Maybe she's hungry?" Ruto asked, handing Selil back to her mother.

"Perhaps. Are you hungry again honey?" Maifeki asked her child. As soon as she took Selil though, the baby calmed down and stopped crying.

"Huh?" Ruto asked .

Maifeki then gave Selil back to Saria who held her, and the baby was right back to giggling and smiling.

"She seems okay now, why don't you try holding her again Ruto?" Saria suggested, handing her back over to the zora.

"Selil's gonna get dizzy being passed around like that." Link said sweatdropping.

"Okay then." Ruto nodded, taking Selil, only for her to start breaking out into wailing tears again, "Oh come on! What am I doing wrong, Maifeki?"

"I don't know, I've never seen her do this before!" Maifeki said in confusion.

"Maybe she doesn't like the smell of fish?" Kesuta suggested with a grin, only to be whacked upside the head by a flying bowl, "Gack!"

"Hmph, this is just weird..." Ruto muttered, looking somewhat worriedly over to Link, who was just watching.

Ruto paused, as she handed Selil over to him. Link took the baby in his arms she immediately stopped crying, going back to smiling and giggling like before. Link smiled warmly, recalling back when he held her shortly after her birth, and the wonderful feeling he had even back then.

"Alright, then it's my turn again! My darling husband and myself with a sweet little baby!" Ruto said cheerfully, taking Selil back and smiling beautifully at her, only for the baby to break out crying again.

'Poor Ruto.' Nabooru thought sweatdropping.

"Oh come ooon!" Ruto shouted in annoyance. It was then she had a disturbing thought in her mind, as she looked around frantically to try and find someone who could potentially disprove her theory.

Ruto then saw a servant place a bowl of more hydromelon slices beside Reirousa who politely thanked her for it, but the muscular woman was unwittingly giving the servant a sharp angry glare that spooked her away, and an idea occurred to the zora princess.

"Here Reirousa, why don't you hold her?" Ruto said smiling pleasantly, handing Selil over to her.

"Uh... I dunno about that..." muttered Reirousa, "It's crying too much and um..."

"Oh just take her!" Ruto said, practically shoving Selil into Reirousa's arms. The muscle-bound woman gulped as she nervously held the kid in her arms as gently as she could.

"It... it's not gonna drool or poop on me is it?" Reiorusa asked worriedly, looking down at the crying baby with her usual unintentionally intimidating stare, "Uh... there there, don't... cry?"

'There...' thought Ruto with a confident smirk, 'Now I have proof it isn't just m-!"

"Actually she's kinda cute now that she ain't cryin' anymore."

"HUH?" Ruto exclaimed with wide eyes.

Sure enough, despite Reirousa's unintentional glare she was known for making that could scare off even the mightiest foe, Selil had stopped crying and was back to laughing happily.

"Uh, she doesn't seem that weirded out by me... maybe I'm softening up too much? I gotta get back to training after the party..." Reirousa muttered, handing Selil back to her mother.

"Oh I wouldn't say that, I think she just likes you a lot!" Maifeki said, she then looked over to Ruto, "Oh wait, I didn't mean it like that-"

But Ruto stood there with her usual pale blue scaly skin now paled completely white, and a long, distant look in her eyes, as she collapsed beside Link and held him tightly around his chest.

"It's alright Ruto," Link sighed, trying to console his zora fiance by patting her head, "Maybe Selil's a little bit of a picky baby."

"Sure... that's what it is..." Ruto sniffled.

Link frowned as he held her closely, running his hand over her bulbous head to comfort her. It was clear this was bothering her for more reasons then just Selil not liking being held by her, and he knew he'd have to ask her about this some other time...

"Awww, they're so sweet together!" Nemisa's friend Ifemi said, looking to Link and Ruto, "I didn't think I'd see a Hylian and Zora as lovers like this, but there you go! Guess true love can even surpass the borders of species!"

"So what, you thinking of getting with a male Zora then?" Sumof asked Ifemi, "I heard they can't have kids with us."

"Eh, maybe. I've seen some pretty handsome Zora dudes, like Ruto's bodyguard. Maybe I don't really need a kid that much as long as we're in love!" Ifemi said with a nod.

As Saria was helping Maifeki play with Selil, the Kokiri's eyes it up upon hearing what Ifemi said. She paused on that note and started thinking deeply to herself.

"Well put Ifemi." Nabooru said with a nod. "If you'd like you can come with us to Zora Coast when we meet them for the alliance and you can go husband-hunting!"

Nabooru then took a gaze over at Saria and saw the look in her eyes as she watched Link and Ruto holding each other. She smirked lightly at the way Saria couldn't keep her eyes off them, and wondered if she'd take the words of Ifemi to heart...

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, but the party is still going. Saria is starting to think more about her situation with Link, but little do they know a new problem is going to arise... **_

_**As always leave a like, follow or review if you desire, your feedback is always encouraged!**_


	58. Gifts That Keep on Giving

_**Welcome back everyone, it's time for chapter 58! The party's getting into full swing, but just what awaits Link on his nineteenth year...?**_

* * *

Link's birthday party continued through the day, and it soon came time to bring out the gifts everyone had gotten him. It was a pretty large stack of various shapes and sizes, all brought by the people of the palace and the guests, even a few of the guards attending had some gifts for him.

"Jees guys, you didn't have to get me anything..." Link said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, "I'm not a child anymore..."

"But we didn't get a chance to celebrate your birthdays from when you were a kid, so we have to catch up on that!" Aviel said.

"Yeah, we didn't have much to hand out for birthdays at Kokiri Forest besides flower arrangements and fruit bowls." Saria said, "But as a Hylian and now a Gerudo, I think you should have the chance to celebrate like one!"

"...well alright, if you're all gonna put it that way, bring em on!" Link nodded with a big eager grin.

"So much for not being a child anymore." giggled Korume in amusement.

Link started to receive and open each of the gifts from the girls attending the party; Nemisa had gotten him some imported cologne, Togau got Link a new travel canteen and so on. It warmed Link's heart to see just how much the girls all thought so much about him, and he knew he'd have to do more now then ever to help them all and see to their happiness in return.

"So what's this Sarami?" Link asked, holding up a green corked bottle from the wrapping paper.

"It's a bottle of your favorite chu jelly mix drink!" Sarami said proudly, "Aviel told me how you like it, so I developed it from my samples at the clinic. It's fermented too, but please drink it responsibly!"

"Jees, thank you." Link said, flattered by Sarami's thoughtfulness.

"That gift comes with a bonus too!" Sarami said mischievously, as she gave Link a gentle kiss on the cheek, causing his face to flush red as the other girls looked with wide eyes.

"Oooh... so is the head doctor next in line for your fiances, King Link?" grinned one of the Sandstorm Vipers.

"Ah w-well..." Link stammered as all the girls looked at him curiously, "I don't know if she would... really.. she says she doesn't... want to, uh..."

"Oh come off it Link, we saw how close you two were back at the hot spring resort." snickered Togau, "How 'bout after this party you two go into the bedroom together and do some hot bonkin'?"

"Hey, I already called him for tonight!" Ruto exclaimed, holding an embarrassed Link tightly.

Sarami seemed to be in thought as she said with a mischievous grin as her glasses let off a gleam, "Well he's quite sweet, and from what I saw back then, well built to perform..."

Sovan, the other four Vipers and Nemisa's three friends all practically spit out their drinks upon hearing that and started asking many questions to Link's fiances and bedmates, like how good he looked in the nude, how well he took to pleasuring them in bed, and how many kids they wanted to have.

All this just resulted in Link becoming even more embarrassed, covering his head with an empty bowl.

"You're pure evil, you know that Sarami?" Nabooru said to the doctor with a smirk.

"Fu-fu-fufufu..." Sarami just giggled.

* * *

"Um, so I don't have anything to give you today, my beloved king..." Leivuri spoke up with a small blush after everyone calmed down, "But I'm working on a project that I plan to give you as soon as I'm done." with that, she held up a piece of black cloth that was about the size of a large handkerchief, "It's a royal cape for when you go to meet with the Parliament, I just hope I can complete it before then."

"That's really thoughtful Leivuri." Link nodded, "Just don't push yourself too hard, especially if it turns out you are pregnant."

"Yes, of course." Leivuri said with a light smile, as she rubbed her stomach with her free hand.

"When are we going to find out about that anyway?" Aviel asked, bouncing up and down on her seat, "I wanna see Link finally become a daddy!"

"It'll be a little longer before I can get a definite result." Sarami said, "But the fact the three aren't menstruating is a good sign!"

"Man-stew... eat-ing... what does that mean?" Aviel asked tilting her head.

"Well 'eating man-stew' is what you get when you put your mouth over Link's-" Togau was cut off by Nemisa whacking her upside the head.

"It just means what happens when you bleed out in 'that' spot." sighed Nemisa.

"Ooooh, right... _that_ thing." Aviel said, glancing to the side with a slightly annoyed look in her eyes.

"Is the dining table really the time to talk about that kind of thing?!" Nabooru shouted.

"Kukuku, now have our gift Link." Korume said, sliding their gift box to him, "Me and Kesuta made this just for you... …me mostly..."

"Hey!"

Link stared down at the package with a pause, then up to the two girls who just gave it to him.

"Are you girls sure this is just a normal gift...?" Link asked skeptically, recalling the past times the mystic twins pulled pranks on the group, most notably the fire and ice wisps they used as ghosts to haunt the palace, or the stunt Kesuta pulled at Togau's ranch with the cow.

"Hey that's mean, we worked really hard on it!" Kesuta said with a pout.

"This isn't a prank, we wouldn't do that to you one bit." Korume nodded in agreement with a rhyme to Kesuta's words.

Link looked to the two, and the sincere look in their eyes, and he nodded to himself.

"Alright then, sorry about that girls, I'll trust you." Link said as he gave a heart-warming smile to the two of them. Kesuta practically melted from the sight as Korume put her hands to her cheeks blushing, while Link opened the gift box.

"T-This is...!" Link exclaimed in shock as the others gathered around to see what was inside...

The gift box was filled to the brim with many cookies, all decorated with frosting and hearts on them in colors of orange and blue, and drawn on the hearts themselves were Gerudo symbols Link recognized as 'love' and 'happiness'.

"C-Cookies? You two made these?" Nemisa asked looking up at the twins in shock.

"They look delicious..." Aviel muttered with a bit of drool hanging from her mouth.

"Yeah, these do look great..." Link said, picking one up, he sported a great smile, "Thank you two so much." he said as he went ahead and took a bite into one of the cookies.

"Guess we could trust em after all!" Togau said with a grin.

"GIRK!"

Everyone heard a strange sound and looked to Link. His entire face was pale white and grimaced, he clenched his teeth, as his pupils shrank down into a wide eyed stare.

"Link?!" Saria exclaimed in panic.

"It's...t-too..." Link muttered, then swayed around in a daze, before falling backwards as Nabooru caught him.

"Link, hang in there!" Nabooru shouted in desperation, she looked to the twins who seemed just as surprised, and shouted to them, "What the hell did you two put in these cookies?!"

"Nothing bad, we swear!" Kesuta exclaimed, quickly filled with concern for Link as well.

"Could it possibly be the cookies were somehow poisoned by an assassin?!" Nemisa asked, looking over Link to make sure he was still conscious.

Nabooru broke out into a cold sweat at the possibility, as a thought occurred to her...

"No, my beloved husband!" wailed Ruto in tears.

"Please clear the way and allow me to check him!" Sarami shouted, kneeling down to Link and looking him over, "Hm, he's not experiencing any symptoms of poisoning, and there's nothing toxic on his tongue.."

As the girls were all crowded around concerned for Link's well-being, Sovan meanwhile looked over to the gift box herself, took a cookie, sniffed at it and then nibbled on it just a bit, before spitting it right our.

"YUCK!" Sovan shouted, then turned to the twins, "You two didn't use salt instead of sugar for these things, did you?!"

"Huh?" everyone asked at once.

"What? Of course we didn't!" Kesuta protested.

"Hm, wait... as that I recall, you were the one retrieving the sugar when I asked for it..." Korume muttered to her sister, "Don't tell me you actually..."

"No way, I'm not that stupid!" Kesuta said defensively, taking a cookie and biting into it, "There's no way I mistook-"

Keusta then froze up, with a similar expression to Link's. She started to sway left and right, before collapsing backwards onto the ground.

"You really _are_ that stupid, sister." Korume muttered as everyone else just let out a collective sigh.

* * *

"Okay husband, now you can open my gift!" Ruto said cheerfully, holding up a sizable, heavily decorated box.

After Link and Kesuta snapped out of their illness from the salty cookies, and Kesuta was done apologizing to everyone, they went back the gift opening, and Ruto was the second-to-last on the stack.

"Alright then." Link nodded, opening it up. Inside the gift box was a fancy blue tunic with matching boots and gloves that appeared to have fin-like attachments and webbed ends where the fingers and toes would go, and a long cap with a fin shape at the end.

"Woah, so what is this?" Link asked.

"This is a Zora Master's Tunic, I had it crafted just for you honey! It's made of the enchanted material that normal Zora Tunics are crafted from to help you breathe underwater, while the boots, gloves and cap are used to help you swim more efficiently!" Ruto boasted.

"Very nice, I love this design..." Nemisa said, running a hand along the material.

"I know you guys sell Zora Tunics, but I've never seen something like this." Link said surprisingly.

"I thought you'd appreciate having it for when you all come to meet with my people about the alliance." Ruto nodded, "And now with this you and I can spend all night in the water if we desire!" she said with dreamy suggestive eyes.

"That doesn't sound too bad actually." Link said grinning to Ruto as he thought about what they could do underwater...

"Hey, no doing stuff like _that_ in the pool." Nabooru said sternly.

Link went ahead and put the cap on his head, adjusting it so it would fit almost completely over his hair, though there were two strands sticking out and hanging down from his sides.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Hee hee, you look almost like a Zora with that!" giggled Saria, "What do you think Ruto?"

Ruto sat there staring with a bit of drool hanging from her mouth before shaking it off, "J-Just fine, I suppose!"

"Think she approves big time!" snickered Togau.

"Let's see.. this last one's from Nabooru," Link said looking it over. The paper was rather loosely wrapped around the square flat box then the others, and some parts looked like they were torn in the middle of the wrapping.

"I'm, uh, not very good at that sort of thing..." Nabooru said looking to the side embarrassingly.

"It looks just fine." Link grinned. She had went through all the trouble to wrap the item up herself, which meant more to him then anything. He undid the paper, opened the box, and everyone sat in awe of what it was.

It was a medium sized shield, with steel edges and the material used for the main part was black colored, with silver and gold used to decorate it. The shield had various Gerudo markings lining the sides of it, and in the center was the design of a womanly being with six arms, each arm holding a different symbol of a weapon.

"That's Hotaig, the war goddess on the front isn't it?" Korume said with wide eyes, "So that's what you were working with mother last week to get?"

"Yes, this is the Hotaig Shield, an ancient treasure of our people." Nabooru said, "As the goddess of war, she had it crafted from tempered steel and refined opal to resist the power of nearly any weapon crafted by mortal man." she placed a hand on her king's shoulder, "And as our king, you deserve to hold it proud and to fight for what you believe in. Our war goddess has bestowed it onto you with her blessing."

"Me and Lady Nabooru performed a ritual to the goddesses for permission to use it's power. You should have seen how eager Nabooru was when we retrieved it from Hotaig's shrine." Koleima said with a giggle.

"Heh..." Nabooru muttered with a light blush, "T-That's enough Koleima..."

"This shield is really impressive..." Link said, holding it up, then equipping it, "I'll use it from now on to protect myself and everyone. Thanks Nabooru, Ms. Koleima."

"It was our pleasure son-in-law." said Koleima, happy to be able to refer to Link like that.

"Come on Saria!" Aviel then said anxiously, "Give him _your_ gift now!"

"I... um..." Saria stammered, "O-Okay... it's not as nice as Nabooru's but..." with that Saria pulled out and handed Link the small wrapped box she was holding before, but too nervous to hand it over immediately. He undid the paper and opened the box to see what was inside; a small wooden brown and green medal carved carefully with the image of a tree on it.

"Aww, how cute!" Nemisa's friend Otuko said looking at it.

"This is nice Saria, where'd you get it?" Link asked, "It looks kind of familiar..."

"I um..." Saria looked to the side, then spoke in a really small voice, "I'm not very good with picking out gifts... and... I sorta... made it?"

"You made this? It looks like something crafted by the higher powers above!" Koleima said in surprise.

"I just went to Kokiri Forest through the warp point and took a small piece off of the tree we built your house from. I just thought maybe you'd like a piece of the village you came from with you..." Saria spoke, blushing lightly.

Link smiled softly, gazing at the medal, and the picture carved into it. It may not have been the most glamorous gift he had received that day, but just the sheer amount of effort she had put into making this meant the world to him. The medal also meant a lot more then Saria had probably meant to, as he recalled the time he saw her again in the dark future...

Taking a look up at Saria and seeing the embarrassed look on her face, and he knew what he had to do in that moment. Link got himself up and walked over to where Saria was, kneeling down and giving her a soft hug.

"Thank you Saria... I'll keep it by my side." Link whispered.

Saria was taken back by Link's loving hug. His arms were strong, but he was so gentle as he held her, and she found herself having trouble resisting the urge to hold him back.

But the two were taking out of the moment by a collective amounts of loud "Aww!"s from everyone else there.

Link and Saria paused, then quickly separated with blushing red looks on their faces as everyone laughed out loud. Korume in particular looked to the Kokiri girl with a small knowing smirk on her lips...

* * *

After Link properly thanked everyone attending the party for coming and the gifts, they all went back to friendly chatting among each other.

"You doing alright Saria?" Aviel spoke up to the Kokiri, sitting down beside her and Nemisa's friend Sumof, as the three watched Link nervously working up the courage to pet Togau's pet cucco Imra, by the rancher's encouragement.

"Oh, um, y-yes." Saria said blushing.

"So what's Link doing anyway? He looks nervous with that cute bird." Sumof asked in curiosity.

"I think he's trying to get over his fear of cuccos. Apparently he had a lot of bad experiences with them as a kid." Saria said.

"Fear huh...?" Aviel asked, "Hey Saria, can we talk?"

"Hm? About what?" Saria asked taking a sip of water.

"About you liking Link." Aviel bluntly said, causing Saria to spit out her drink.

Just as Link was about to pet the Imra the cucco, the water had flown across the table and all over Imra, who glared angerly up at Link, before flying up and pecking at his head. This prompted Link to panic and run away from the mad cucco while Togau frantically chased after them.

"Don't say that in front of everyone Aviel!" Saria exclaimed.

"Hee hee, don't worry about it Saria, they all pretty much know at this point." Aviel grinned.

"It's really that obvious huh...?" Saria asked sighing.

"When I first met Link he was pretty shy around girls, and he still is, but I think time has made him a lot more bold then he used to be, at least that's what Nemisa, Togau, the twins and Ruto have told me." Aviel said, "We can tell he wants to be the same with you, but he's having a harder time admitting it."

"O-Oh...?" Saria asked.

"I'm not sure what's holding him back at this point, but I think you should do your part too. You just need to be a little more... aggressive with him!" Aviel nodded.

"Aggressive with him...?" muttered Saria, remembering what happened that morning with the four flashing girls. Aviel then suddenly wrapped the Kokiri in a hug with her bird wings.

"We all love you as our sister Saria, and we want you to be happy with Link... Just keep that in mind, okay?" Aviel asked.

Saria smiled lightly a the girl's encouraging words. Link would often tell Saria that despite how childish and ditsy she could be, Aviel could have moments of mature wisdom. She then returned the hug of friendship to the bird girl.

"Thanks Aviel." Saria nodded.

"Gyyyaaah!"

It was then the two watched as Link went running past them with Imra and a whole flock of cucco chasing after him. Oddly enough some cows went running by at the same time, along with a pack of goats and even a dog balancing on a beach ball following after them. As absurd as that was, Togau made things weirder by running by after them all in her Lynel form, with a group of guards in pursuit of the rancher, apparently mistaking her for a monster again.

"You guys throw weird parties." Saria said sweatdropping.

"Uh-huh." Aviel agreed.

The celebration of Link's birthday continued through the evening. Everyone spent their time happily playing and chatting with each other through the afternoon and well into the evening.

* * *

"Now, watch carefully everyone." Ruto said to Link, Aviel, Nemisa and Nabooru, as she stood before a line of empty glass bottles stacked alongside each other on a table.

She brought up her hand and pointed her thumb upwards and her index finger outward, then a spiral of water started to from, and from that a shot of water flew out from her finger, it went shooting across the room at incredible speed and impacted directly into a bottle, knocking it over. She then proceeded to shot down the rest of the bottles with quick and precise aim.

"That was such a cool trick Ruto!" Aviel said with her goggles on to get a good look at the water shot. "I didn't know you could spray water from your finger like that! It looked like it was going at least three hundred and fifty feet per second!"

Ruto smirked and blew some water off the tip of her finger, "Just a little trick only the most elite Zoras such as myself can perform. You haven't seen the extent of what I can do!"

"Would you not put my old alcohol bottles up front and center like that?" Nabooru complained.

The party had ended some time ago, and the guests had all returned to their homes, leaving Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, and Ruto alone to try out the various gifts Link received that day.

"Alright then Ruto, give me the extent of what you got!" Link shouted, holding up the Hotaig Shield.

"Okay, if you insist my husband!" Ruto nodded, aiming and firing a particularly powerful shot at Link. While the impact made him back up a little, the attack sure enough bounced off the shield.

"Heh, as expected of you. It looks like you already got the hang of our war goddess' shield Link!" Nabooru grinned.

"Yep, I'll be relaying on this from now on." Link nodded.

"So how does this cologne stuff work?" Aviel asked, looking over the bottle, "It's supposed to just make Link smell good?'

"Now wait a minute, be careful with that, it cost a-" Nemisa spoke up, but was cut off by a squirt of cologne getting on her when Aviel squeezed the cap too hard, "..lot."

"Hey, you do smell good!" Aviel said leaning forward and sniffing at Nemisa, before her partner went chasing after her around the room in a fury.

The young king Link then took a moment to look around and ask, "Hey, has anyone seen Saria?"

"She said she had something to do in her room, but she'd come back for when we all go to the pool later." Aviel said.

"Alright, I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with the tunic Ruto got me." Link nodded.

"Link..."

It was then a voice spoke up, getting everyone's attention.

"Huh?" Link asked, looking around.

"Link..." repeated the voice, as they all saw Saria slowly walked into the dining room. Everyone looked in confusion at Saria as she slowly walked up to the group with her head hung downwards. Her body was slowly swaying around as she moved right up to Link.

"Saria...? What's the matter?" Link asked with concern, leaning downward a bit to try and look her over.

"Don't tell me she ate one of Kesuta's cookies." Nabooru spoke with worry.

It was then Saria's head suddenly rose up and she lunged at Link, wrapping her arms around his waist, and knocking him over onto the ground, surprising everyone.

"What th-?" Nemisa stammered.

Link found himself laying back on the ground, with Saria holding him tightly, nuzzling her head affectionately against his chest as her body rubbed against him. Link's face had turned heavily red from how she was acting.

"W-What on earth has gotten into her?!" Ruto exclaimed.

"Saria, what's going on?" Link exclaimed.

"Link... I want you..." whispered Saria, with her face buried against his chest, before looking up at him with a dreamy expression on her face, "I want you to take me, and touch me all over... please make me yours right now!" she then shouted.

Saria crawled up so her face met with his, she stared into his eyes for a second, before she closed her own eyes, and moved her lips towards his own. Link was at a loss about how to react to his closest friend, his first instinct was to pull her off to see what was wrong with her, but a certain part of him deep inside was tempted to hold back... He then found himself snapping back to reality though as Nabooru grabbed Saria by her top and lifted her up into the air.

"Okay, that's enough of that!" Nabooru said.

"What's wrong with her?" Nemisa asked, looking Saria over as she hung limply from Nabooru's hand, muttering incoherently to herself.

"I have no idea, she's never acted like that before!" Link said, sitting up.

'I didn't think she'd be THAT aggressive...' Aviel thought to herself.

"Link.. I want to... I want you to lo-... want... touch..." Saria continued to mutter.

Nabooru took that moment to get a good look at the Kokiri girl and saw the expression in her eyes, they had a sort of purple tint to them. They definitely didn't look natural, like there was something afflicting her. She narrowed her eyes upon the realization of what was going on and called out loud,

"Okay you two, come on out here and explain yourselves!"

"Kee hee hee... looks like we were caught, and our little trick has been blown." a familiar voice said from the shadows.

"We probably should have waited until our lovely king was alone." another said, as two girls stepped into the room.

"Kesuta and Korume? We should have guessed." Nemisa said narrowing her eyes, "What have you two done with Saria?"

"It's fine, no worries, we just put her into a temporary trance." Kesuta said waving her hand dismissively.

"We were hoping she'd go far enough to at least remove his pants." Korume giggled with a rhyme.

Nabooru set down Saria gently and was about to punish the two mystics, but Link just slowly stepped up to them. His features were darkened which caused the giggling twins to stop and freeze up in worry, before Link firmly whacked the two girls on the forehead with his hands in a chopping motion.

"Ow! No need for that!" Kesuta exclaimed with upset tears in her eyes, but shut up when she saw Link's expression.

"What... did you do to her exactly...?" Link asked, clearly cold and angry with his twin wives.

"All.. all we did was use our new hypnotic technique on her... it will wear off soon!" Korume said nervously.

"Wait, hypnotic? Since when have you two known hypnotism?" Nemisa asked.

"Just recently, our mother has been helping us get down the basics." Kesuta said.

"It's a magic that runs in our family, but only after extensive training can we use it effectively." Korume said.

'Oh right, Twinrova tried to use that on both Nabooru and Kesuta before in the past.' Link remembered.

"But why would you do something like that to Saria?" Aviel shouted.

"Well..." the twins trailed off, but then it was interrupted by Saria moaning out.

The Kokiri girl's eyes flickered, and went back to their bright blue from before. She blinked her eyes and few times and looked around.

"Huh...? What happened... to...?" Saria muttered.

"Oh! You okay there Saria?" Link asked with concern, leaning towards her.

Upon seeing Link''s face so close to hers Saria's own face turned bright reed, as memories of what she was doing a minute ago wee recalled.

"L-Link, I... I..."

And with that Saria passed out in Link's arms, and he let out a soft sigh.

"I guess she's okay now, I'll go ahead and get her to bed." Link went ahead and lifted Saria up in his arms.

"I'll have Dr. Sarami come back tomorrow morning to make sure she's okay." Nabooru affirmed, but with a slight look of unease.

"Thanks Nabooru." Link spoke, then added coldly to the twins without so much as looking at them, "I love you two, but you need to answer for this later..."

"We're sorry!" Kesuta and Korume both shouted as they hugged each other in fear.

* * *

Link carried Saria in his arms off down the hallway to her bedroom. Despite her being asleep, she was clinging her hands to his vest. Link couldn't help but blush a little as he brought Saria to her bed and set her down onto it, pulling the sheets over her.

"Good night Saria." Link whispered.

Saria laid there, muttering a "Night..." but it was then she did something that caught Link completely off guard.

Even though she was deep in sleep, she had risen her head up and was puckering her lips just a little, as if she was expecting a goodnight kiss.

Link blushed at seeing that, as his mind went back to the nights when she used to tuck him into bed back when he was little, and she'd give him a kiss goodnight on the forehead, but this was something far different then that...

He went ahead and just gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, then going out the door, leaving Saria to cuddle up in her sheets and sigh somewhat sadly in her sleep...

* * *

"Darn those two..." Link muttered to himself as he thought about the mystic twins and their prank, "The way they made Saria act with their hypnotism... what the heck would they even be doing with that power?"

He stopped in his tracks and put a hand to his head, as he remembered the way Saria held him and spoke to him before she passed out, and the look in her eyes was something he had seen far too often since coming to Gerudo Town; a look of desire... and lust. He felt his head get warm the more he thought about it.

"It... was the hypnotism Kesuta and Korume did on her..." Link muttered looking down, "Just the hypnotism..."

He let out a long sigh.

"Ugh, I need an outlet for this."

"Oh Liiink!" called out a happy voice. Link's frown curled into a small smile as he looked to see Ruto standing before him, with a hand to her hip, "Is the poor dear okay now?"

"She should be after a good rest." Link nodded.

"Glad to hear, I was worried for her." Ruto sighed, but then her spirits perked up, "Well in that case, ready for the pool, and maybe a little something else afterwards?" she asked with a suggestive grin.

"Okay then." Link nodded, relieved at finding that outlet, as the two went off together.

* * *

After a fun night in the pool with the others, Link and Ruto stumbled into his bedroom as they were making out. Both of them were heavily heated; Ruto from seeing Link in his Zora Master Tunic, and Link from Ruto's affection and admittingly his lingering thoughts about Saria. The two fell backwards onto his pillow bed and they moved their hands around each other. Link still had the Zora cap that came with his zora tunic on, but as he was about to take it off, Ruto grabbed his hand to stop him.

"No..." she whispered lustfully, running a hand along it, "Leave it on."

With that, Ruto grabbed him by the cheeks and kissed him hard, as the two went at each other for quite a while that night...

Some time later, Link laid back on his bed as Ruto slept beside him. He was staring up the ceiling with something on his mind, namely that he was concerned that as he was making passionate love to Ruto like usual, his mind had been wandering to other things... namely that at times as he was making passionate love to Ruto, he found himself sometimes thinking about a certain Kokiri girl being there instead...

'What the hell is wrong with me?' Link thought to himself, putting a hand to his head, 'I was hoping Ruto would help me get my mind off of what happened earlier, but I just keep thinking about it...'

He then looked to see a green bottle on a shelf in his room. It was the chu jelly drink Sarami had given him for his birthday. He figured in that moment a good hard drink would help him clear his thoughts. He poured himself a cup and drank it down, letting out a relieved sigh as he savored the taste.

"Damn, not bad Dr. Sarami." Link said, "If she wasn't a doctor she could have made a good bartender instead."

Feeling much better, he decided to try going back to bed again. He laid beside Ruto who let out a blissful sigh and snuggled close to him, and Link soon drifted off to sleep himself.

* * *

Morning came, and the sun came down on Ruto's eyes, causing the fish girl to slowly awaken. She blinked a few times, before stretching out and yawning.

'Oh, Link was amazing last night!' Ruto thought to herself, putting a hand to her cheek, she paused for a bit as she thought about something that had been bothering her for a while now. She glanced down at her body, running a finger along her chest down to her stomach, and she let out a sigh, 'Though I wonder if he'll be okay with me when he finds out that I need to-'

It was then she glanced down at Link's sleeping form, only to see something odd, something very odd.

"Wha-what? LINK?!" Ruto exclaimed. She quickly started shaking him frantically, "Link, wake up! Wake up!'"

"Ugh... what is it Ruto..." Link muttered, "Did the twins hypnotize someone again or... Wait, why does my voice sound weird?" he realized after speaking for a short while.

Link looked up to Ruto and saw how much bigger she was then him in that moment.

"...and when did you grow two feet taller?" he continued.

"Link, look at yourself!"

Link curiously looked down, and his whole face turned a pale white.

"AAAHHH!"

It within a few minutes Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and a somewhat groggy Saria all burst into the bedroom with their weapons.

"We just heard a yell Link, what's going o-" Nabooru's question was cut off when she saw what had happened, and her jaw practically fell to the ground.

Sitting beside a shocked Ruto was someone who resembled Link in many ways, but much shorter and younger looking. He in fact looked more like a ten-year old boy then anything. He was covering his loins with a pillow, and had an equally shocked look on his face.

"What's going on here, who's that male child?! And why does he look li-" Nemisa froze up, "Oh by the name of the Desert Goddess Aifet..."

"LINK?!" exclaimed Saria and Nabooru, both recognizing him from back when he was a child.

"Uh... hey guys..." Link spoke with a young voice and a small wave.

Aviel meanwhile just stood there, her eyes rolled backwards, and she fainted.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter! Now Link is in a whole new amount of trouble, the question is, how will he change back, or more importantly,, what new situation will he get into next? Stay tuned next week!**_

_**Thanks again everyone for your feedback! Leave a like or follow if you're new, or leave a review if you're whoever!**_


	59. Young Link

_**Hello folks, its that time again! Don't have much to say to introduce this chapter, so well get right to it!**_

* * *

"You know, a while back if someone were to ask me, 'Nabooru, what's the strangest thing you've seen lately?' It would probably be that time Togau got turned into a Lynel..."

Nabooru sighed out as she, Aviel, Nemisa, Ruto and Saria all sat in the dining room that morning, along with Link who was now the size of a small boy. He was currently wearing the yellow vest that Togau had lent out to Saria for modesty.

"Now I'm sitting here telling myself it's that my king has been turned into a ten-year old boy." she said, putting her palm against her forehead.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing, he looks exactly like he did back when we were growing up in the forest!" Saria said in astonishment.

"So... not that I'm expecting a completely accurate answer about this from you or anything Link, but... what happened to you?!" Nabooru asked.

"I have absolutely no idea." sighed Link, "I went to bed, slept with Ruto, had a drink of alcohol, and woke up like this!"

"You know it sounds really weird hearing that from you right now." Nemisa said sweatdropping as she watched Ruto hold the ten-year old Link on her lap, and was hugging him affectionately.

"Oh you're too adorable Link!" Ruto giggled, "You look just like how I remembered you all that time ago!"

"And you're not exactly making it any less weird!" Nemisa exclaimed in frustration.

"Calm down Nemisa, I called over Sarami, and she should be here soon to examine him." Nabooru said.

"Heeeeee, Link's really cute like that." grinned Aviel, leaning forward on the table, "I wanna hug'm!"

"Are you doing okay Link?" Saria asked worriedly. She just couldn't get her eyes off of him, it felt like time had somehow rewound for her friend.

"I guess so. Don't feel any different except shorter." Link nodded, feeling at his body. "What about you? Are you alright from what Kesuta and Korume did to you yesterday?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure..." Saria said, looking to the side as memories of what she did to Link came flooding back, "They had asked me to meet with them about something, then Korume used some weird spell on me..." she closed her eyes and put a hand to her head, "Oooh, I can't believe they did something like that to me!"

"I'm just glad you're alright." Link told her, reaching out and patting her hand, "I was afraid it would have had lasting effects on your mind."

"O-Oh... uh... thanks..." Saria blushed bright red at his attempt to comfort her, "Speaking of minds though, how about yours? Did becoming a child have any affect on the way you think?"

"Don't think so." Link said, "I still have all my memories, including my battle skills and my relationships to everyone."

"That's a big relief." Aviel said, "I was afraid we were going to have to reteach you how to use the bathroom or something."

"Hello everyone, good morning!" Sarami called out, walking into the dining room, "Now what is it you called me here for Nabs? Did one of you catch the flu or-"

Sarami dropped her medical bag to the ground as she stood in shock of the small boy on Ruto's lap, easily recognizing him despite how different he was from normal..

"T-That... that's..." Sarami stammered with her jaw lowered and her glasses gleaming, giving her eyes an unreadable expression.

"Yeah, that's about how we reacted to it as well." Nabooru said nodding.

Sarami slowly walked up to Link and Ruto, staring down at the young looking Link, "Link, you're... you've become..."

"Is it weird?" Link asked.

"SO CUTE!" squealed out Sarami, scooping Link up out of Ruto's grip and hugging him tightly. The young Link scrambled around frantically as his face was being pressed into the doctor's large breasts, "You're too cute Link! You're so small and precious and I just want to take you hooome!"

"I know right?" Ruto giggled to the doctor.

"That reminds me of when I was first introduced to everyone here." Saria said sweatdropping.

"Someone save our king from being smothered already!" shouted Nemisa in a panic.

* * *

"Now then, let's see..." Sarami said, putting a tongue depressor into Link's mouth, before checking his heart beat and then his reflexes, "Aside from the obvious, nothing seems to be physically wrong with you..."

"Can you please examine Link without him having to sit on your lap, Dr. Sarami?" Nemisa asked.

"Absolutely not, this is essential to my examination!" Sarami stated, though everyone seemed dubious about that, "So you mentioned before that all your mental faculties are still intact?" Sarami then asked Link.

"I'm pretty sure they are." nodded Link, blushing a little as Sarami was examining inside his ear with a cotton swab, taking a moment to clean out the insides of it.

"Hm, well I can say for now you have a clean bill of health then Link-sweetie!" nodded Sarami, then reaching into her bag and pulling out a small piece of candy, "Here, this is for being such a good little boy!"

"Uh, thanks Dr. Sarami..." Link sighed with embarrassment as he accepted the candy out of good gesture, despite not being very fond of candies like that. He then tossed it to Aviel who caught it in her mouth while Sarami wasn't looking.

"So just what do you think could have happened to make him end up like this, Sarami?" Nabooru asked.

"I'm not entirely sure..." Sarami said, tapping her cheek in thought, "Did anything odd happen last night to you after we all left?"

"Not really, we swam at the pool, me and Ruto spent the night together, Saria had a-" Link cut himself off in that moment, not wanting to embarrass Saria by bringing up the hypnotism incident from last night. But it was then he remembered something from last night he had done to get his mind off that very thing, "Wait, I did have some of that chu jelly drink mix you gave me for my birthday in the middle of the night..."

"You don't think there was something in the drink, do you?" Saria asked worriedly.

Nabooru grimaced as she thought on that note.

"What do you mean, like maybe Sarami put salt into it like Kesuta did with the cookies?" Aviel asked.

"How the hell would salt make him younger?!" Nemisa asked her partner.

"No, that was just regular mixed chu jelly with alcohol. I don't know how it could possibly yield a result like this-" Sarami cut herself off with a moment of realization, "Unless..."

"Oh no..." Nabooru rolled her eyes, "Let's just hear it Sarami."

"Well, one of my assistants told me this morning that she was cleaning a few days ago and knocked over a few bottles. Nothing seemed to have been broken, but she must have gotten two of the chu jelly capsule batches I was working on mixed up..." Sarami said.

"Figures." sighed Nabooru, "But how could it make such an absurd reaction? I've never seen something like this before."

"To be honest it was something I found in the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book. I was experimenting on medical potions with different combinations to combat the effects of the rebellion's power tonic, as well as a few other medical cures I've been working on... For it cause a reaction like this it's possible the purple chu jelly I used for the mix drink was mixed up with the teal blue mixture that I've been working on for..."

Sarami paused for a second on that note, before looking to the others who were staring at her waiting for an explanation, and a drop of sweat went down her head as she realized just what mixture she was working on might have caused this.

"Ah ha ha, so this was all just an accident! I'm so sorry!" Sarami said trying to laugh it off.

"You have to be kidding me..." Nemisa sighed, "So _you_ did this to Link with your chu alchemy experiments?! You better have a way to change him back!"

"Yes, I can't have my husband looking like this on our wedding day, no matter how cute he is!" Ruto said as she had taken him from Sarami earlier and was back to hugging him affectionately again.

"Now I think I know how Selil felt yesterday." Link said with spiraling eyes.

"No worries, no worries..." Sarami clarified, "That particular jelly is a testing prototype and quite temporary, it should wear off in about a day's time!"

"Well that's a relief to hear at least." nodded Link.

"Hm, alright then. Until Link changes back though we should probably keep him in the palace for his own safety." Nabooru said.

"Safety? From what?" Ruto asked.

"Well you see, while his mentality is still intact, he's physically about as weak as an actual ten-year old, so he should probably try to avoid engaging in combat for now." Sarami explained.

"I could hold my own pretty well back when I was this age." Link said, "But I know my limits, and I don't think I'd do too well against opponents like the tougher desert valley monsters or the rebels that have been popping up lately."

"Especially after what happened with those girls yesterday." Saria pointed out, referring to the four flasher girls who tried to take off with him even when he was still an adult.

"Ugh, that's right. Imagine how some of the citizens of town would react if they knew Link was so small and defenseless!" Nemisa said slapping her forehead, "It'd be like a single Remo in a whole town of women like his girlfriend Usaulu!" she said, referring to the former Wyvern Keeper slaver Remo who was in a relationship with the Gerudo guard Usaulu, of whom often boasted about being dominate over him in bed.

"That might be even more dangerous then the rebels." Ruto said sweatdropping as she imagined young Link being backed up in a corner with multiple hungry looking Gerudo women surrounding him.

"Yeeeaah, I think just to be on the safe side, we're going to have to figure out something to do to protect what's left of Link's innocence..." Nabooru said.

"Hey!" Link shouted.

Nabooru pondered, taking a moment to look at the vest Link was wearing, then grinned wickedly, "Oh Saria, could I ask something of you...?"

"Huh?" the Kokiri girl asked.

* * *

"Oh my water goddess Lophela..." Ruto gasped out with her hands to her cheeks in shock.

"Not bad." chuckled Nemisa.

"Why he looks absolutely perfect Nabs!" Sarami squealed out.

"_She_ you mean." Nabooru grinned.

"I can't believe this is happening... yet again." Link sighed.

Everyone looked in marvel of Link as he was now; he was wearing one of Saria's children-size Gerudo outfits, colored green like his old tunic was. He also wore a hood and veil to cover any possible masculine features, along with some extensions to his hair to make it look longer, and they even made sure to cover his loins so it would be impossible for anyone to notice he was a boy down in that area.

"I think he looks cuter in pink and light blue, but this is pretty nice!" Aviel said.

"Wow Link, Aviel told me about how you had to go undercover as a girl a couple times, but this is my first time seeing it!" Saria giggled, "You look good!"

"Gee, thanks." Link said sarcastically, pulling at the top a little. They had even gone so far as to put small bits of cotton in the top to make it seem like 'she' was an early bloomer.

"Well now that that's resolved for now, it's time to get onto our next order of business." Nabooru said, as the group went to sitting down around the dining room table, "The main reason I'm concerned for Link's safety right now is because my guards have just informed me of a matter involving a recent rebel attack on the town early this morning."

"Ugh, those rebels are like ants lately." Nemisa said, "They won't leave us alone."

"Least we're capturing a number of them in the process." Link pointed out.

"Yes, however while the guards were able to fend them off, there was something unusual about the attack, namely that they seemed to have anticipated the guard's patrol route this morning. They knew the guard's exact open spots to launch such an assault on that end of town." Nabooru said.

"They couldn't just be studying the guard's daily routes, could they?" Saria suggested.

"That's the thing, to avoid that sort of thing from happening, I've been having Reirousa and the captain of the guards work out different routes each day of the week randomly. Yet somehow they figured out the perfect opening to launch an attack this time." Nabooru said.

"So they knew the route in advance, but how could they possibly have that information?" Nemisa asked.

"I've been looking into various possibilities, and as much as I hate to say it, there might only be one..." Nabooru muttered with her eyes closed. She then opened her eyes and spoke out.

"We may have an undercover mole in our town."

The others gasped out in shock.

"Wait... we have a mole problem?" Aviel asked, "Couldn't we just have our pest control spray them or something?"

Everyone else collectively faulted over backwards from Aviel's suggestion.

"Not that kind of mole!" Nemisa shouted.

"Ugh, by mole I mean a spy, someone living within our town as one of our own and reporting information on our tactics." Nabooru sighed.

"You're kidding me... like one of our own sisters...?" Aviel asked, getting visibly upset by this news. Saria frowned and patted her back to try and comfort her.

"Oh my, any idea who it could possibly be?" Sarami asked.

"Maybe one of the rebel prisoners you've captured is somehow sending out messages?" Ruto asked.

"Good guess, but they're all under lock and key. I made the rebel prison underground so that sort of thing couldn't happen." Nabooru said. "In fact, I have someone I want to reintroduce to you all to in order to elaborate." she then called out, "Bring her in!"

With that, everyone turned and saw two guards wielding halberd weapons escort in a familiar Gerudo woman. She was of modest size, with her red hair pointing out to the sides. Her attire was a typical Gerudo outfit, but colored with odd black and white horizontal stripes, and topped off her outfit with a hood colored and striped just like her outfit. She also wore handcuffs with a long chain linking them together.

"Um, hello everyone." the Gerudo spoke out with a polite bow.

"Oh hey, it's Maukai!" Saria exclaimed upon recognizing the former rebel they had fought and captured back at the Hall of Knowledge.

"Hey squirt." Maukai gestured to Saria with a friendly wave before sitting down with everyone, the two guards staying at her sides to protect everyone just in case.

"Wait, what's that rebel prisoner doing here? She's not the mole is she?!" Nemisa exclaimed, looking like she was about to attack Maukai if she tried anything against Link or Nabooru.

"Down girl." Nabooru said, lowering her hand to motion Nemisa to calm herself, "I called her here for the meeting. She's been helping us out by doing some undercover work of her own."

"Huh?"

"It's part of my rehabilitation." Maukai said, "I'm acting as an informant for Lady Nabooru, pretending that I'm still with the rebels in order to pry any information I can get out of the other prisoners."

"Oh, so you're basically being a prison snitch then?" smirked Ruto.

"Yeah, guess I am." Maukai grinned, then looked around a bit, "So where's the king anyway? I kinda wanted to see him again."

"He's... well..." Nabooru started, not exactly wanting to reveal what happened to Link to anyone else. Not that she didn't trust Maukai at all, but just to stay on topic and avoid a hassle, "...unavailable right now."

"He's ill at the moment. That's why I'm here, to check on him." Dr. Sarami spoke up, "He has a case of acute viral rhinopharyngitis!"

"Rhino-fairy what?" Maukai asked in confusion, with some concern in her tone, "That isn't lethal is it?"

"It's just a cold." Sarami clarified, adjusting her glasses.

"Should have just said that from the beginning." Nabooru said sweatdropping

"Oh I see, hope he gets better soon then." Muakai nodded, then took a moment to look over to Link sitting by Nemisa, "So who's that other cute little girl?"

"That… is uh, Nemisa's cousin." Nabooru fibbed.

Link just waved to Maukai with a shy expression in his eyes as he huddled close to Nemisa.

"She's just shy." Nemisa explained, patting Link on the shoulder.

"Huh. Alright." Maukai said staring at the girl, feeling as though she recognized her for a second, before shaking it off.

"Now can you please tell everyone here about your report Sister Maukai?" Nabooru asked.

"Well I've been working to confirm Lady Nabooru's theory she had; asking around the prison about there being a possible spy in the town. Most of what I got were rumors, but certain things started coming together, and while I still have no idea who it could possibly be right now, I can confirm we do indeed have a single undercover mole here. Also, if from what I heard is true, they've been hiding out here since just before King Link arrived in town."

"Oh my!" Sarami spoke out, "A rebel has been here for this long?"

"Just as I thought…" muttered Nabooru, "It makes perfect sense considering what happened the night after Link first came here to Gerudo Town."

"What do you mean?" Saria asked.

"After Link came to this town and I declared him the future king, he was attacked the very next night by an assassin called The Slicer." Nabooru said, "It's what led to me appointing Aviel and Nemisa as his personal bodyguards."

"The Slicer... it's been a long time since she's been brought up..." Nemisa muttered.

Link didn't say a word, but grimaced as he thought how obsessed The Slicer was with trying to kill him, not to mention her devoted loyalty to her leader Mother Eclipsis, even going so far as to take her own life when she was finally beaten to avoid being captured.

"Ugh, that's right. That lady was so weird and scary..." Aviel shivered, "Me and Link would have been in trouble if it weren't for Nemisa."

"I was confused for the longest time how they were able to find out about Link so soon, but this definitely confirms my theory." Nabooru said, then spoke to Maukai, "And you said there's only one mole?"

"Yup, my sources confirmed it." nodded Maukai, "Whoever it is, they were told by Mother Eclipsis to lay low for awhile after The Slicer's failure and you guys stepped up security around here. Whatever you've been doing to strengthen the walls around the town have been pretty effective at keeping them out for the most part too."

'The Sand Rod,' Link thought to himself, recalling the magical device Nabooru had them get from the Gerudo Wastes to manipulate sand. It was where they had met Reirousa, as well as becoming aware of the Ebony Sisterhood rebels to begin with. The rebels they fought out there never mentioned anything about the Sand Rod, so it was possible they didn't even know about it's existence.

"And now that they're getting more desperate, it seems the mole must be stepping things up on her end again. That explains the attack this morning." Nabooru scowled, "Is there anything else you got?"

"Well it's just a rumor at this point, but I'm hearing that the mole might be of Sheikah blood." Maukai said.

"You mean someone like Ms. Impa?" Saria asked.

"Interesting, that could explain their ability to be so covert in town, especially if they were proficient in Sheikah techniques." Nabooru nodded.

"The only half-Gerudo half-Sheikah I know of is my martial arts mentor, though she would never do something like this, plus she's been gone from here for years." Nemisa pondered.

"I'm not familiar enough with Sheikah genetic traits to be able to tell them apart from our own people. It might behoove us to get in contact with Ms. Impa about this, maybe she can help give us some information on just what they might look like." Sarami pointed out.

"That would be great, I'd love see to Impa again! She showed me a few Sheikah tricks back at the resort when she was teaching me to make bombling arrows!" Aviel said, "One was using common household objects to conceal weapons, like a sword or those kunai things!"

"Ugh, great... so until we catch this mole, we better be even more careful, if we lower our guard we could be attacked by a killer flower pot." Nemisa sighed.

Aviel paused on that note and looked over at a potted plant in the corner of the dining room, narrowing her eyes at it, and motioning her hands to point at her eyes and the pot to show she was watching it.

As the others continued to talk, Link contemplated what he had just been told, and thought about that strange woman with the angry scowl he and Saria ran into outside of the diner the other day...

'Could that have possibly been the spy...?' Link thought to himself.

"So Ms. Maukai, was it? If you don't mind my asking, what was it that made you decide to defect from those dreadful rebels to begin with?" Ruto spoke up.

"Well don't tell him I said this... but honestly, I think it was King Link that made me think differently about everything going on." Maukai admitted.

Link's eyes lit up from hearing that.

"He could have just had me and my sisters killed back in the desert for our open defiance like Ganondorf would had, but instead he spared us all, and accepted us into this place…" Maukai played with the chains of her handcuffs a little absentmindedly, with a light blush on her cheeks as she continued.

"You all seem to have created such a great town here, and the people seem so happy. Even after King Link admitted to what he had done to get Ganondorf arrested, you all continue to support him. While a number of the girls in prison may still be loyal to the Ebony Sisterhood, I think as far as me and my own team are concerned, we wanna be a part of this peaceful life as well."

Link couldn't help but smile softly at Maukai's words. He recalled yesterday when he saw the citizens living their lives in town, and he too wanted Maukai and all the other rebels to do just the same.

"That sounds just fine Maukai, and thanks so much for this information." Nabooru nodded, "I'll take this into consideration during your next hearing."

"Sorry I can't get any more information besides this for now." Maukai said, "But a lot of the rebels are pretty tight-lipped. I was lucky to get that alone without them starting to suspect me."

"Good work, just keep us posted if you have anything new, Sister Maukai, but be careful." Nabooru said.

"Yeah, thanks Lady Nabooru." Maukai said with a small smile.

With that, Maukai bowed her head and she was escorted off back to her prison. She took a moment to look back at everyone, with one eye in particular on 'Nemisa's cousin', before being hauled off. Link paused in thought, then took that moment to whisper to Nabooru, who nodded and got a guard's attention.

"See to it Maukai discreetly gets a nice treat with her meal tonight, as a sign of good gesture from our king." Nabooru whispered to the guard.

After Maukai and the prison guards had left, the group sat around the table talking a little more about the situation with the rebels.

"Ugh a mole, that's rather dangerous..." Ruto sighed, "Especially now with what's happened to Link."

"I don't like having to feel unsafe, but at least this will just be until I change back to normal." Link said.

"It would had been nice if we had at least some more information to go on about the rebel's actual identity." Nemisa said, "Did you get anything else from the other prisoners?"

"No, as Maukai said, the rebels have for the most part been pretty silent, so we've been having to resort to more extreme measures to get information out of them lately." Nabooru said, "Sometimes my interrogation team tries deceiving them into thinking they want to defect to the rebels to get them on their side, we've tried having some of our naggiest elders berate them into submission, we've even tried the good knight/bad knight routine once, but that just led to the interrogators fighting among each other..."

"Sounds difficult Nabs." Sarami said sweatdropping.

"It's not easy, I'll tell you that." sighed Nabooru, "Mother Eclipsis seems to have a silver tongue that can influence many of our people to her whims with undying loyalty... and I fear we may have to resort to other measures for information soon..."

"Like what exactly?" Link asked with a worried sensation.

"Well... this is just an idea on the table at the moment..." Nabooru seemed somewhat hesitant as she spoke, "But I'm... looking into the idea of using hypnotism to pry information from the rebels."

Link's eyes widened as he looked to Nabooru, and Saria herself looked rather startled as well.

"Hypnotism? So is that the reason why Kesuta and Korume were practicing it?" Nemisa asked raising an eyebrow.

"That's correct, I had them consult their family bloodline's secret mystic arts to see what they were capable of." Nabooru nodded, "I just didn't think they would use it on Saria like that the other day."

"Now just wait a minute, I don't recall being told anything about this at all!" Link stated, "You're not seriously thinking about doing something like brainwashing the rebels are you?"

"That really does seem wrong Lady Nabooru! It's one thing to fight and imprison our people to save them from the Ebony Sisterhood, but to mess with their minds?" Aviel exclaimed.

Saria said nothing, but looked down and thought about what exactly the mystic twins had done to her the other day...

"I'm not sure what to think about that myself..." Ruto muttered.

"Now wait a minu-" Nabooru started, but Link continued.

"I can't believe you'd even think to stoop to that after all those rumors about you!" Link shouted angerly, referring to the stories told by the Hylians he had once spoken to outside of the valley as a child, that Nabooru was supposedly a hypnotist capable of making others bend to her will, "You're not going to turn them into something like what Saria went through yesterday are you? You may as well be torturing them at that rate!"

"Link-sweetie, please stop!" Sarami pleaded, hating to see him like that.

Link ignored Sarami and continued to shout, "And what about what happened to you, when Twinrova hypnotized you into becoming their servant for seve-?!"

It was then Link realized what he was about to say and cut himself off, confusing the others. He gulped a little and looked downwards, afraid of how close he had come to exposing the secrets he had yet to tell any of them...

Nabooru looked down at Link oddly; while Twinrova had indeed captured her back in the Spirit Temple about eight years ago and were intending on making her their hypnotized servant, it never actually happened to her. She had even discussed with Link she was fine, back when he has expressed concern that they had influenced her mind in any way. One thing that bothered her though, was she found the way he worded what he had just said a bit odd...

The Gerudo leader then just let out a sigh and spoke out to clarify her idea.

"Look, it's not as bad as you might think it is Link. We're not outright planning to brainwash them, altering who they are, or anything like that. We're merely planning to use hypnosis to make them confess to things that they would otherwise not want to say. It's not so much changing their way of thinking, but to force the truth out of them." she explained.

"Hm, I think I see where you're going with that now." Ruto pondered, tapping a finger against her cheek, "In theory it's not too different from how the Lens of Truth works."

"The what of what?" Aviel asked.

"The Lens of Truth," Ruto repeated, "According to my tutors you see, Sheikah can use shadow magic to hide and camouflage temple passageways and treasures. The Lens of Truth is a item created by the ancient Sheikah to see through that very magic. What it sounds like Nabooru is trying to do is expose the hidden secrets the rebels hold, much like the Eye itself exposing the secrets of temples."

"Yes, that's a good comparison, Ruto." nodded Nabooru in admiration.

"Um, I guess that's one way to look at it..." Aviel muttered, still a bit uneasy about it.

Link understood what Ruto said fully himself. He had discovered and wielded the Lens of Truth in Kakariko Village, which was an invaluable item in his journey to stop Ganondorf, even in the dark future. He had entrusted the item to Impa before he went off on his seven year journey.

"Keep in mind what these rebels intend to do, my love." Nemisa said to Link, "They want to kill you and Lady Nabooru, take over this town and our people, and free their demon king so he can conquer all of Hyrule. I understand your concern, but these rebels aren't playing games with us, so we can't hold back against them."

Link frowned a bit. As much as he still didn't like the idea, it was indeed much more different then what he had originally assumed. And Nemisa had a solid point about how far the rebels were going, as he thought about Boss Faurugo, the miner woman Maukai had been protecting who died from he power tonic, and the power of the Hinox who the rebels had used to experiment the drug on...

But he still contemplated what happened to Saria just the other day that made her act so weirdly. Not to mention another time back when he was in the dark future, running into a powerful dark knight in a temple, and the one that turned out to have been wearing the suit of armor...

"I'm... still not so sure about doing this..." Link muttered, "I understand your reasoning, but I need to think about it some more before I can approve of using that power on the rebels."

Nabooru just paused, seeing the somewhat sad look in the young Link's eyes. It seemed as though this really bothered him more then she thought it would, for more then just the rumors about herself or what happened with Saria, but she couldn't quite determine what it was...

"...it's fine Link." nodded Nabooru after a moment, "You're our ruler now, and you have the final say in what we do." she sighed a bit and bowed her head, "I apologize for trying to overstep my boundaries Link."

"It's no problem, thanks for being understanding Nabooru." Link said nodding his head to her.

After a brief moment, the two of them shared a small hug together. Though they had their share of disputes and differences in the past, they were so close now it never took too long before they made up with each other. Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Ruto and Sarami all had relieved look on their faces, to see the two of them come to an understanding like that.

"Aww, the two of you are so close. You're going to make Link a fine Grand Queen someday Nabs!" giggled Sarami.

The two of them broke the hug upon hearing that comment; Link folding his arms behind his head with a sheepish grin, while Nabooru just sighed, putting a hand to her head. Everyone laughed out loud at their embarrassed faces, sweeping away the tense mood from before.

"Well then, with that out of way, shall we continue with the meeting?" Ruto spoke up, clapping her hands together, "I'd like to discuss matters involving setting the alliance with my people! We'll be meeting with them over at Zora Coast three months from now!"

"Alright then, please do Ruto." Nabooru said nodding.

As everyone continued to speak among each other, Saria meanwhile was focused on the hug Link and Nabooru just had, seeing Link in the form of a child being hugged by the adult-sized Nabooru made her think back to the hug Link gave her just the other day after she gave him her gift. It had been warm and comforting, and she was happy to see how the others like Nabooru took to his embrace. Aviel would often tell her how nice his hugs were for her as well.

She then recalled what Sarami said about Link wanting to make Nabooru his Grand Queen. It was clear even when they had squabbles like just a moment ago, the bond between the two was so tight that they could never stay mad at each other for long. They were perfect for each other as far as Saria was concerned...

...and Saria hoped someday that she herself could join the two in their royal family, not just to be with Link, but with Nabooru, Nemisa, Togau, the twins, Ruto... and the other women Link had his eye on. As much as she wanted to be with Link, she also wanted to feel that inseparable bond that they all shared together.

But then she thought about what Nabooru had said before, about the hypnotism she was having Kesuta and Korume learn, and something else bothered her in that moment... about what happened the other night when she jumped on Link...

"Saria, you okay?" Link asked.

"Oh yes, it's nothing. Please continue." Saria spoke up, putting those thoughts aside and focusing on the meeting instead.

* * *

_**And now Link is back to crossdressing... again.**_

_**T**__**hat ends the chapter for now. I'm cutting it off a little earlier then I planned since I'm trying to keep to a certain limit of how long each chapter is, and before I started proofreading it was going to be more than 20 pages long. I was curious how you guys take to each chapter, like if you feel like they've been too short lately or if you prefer the length being quick and easy to absorb. Let me know how you feel about the content in the comments or though private messages. Your feedback is always appreciated!**_

_**Next time around, Link spends some more time in his new child form, including he and Saria having a nostalgic blast from their past! Stay tuned!**_


	60. Berry Blitz Showdown

_**Chapter 60 time! Jees, can't believe I've been keeping the story going this long! It's been a lot of fun to write and I hope you all have been having reading it!**_

* * *

Sometime after the meeting, the group decided take it easy for the rest of the day, at least until Link changed back into an adult again.

The problem though was that it was hardly relaxing for Link at all, as some of the girls couldn't stop fawning over the little guy. Ruto and Sarami eventually decided to take turns snuggling the small king.

"Oh I'm so happy to get to be able to see you like this Link-sweetie!" Sarami said with Link on her lap, once again hugging him so closely his head was stuck between her breasts, "You're just as cute as I thought you'd be!"

"Mmph." Link muffled from his position.

"Hey, you're sure you didn't make him a child with that mix drink on purpose, right…?" Nemisa asked suspiciously as she watched the doctor hold him.

"Why of course not!" Sarami said defensively, but then added, "... if I knew a chu jelly combination could yield such an amazing result I might have tried it on him sooner..." She giggled with her glasses gleaming, as she snuggled Link closer.

"This isn't the time for jokes! You turned my husband pint-sized!" Nemisa shouted, doing what she could to keep from whacking the good doctor upside the head.

"Ah don't worry about it Nemisa, I don't really mind as long as it's temporary." Link said, pulling his head out from Sarami's embrace and looking to his fiance, sporting his big goofy grin to assure her.

Nemisa's eyes widened at Link's bright expression and looked away grumbling, with a light blush on her face.

"Y-You're just saying that cause of how Sarami is holding you... perverted little moron..." Nemisa muttered.

"Well she is very comfortable." Link grinned, leaning back against Sarami, his head resting against her right breast.

"Hmph..." Nemisa pouted a bit.

"Why Nemisa… do you perhaps wish to hold our dear king yourself...?" Sarami proposed.

"I…. um, of course not!" Nemisa said in protest, folding her arms and turning her head away.

Link and Sarami glanced at each other and nodded. The doctor reluctantly released Link and he went right up to Nemisa, throwing himself at her and giving the dancer a good firm hug.

"L-Link?!" Nemisa exclaimed, looking down at him with a red face.

"You're such a pretty lady Ms. Nemisa!" Link said in a openly teasing and childish tone, "When I grow up, I'm gonna marry you!"

"S-Stop that you little brat!" Nemisa shouted out with her eyes closed tightly, yet found herself hugging Link affectionately as she did, "Y-You're acting like a damn child right now!"

"Aunt Sarami, Ms. Nemisa said a swear!" Link called out in the same childish tone, causing Sarami to burst out laughing like crazy and making Nemisa even more frustrated.

Meanwhile Saria and Aviel were sitting a distance away, watching everyone messing around.

"Link makes for such a cute kid, you were lucky to grow up with him!" Aviel said.

"I have to admit it's really nice to see him again like that, it brings back great memories." Saria said blissfully, "We used to have so much fun playing in the forest!"

Aviel paused and saw the look in Saria's eyes as she watched Link, and the bird girl grinned a little.

"Hmm... Well in that case, since we got the day like this, how about we go have some fun with him, just like back then?" Aviel suggested, then called out to the young king, "Hey Link, wanna play a fun game together?"

"Sure, why not?" grinned Link, getting up and running over to the two, "In fact I know just what we can do! We just gotta go get some berries first!" he turned to his Kokiri friend and grinned, "Know what I mean Saria?"

Saria sat there for a few seconds, looking up at the bright expression on Link's face. It then dawned on her what he meant, and she smiled brightly, nodding her head in agreement, "Okay!"

"Huh? Berries?" Aviel asked in confusion.

* * *

"Take this!" Link said, leaping through the air in the Gerudo Palace dining room, holding a slingshot in his hand as he fired off some small berries downwards at Saria and Aviel.

"Look out Aviel!" Saria shouted as she and the bird girl both darted away, the berries hit the palace floor and splattered into small gooey messes.

"I'll get him!" Aviel said, pulling up her goggles and firing off several berries she herself had at Link using a slingshot of her own. Link spun out of the way of them in midair, before landing down and running off away from more shots.

Aviel then turned to Saria, aiming her slingshot at Saria, "Alright then, I'll get you instead!"

"Eep!" Saria exclaimed, running off, dodging Aviel's shots, before she turned around and shot a few herself, one managing to hit Aviel in the forehead.

"Argh! I'm hit!"Aviel complained, looking up at the blush-purple spot on her forehead.

"Hee hee, that's a point for me!" Saria said, only to get hit on the back by another berry, "Hey!"

"And that's a point for me!" Link grinned, just before two berries smacked him in the face, covering him with the weird goop.

"That's a point for both of us!" Saria grinned back.

"So what did you say this game is called again?" Aviel asked, dodging a shot from Link.

"It's called Berry Blitz, a game we Kokiri play in the forest!" Saria said, taking a fruit berry from her pouch and shooting it at Link, "We shoot each other with these berries until all of us run out, and whoever has the most points wins!"

"Yeah, it's how I learned as a kid to be a good shot in archery!" Link said, shooting a few berries at Saria and Aviel.

"Nice! But I'm gonna show you two who's the real archery master around here!" Aviel said, adjusting her goggles and running to the side to avoid a shot from Link, shooting her own berries at the two in return.

Saria smiled warmly, happy to see Link retained so many of the fond memories the two of them spent together in the forest. Before he welcomed him into life in Gerudo Town, at times she would worry if he'd be so focused on his new life that he would forget about her and these happy times, but he never did, in fact, it seemed as though those memories just became stronger now then ever. She could only hope they could be like this forever...

It was then though a berry hit Saria in the dead center of her face.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Link grinned.

"Oh you are so dead Link!" Saria retorted with a smile, grabbing a berry from her pouch and running at her friend, tackling him over, before mashing the berry into the side of his face.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Link exclaimed, giving Saria a chance to then pop one of the berries into his open mouth.

"Hee hee, quit complaining and have a snack!" Saria giggled.

Link blushed heavily from the smile on Saria's face, and he wondered if she was even aware of the sensation he felt when she delicately popped that berry into his mouth. He recalled just the other day when she was had tackled him over and was rubbing herself against him, only now his thoughts were even more intense now that he was the same size as her...

But it was then the moment was cut off by Saria getting splattered in the back by another berry shot by Aviel.

"Unhand my king this instant you fiend!" Aviel said grinning, making the two get up and go after her.

The three of them continued to laugh out and continued to run and jump around the place, shooting berries at one another, as Nemisa and Sarami both sat and watched.

"Look at those three, they're playing like children." Nemisa said sweatdropping as she and Sarami watched.

"Aw, but it's so cute." giggled Sarami, "And it can serve as a nice little training exercise!"

"If we ever have to worry about getting assaulted by fruit." Nemisa said skeptically.

"Heh, just let them have their fun, Link looks like he's really enjoying being a kid again." Nabooru grinned, coming up to the two and sitting down beside them.

They watched Link sneak up and playfully press a berry against Saria's cheek to make it burst into juice, and she retaliated by mashing a bunch of them into his forehead.

"Ugh, just keep me out of it, that looks gross." Ruto said in disgust.

"That coming from someone who used to play in a giant fish's stomach?" Nabooru smirked.

"Hey!"

"Well I suppose it's alright then." sighed Nemisa, "I just hope they don't go too fa-"

It was then a berry flew through the air and hit Nemisa in the face.

"Whoops, sorry Nemisa!" Aviel called out.

"You little brats!" Nemisa shouted.

"Uh oh, Nemisa is angry again! Run away!" Aviel exclaimed as she, Link and Saria went running off with Nemisa in hot pursuit, while Sarami, Ruto and Nabooru were all laughing.

* * *

The game of Berry Blitz soon ended shortly after that, with Saria just edging out as the winner of the game, Link a close second, and Aviel in last place.

"No fair, you two are way shorter then me!" Aviel complained.

"Congrats Saria!" Link said, giving her a big hug.

"T-Thanks Link..." Saria whispered, blushing at the affectionate hug. She recalled all the times back when they'd play the game, often times with Link winning, and she'd hug him as a congratulations. Aviel couldn't help but pout at that, as she wanted a hug too, but didn't say anything because she wanted Saria and Link to have their moment.

Afterwards Saria and Aviel obtained wet towels from the servants to clean themselves off, while Link went over and sat down beside Nabooru to relax.

"Now you three know you're cleaning all this up later, right Link?" Nabooru said with a grin as she gestured to the berry splotches all over the palace dining room.

"Yep. It was worth it though." Link grinned back.

"Heh, you're taking this whole 'becoming a kid again' thing pretty well." Nabooru said as she handed him a wet towel to clean himself off with.

"Maybe it's just cause I know it's temporary... or maybe because it brings back a lot of old memories, but it's kind of a neat birthday gift in and of itself." Link said nodding as he wiped himself down.

"It definitely brings back some old memories for me. You look just like how you did back when we explored the Spirit Temple together to find the Silver Gauntlets." chuckled Nabooru, rubbing Link's head affectionately, "And later when you saved me from those old witches."

"Yeah..." Link said smiling. This experience was more nostalgic to him then he let on, as it also reminded him of when he returned to his original time form the dark future, and what he had set out to do when he got back...

Nabooru meanwhile glanced to Link, seeing the look in his eyes and grinned a little.

"So tell me something, how are things going with you and Saria?" Nabooru asked.

"Um... what do you mean?" Link asked, with his face a little red as he realized where she was going with this.

"You know just what I mean," Nabooru said smugly, leaning towards him a bit to tower over him, "I mean when are you going to ask her to be your next wife?"

Link gulped and covered his face with the towel in embarrassment at those words, "I... um... don't know about something like that..." he muttered, peeking out from the towel over at Saria who was wiping her face down with her own towel.

"Is there a problem?" Nabooru asked, "It's not like either of you are too young for each other."

"Well it's nothing like that, it's just..." Link paused, continuing to watch Saria as she ran the towel on her bare shoulders and along her firm stomach. He gulped again as he watched, trying to get the right words out, until he forced himself to look away, "It's just we go back a long way, I've known her for so long, and... well..."

"And how is that any different from me, Ruto or Impa? You've known the three of us since you were ten." Nabooru pointed out, amused at how much Link was forcing himself to keep his eyes off his friend.

"Well that's the thing, I've known Saria way longer then any of you. Heck, she's known me longer then I've known myself... " Link said, "She helped raise me after I was brought into Kokiri Forest; she taught me a lot of what I knew at the time, she'd protect me from bullies and monsters, she'd care for me when I got sick, she's always had my best interests in mind..." he leaned back and let out a sigh.

"...and in a way, being with her would be kind of like dating my big sister..." Link had a distant look in his eyes, "...or even my mother..."

Nabooru's eyes widened, remembering being told that Link never knew his real mother as he had been left in the forest as a baby, and she supposed if Saria cared for him like that all that time ago, it would come off as somewhat awkward to him. She couldn't help but feel sorry for Link never knowing his real family, and it would make sense he'd feel attached to whoever cared for him...

Link continued, "...well, at least that's what I've been telling myself for the longest time. But lately I've been noticing Saria more and more... Sometimes it's hard for me to be close to her without feeling those urges I've had with you and my fiances."

He watched as Ruto gave Saria a playful squirt with her water shot technique to help her get rid of some of the berry juice, and the Kokiri giggled out with a bright smile from the water tickling her. The water clung to her outfit, making her small, slim body all the more noticeable under it. She pulled at the top a bit to let some water spill out, and Link found himself unable to ignore it.

"I... I guess I'm just really conflicted about it right now." Link said.

"Hm, I see what you mean then." nodded Nabooru.

"So what do you think I should do about it?" Link asked.

"Link..." Nabooru spoke to her friend, "I'll just come out and tell you we all can see the love between you two. You might be trying to see that love as platonic, but I'm thinking you're just forcing yourself to at this point, out of fear of potentially ruining the relationship you already have with her."

Link gulped, Nabooru had pretty much called out exactly what was bothering him all this time, she had a real knack for that.

"I think the most important question for you is how do you truly see her now, as opposed to how you did back when you were a child?" Nabooru asked.

"I..." Link muttered.

"I'll just tell you to do whatever your heart tells you to do Link. I'm sure Saria will understand either way, and me and everyone else will support you in whatever choice you decide to make."

With that, Nabooru gave Link a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"T-Thanks Nabooru..." Link said with a blush, recalling her saying similar words to when he was conflicted about his relationship with Ruto back at Lake Hylia, and where that led to, making him go into deep thought about the love between himself and Saria... and just what that love truly was...

* * *

Ruto rose her finger into the air and sprayed off a water shot, impacting into a pile of berry mush and washing it away. She then aimed and fired at another mushed berry to clean it off as well.

"Ohohoho, I never knew menial cleaning could be so much fun!" Ruto laughed haughtily.

"That's cause you got mystical water power." Aviel said annoyed as she was just using a basic mop to clean off the berry goo herself, along with Link and Saria.

"Hm, yes, I guess so..." muttered Ruto with a pause, before laughing out again and washing away another goo pile, "But it's still so much fun!"

"Hmph!" Aviel with a jealous pout, "Wish my arrows could explode into water or something..."

"Come on Aviel, quit sulking. You all made this mess, so you're all cleaning it." Nemisa said, folding her arms sternly as she stared down the group to monitor them, she looked over at Ruto blasting away another goo pile, "And you shouldn't be helping them!"

"Oh come on Nemisa-dear, I'm just considering it part of Link's birthday gift!" Ruto said smugly, blasting another blob of goo, "You've grown a lot since we met, but you still need to liven up a little more!"

"Well..." Nemisa muttered, looking to the side.

Ruto smirked lightly, and then gave Nemisa a small squirt in the face, which annoyed the bodyguard/dancer.

"Hey!"

"Think fast Nemisa!" giggled Ruto, firing off more shots of water.

Nemisa started to duck and dodge the water fired at her in annoyance, until she started putting more sway into each dodge as she did, and started using her stylish dance techniques to avoid the water attacks as she sometimes used in more intense combat, and found herself getting more into it as she did. She spun in one direction to avoid a shot, then swayed her hips to the side to dodge another. One water shot came right at her chest, but she bent backwards to avoid it before gracefully swinging herself back upright.

'Wow, not bad...' Ruto thought to herself, seeing the warm smile on Nemisa's face as she danced around Ruto's water shots, clearly getting into it, 'She dances so elegantly... it's no wonder Link gets so captivated by it.'

She then stopped her shots and paused, looking downwards at herself.

'But I wonder if what he would think of me when I have to...'

"Ruto!" shouted Nemisa, snapping her fingers loudly while in the middle of an upright poise, with one arm into the air and her opposite leg bent upwards, "What are you slowing down for? Keep firing, I'm getting a groove from this!"

"Oh, of course!" Ruto said, snapping out of her thoughts, as she started firing off more water shots for Nemisa to dodge, with a small smile on her lips as she did.

"You two are getting water everywhere!" Nabooru shouted in annoyance of getting splashed herself as she was working on some notes.

Meanwhile, Link and Saria were continuing to wipe down the floor of the palace with mops. Link took a second to wipe his forehead.

"Whew, I'm getting a bit tired. Sarami was right when she said I don't have nearly as much strength in this form." Link said, looking down at his child body.

"Well we reap what we sow, right?" Saria asked with a small smile.

"Heh heh, yeah, but I don't regret it." Link grinned, "Sometime we need to do this game again, probably outside next time."

"That'd be nice, I'd love to teach the Gerudo children how to play it too!" Saria nodded.

Link paused on those words, as he turned back to watch Saria cleaning the floor, thinking back to the other day when she happily held Selil in her arms. It reminded him of the days back when she had cared for him as a child, as well as other new children who would be introduced to the village over the years he grew up there. He always thought she would had made such a great mother...

But then he'd force himself to snap back to reality of it. He knew it was impossible for her, being a half-plant being and all, and even if that wasn't the case, she probably wouldn't be able to properly and safely carry a child as she was with her small frame anyway...

He did take note of one thing about Saria in that moment, as she was cleaning at the floor, she was leaning over a bit to get at a tough stain, and he could see her firm rear end sticking out a bit. Maybe he didn't notice it before since she was used to wearing a loose tunic for so long, or maybe it was because she was working out more and eating better here in Gerudo Town, but it definitely stuck out a little more then he remembered, and he was taking trouble taking his eyes off of-

"Link, you alright?" Saria asked, snapping him out of his stare.

"Oh, yeah!" Link said quickly, before turning away and going back to cleaning.

Meanwhile, back with Ruto, she was using her finger to fire off several more shots of water out at the berry goop piles, blasting away one after another.

"Ohohohohoho! I could practically do this blindfolded!" Ruto said, as she closed her eyes and fired one shot that washed away a berry spot.

"Hey, watch where you're aiming!" Aviel exclaimed, using the mop in a defensive stance like a spear, "You almost hit me with that last one!"

"Oh don't worry about it, you're all safe with m-" Ruto started as she opened her eyes, only to cut herself off as she saw one of the water shots she fired fly out and completely miss her next target...

….and instead fly right at Link who had just been too distracted cleaning a particularly stubborn stain on the floor to notice it and dodge in time. The particularly strong blast impacted into him, which sent him flying right out of the palace from the balcony overlooking the town.

"AAAAAAHHHhhhhhhhhh...!"

Everyone else turned in shock and watched helplessly as Link went flying downwards into the multiple buildings of the town below. They didn't even hear so much as an impact.

The group all stood there blankly for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what just happened.

"Link!" Saria shouted out in worry, dropping her mop and running over to the balcony to look out at the town and figure out where Link may have landed.

"You got to be kidding me, Link are you okay?!" Nabooru exclaimed shouting out, joining Saria on he balcony, "Damnit, I can't see him anywhere!"

"No, my darling husband!" Ruto shouted frantically in tears.

"Ruto, what have you done?!" shouted Nemisa in anger.

"I'm sorry, it was an accident!" Ruto defended herself.

"It's cause you were showin' off!" Aviel shouted in a huff. "Do you not know how to control your power properly?!"

Ruto's eyes widened, she seemed to be stunned into silence at those words, looking oddly very downcast in that moment, which confused both Aviel and Nemisa.

"Wait, please don't argue like this!" Sarami shouted, "We need to recover Link-sweetie!"

"Yes, enough with this arguing!" shouted Nabooru, "It doesn't matter what happened, we need to find Link immediately! If that mole finds him out, he'll be helpless to fight back!"

"That's right, he doesn't even have anything to defend himself!" Saria added.

"Ugh… you're right." Nemisa sighed, "We need to start searching immediately."

"I didn't see where he landed, but I'll go fly out to find him!" Aviel said, pulling out her wings and taking off out the window, "I'll get Kesuta and Korume to help search too!"

"I'll go round up Togau to help as well, she can get around faster and hear better with her Lynel form!" Nemisa said running off.

"Everyone let me know as soon as possible when you find him, and I'll see to his injuries!" Sarami said.

"Okay then, I'll put my most trustworthy guards on full alert, and we'll all go split up and try to find him!" Nabooru declared, "Ruto, let's hurry already!"

"O-Oh, yes, let's go!" Ruto said snapping out of her daze and joining everyone in the search.

* * *

"Oooww…." Link groaned, he slowly forced himself to sit up, "Never knew water could hurt that bad…"

The young king took a look around to see he was in some kind of tall room of another Gerudo Town building then the palace, and he was laying on some burlap bags which cushioned his fall. He looked up to see a small high-up window that was just about lined up with where he had impacted.

"Must have fallen in here through there." Link deduced, getting up onto his feet. He took a look around and saw it was a storage room of some kind. He rubbed his sore head, of which he had banged against a crate that was behind him.

"Ugh, not used to an impact like that in this little body... I must have been knocked out for a little bit..." Link groaned. "I should get back to the palace before everyone gets worried about me."

He walked out of the room and into an unfamiliar hallway, taking a look around before picking a direction to find a way out…

"Hey! Where do you think you are going?" a voice suddenly shouted.

"Uh oh." Link froze up. He was about to make a run for it when he felt a hand grab his wrist and turn him towards the owner of the voice, which made Link gulp nervously.

It was the Gerudo woman he had bumped into outside of the diner yesterday. She was dressed the same way as the other day too; with the purple shirt over a white blouse, the black skirt and the gray stockings. She wore the same thin rimmed glasses and he could see the beauty mole on her cheek, and her hair was woven into the tight double bun as before. The big difference was she was much more intimidating then before now that he was in the form of a child, and she towered over him. Her sharp glare didn't help matters.

"So there you are, I've been looking for you..." muttered the woman coldly, "You thought you could get away, but you're coming with me..."

Before Link could say anything, the mysterious Gerudo woman yanked him away….

* * *

"Good morning class."

"Good morning Ms. Fareafu!" shouted a collective group of Gerudo children.

"Now that I've found our last absentee, we can start today's lessons." the Gerudo woman in the glasses and skirt, now known to be Ms. Fareafu said, as Link was standing beside her. He was at a loss of words as he stared out at the classroom of fifteen young Gerudo girls all sitting at long desks and looking at him. Link could only think of one thing at that moment in time.

'I'm in big trouble.'

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. As if becoming a kid again wasn't bad enough, now he's facing the most horrible challenge he's yet to face, school!**_

_**Thank you all for reading so far, leave a like, follow and/or review if you're enjoying it!**_


	61. School Daze

_**Hello everyone, I hope you're all doing well right now! Now we move onto chapter 61, where Link goes back to school!**_

* * *

"Hmph, I am glad I was able to find you..." the Gerudo schoolteacher Ms. Fareafu spoke out sternly to a nervous child standing beside her that she had earlier caught trying to sneak out of the building earlier, "We shall discuss your conduct in detention after class."

"Ugh, how do I get into these messes...?" the child muttered.

The reality though was this wasn't an actual Gerudo child, but the Gerudo's new king Link, stuck in the form of a child due to an alcohol mix drink Dr. Sarami had given him for a birthday gift. After a bizarre incident in the palace involving Ruto and some berry goop, Link had crashed into a building that turned out to be the Gerudo Town Schoolhouse, and almost immediately ran into the teacher Ms. Fareafu who had mistaken him for a student, due to the child's Gerudo outfit he had been wearing as a disguise.

"Now, where should you be sit so you will not cause any more trouble...?" Ms. Fareafu pondered, looking around.

"Uh, h- I mean, she can sit by me!" called out a very familiar voice, as Link looked over at a girl near the back raising her hand. He saw the green hair and matching hairband she wore and immediately recognized her.

'Saria?!' Link thought to himself.

"Well what are you waiting for then? Move it!" Ms. Fareafu said, taking a ruler from her side and smacking Link's rear end with it to push him forward. Link looked to the teacher in annoyance, before he hurried over to the seat next to Saria, who was sitting by another girl with what appeared to be a facemask on over her mouth. Saria scooted over to the next seat so he could sit between them.

"Link, I'm glad you're safe, we've been looking all over for you!" Saria whispered.

"Glad to see you-!" Link said out loud, only to suddenly get bonked on the head by a flying piece of chalk.

"Quiet!" shouted Ms. Fareafu, glaring at Link angerly, before she went back to writing something on the chalkboard.

Link and Saria paused for a moment, before he spoke to her again, this time with a whispering tone, "Glad to see you again, but what are you doing here?"

"Probably the same reason as you, I was caught by that grumpy teacher mistaking me for an absent student." Saria said, "I tried telling her I'm a Kokiri, but she thought I was just making excuses to try and get out of class."

"So we're both stuck here, swell…" Link sighed, smacking his forehead.

"Did you try telling her you're a boy?" Saria suggested.

"I considered that, but then I'd probably be accused of being a spy for the rebels or the Hylian Parliament…" Link said.

"I guess them finding a boy in disguise here in Gerudo Town would be pretty suspicious…" Saria admitted.

"More importantly though, for all we know that teacher could be the rebel mole Maukai was talking about..." Link said, looking to the teacher, "I don't like to blindly accuse people like this, but something about her really bothers me…"

"Yeah, no kidding." Saria nodded, "So we should just lay low for now then?"

"That'd probably be the best bet." Link nodded, "We'll sneak out later when she's distracted."

It was then there was a knock at the door and the teacher went over to open it, allowing another adult Gerudo to walk in with some paperwork for her. Link watched the teacher then lock the door after the woman, then give an intimidating glare directly at Link before placing the key in her vest pocket.

"Or not." Link said sweatdropping.

"You are late, Nilonu." Ms. Fareafu said sternly to the other Gerudo woman.

"Sorry bout that, boss lady." grinned the Gerudo, "But Bow-Wow here forgot to eat breakfast before we left."

The Gerudo now known as Nilonu had a single ponytail and wore customary Gerudo clothes. The top and sleeves were yellow, and the pants were a light green, but for some reason rather then a belt she had suspenders strapped to her pants that went up around her shoulders, and she also wore a bow tie of all things around her neck. She had her right arm lifted up, and on it was a orange cloth with what appeared to be white cloth stitched onto it with black buttons sewn onto the center, making them look like eyeballs.

It was then the cloth opened up and down a few times like a mouth opening and closing, as everyone heard a voice speak the words, "I'm so sorry... actually I ain't, that grub was worth it! Bowowowow!"

Te kids in the classroom laughed and giggled from the puppet's remark, causing the teacher to shoot an angry glare at them all to stop.

"That thing is a... sock puppet...?" Link asked tilting his head.

"Oh, I see it now, it's actually kinda cute, like a dog!" Saria giggled in amusement.

The voice sounded like it was coming from the puppet itself, but Link presumed that Nilonu was just an expert in ventriloquism. Her lips didn't seem to move at all, and the voice coming from the puppet sounded completely different from herself. She was certainly talented at it, that was for sure.

"That _thing_ does not even eat, Nilonu." Ms. Fareafu scowled with an irritable tone, then sighed and rolled her eyes, "Honestly, why did I ever choose such a problematic juvenile like you as my teaching assistant?"

"Probably cause you'd lose track of everything, old lady." mellowly snickered Nilonu.

"Yeah, the only thing you ever find is more crow's feet on yer face, bowowow!" Bow-Wow added.

The kids in the class all laughed out loud as Ms. Fareafu started to clench her teeth in annoyance. Even Link snorted at that remark, as childish as it was.

"Silence!" Ms. Fareafu stated firmly, instantly shutting everyone up.

"Hey old lady, might wanna start the class sometime before my next lunch break! Bowowow!" Nilonu's sock puppet commented.

"Hmph... fine then. Class is now in session!" Ms. Fareafu said straightening herself out, before turning to go to the chalkboard.

As the teacher went to writing on the chalkboard to prepare the lessons, Link and Saria started to plan out how they were going to escape. They looked around and observed the room to find any possible openings. Unfortunately the windows were too small and narrow to get through, and the only door out was protected by the teacher, so their options were slim.

"So what happened to your Deku Staff anyway?" Link asked Saria.

"Ms. Fareafu confiscated it and put it into a closet somewhere." sighed Saria.

"What about Faete then? Where's she?" Link asked looking around, referring to Saria's guardian fairy,who usually stayed at the palace these days.

"Um, she was joining me in the search, but..." Saria trailed off as she gestured to a glass bottle on Ms. Fareafu's desk, where they saw Faete was flying around inside of it, bumping into the sides in a desperate effort to break free of it.

"The teacher thought Faete was my pet butterfly and confiscated her too." Saria said.

"I hope she remembered to put some air holes in that bottle's lid." Link said sweatdropping.

"Hey, excuse me, are you new here too?" whispered a new voice, as Link and Saria both turned to see the girl siting beside them.

The girl had short pig-tailed red hair and wore an aqua-colored children's Gerudo outfit, as well as wearing a protective facemask over her mouth, and Link couldn't help but think she looked rather familiar.

"Don't think I've seen you around here, you're a half-blood Gerudo like Saria, right?" the girl asked with a somewhat muffled voice from the facemask.

"Um… yeah, I'm uh, new…" Link spoke awkwardly with a more high pitched tone, "I'm… Lifeaf."

Saria couldn't help but giggle softly, hearing Link use the name Aviel mentioned she gave him back when he had to go undercover as a girl twice in the past.

"That's a really nice name! Mine is Ilite, and I'm pretty new to this school as well!" the girl said, removing her facemask to give Lifeaf a good look at her face, and she gave a slight bow of her head as greetings, "I hope we can be friends!"

"ILITE?!" Link exclaimed out loud, resulting in him being whacked by a flying piece of chalk.

"I distinctly said no talking! You have just earned yourself another day of detention!" shouted Ms. Fareafu, pointing her ruler at Link, while Nilonu snickered a little.

"Um, sorry?" Link said to the teacher as he rubbed his head, only to be bonked by another piece of chalk.

"And that gives you an additional day of detention!" Ms. Fareafu shouted again.

Link just sat there blankly, before narrowing his eyes and doing a motion with his fingers against his lips to imply he was zipping his mouth shut, and slumped forward on his desk. Saria patted Link on the back in an attempt to comfort him.

"Eep! I'm sorry about that Lifeaf..." Ilite said with sympathetic eyes, "I should have warned you Ms. Fareafu can be a real jerk to everyone."

"It's alright, I already gathered that..." Link said, waving his hand dismissively, "More importantly, what are you doing out of Dr. Sarami's clinic? What about your asthma?"

Ilite was a child who Link had come to know during his early months living at Gerudo Town. He had met her in a tense moment at Sarami's medical clinic, when a cruel thief named Dakas had tried to use the young girl to extort the Gerudo, but Link had saved her. She suffered from a severe case of asthma that made it bad for her to stay outside for too long and has been living at the clinic under Sarami's careful watch. After that incident, Link took the time to visit her at the clinic on occasion, and became good friends with her. He just didn't recognize her right away thanks to the facemask.

"Huh? Do you know me?" Ilite asked in confusion.

"Oh, uh, I've just heard about you from my mom!" Link fibbed, he wasn't sure about exposing his identity just yet, not even to Ilite, nor was he sure anyone would really believe him to be the king anyway.

"Well it was thanks to Dr. Sarami that I'm here; she was able to make me some of those jelly capsule thingies that're working to help me control my asthma better!" Ilite said happily.

'Oh right, I think she mentioned something like that on my last visit…' Link thought to himself.

"I'm so happy, I've finally been able to start going outside more, I've made a few new friends out in town, and even now I'm able to go to school when Dr. Sarami says it's okay!" Ilite said cheerfully.

Link smiled at Ilite, he recalled the times he'd occasionally walk in on her looking out her hospital room's window longingly. For her to be able to get out and enjoy the outside world, or at the least enjoy the town like the other Gerudo, filled his heart with warmth, and he knew he would have to do something to thank Sarami for this later on.

"Then why are you by yourself here?" Link then asked, seeing how far apart the other kids were from her.

"Well it's cause of my… my... " Ilite let out a small cough, then started coughing out loudly, causing her facemask to repel away from the velocity and snap back over her mouth.

"Your asthma?" Link finished her sentence.

Ilite pulled down her facemask and took a teal colored chu jelly capsule from a bottle, eating and swallowing it, "Yeah, as soon as I started coughing in class Ms. Fareafu thought I was contiguous, which Dr. Sarami told me isn't true for asthma patients. But she was still scaring everyone here off with it…"

Link frowned, he could tell there was something really off about the teacher, but he wasn't positive on what. He just hoped she wasn't the rebel mole like he suspected.

"Now then class." Ms. Fareafu spoke up, "We shall be going into a number of subjects for this week's session; first of which is covering the history of the ancient Gerudo's order of trade and commerce."

The whole class collectively slumped backwards and moaned out in unison upon hearing that.

"That sounds really dumb..." a student muttered.

"She always does this sorta thing..." groaned another.

"BOR-riiing!" Bow-Wow spoke up, with Nilonu slouching back in her chair looking just as bored.

"Just shut up and listen, all of you!" snapped Ms. Fareafu. She started her lesson while writing down more things on the board.

Link sighed out as the teacher spoke, he was never the type for school and lessons. Back when he was growing up in the forest one of the older kids would teach the younger ones about the history of Kokiri Forest and their laws, while Link would often keep nodding off as they did, and it got him into a lot of trouble many times...

"...as the people of the north set out a trade route, which interfered with the economy of the west, resulting in argument between the..."

And this wasn't any different. Everything Ms. Fareafu was teaching was boring the daylights out of him. He found himself leaning forward on his desk and yawning out loudly, only to then get hit on the head by a flying piece of chalk.

"Pay attention missy! That is another day of detention for you!" stated Ms. Fareafu, before going back to the chalkboard continuing her lesson.

Link grumbled as he looked around to the other kids, who seemed just as bored as he was.

'Why's she picking on me in particular? Is it because she thought I was trying to sneak out?' Link thought to himself.

He looked over to Saria, who seemed to be listening as intently as she could while jolting down some notes.

"And how can you deal with this?" Link whispered.

"I'm interested in learning about the ways of the Gerudo's past so I can help with the diplomatic matters when we go to meet with the Parliament." Saria whispered back, "If you like I can go over the more interesting things with you later."

"Sounds good." Link smiled lightly at that suggestion. The only time he ever found himself able to concentrate and learn back in the forest was when Saria would take him out and teach him. Saria was a great and understanding teacher for him.

"You two are good friends, aren't ya?" Ilite asked with a big grin, having seen Link looking to Saria so intently.

"Yep, we're life long friends in fact." Link said nodding.

"That's real nice, I hope someday I can have friends as close as you two are!" Ilite said, "I don't know if you'd believe me, but I actually know the Gerudo King Link. He likes to come by the clinic and spend time with me, he even saved my life a long time ago from a bad man who tried to hurt me."

"I-Is that so?" Link asked, a little embarrassed at her bringing it up.

"Uh-huh, he's probably the best friend I've had besides Dr. Sarami and the nurses, and someday I wanna get stronger so I can spend more time with him out in town, instead of just sitting in my hospital room all the time!"

"Hee hee, I'm sure he'd love to, right Lifeaf?" Saria said, getting the hint across to Link.

"Y-Yeah, I'm sure he will." Link chuckled.

* * *

"It was then in the era of sky, our ancestors founded the providence of High Gresuton, where the great Lady Migatu delegated with the people of Skyloft for..."

Time went on as Ms. Fareafu continued to drone out her history lesson, the students were practically passing out from her endless talking, Link in particular was leaning back in his seat balancing his pencil on his nose.

"I'm losing track of all these ancient names." Link groaned.

"Now in the year 619, the ancient Gerudo began meeting with the land of Fargent in regards to the law of immigration, but the rulers at the time disagreed with working with them..." Ms. Fareafu continued on.

"Fargent?" one student spoke, she then rose her hand up, "I heard about that from my older sister, isn't that the country where that prince stopped that cult?"

"Yeah, and mommy told me the prince is even engaged to the princess of Hyrule!" said another.

The kids all started chattering among each other wildly about this. Ms. Fareafu tried to quiet them down, but it was then Nilonu grinned and stood up, holding up her puppet Bow-Wow.

"That's right! Good on you to know about that!" Nilonu said, taking two small yellow balls from a pouch in her pocket and handing one each off to the two students that spoke up. They thanked the teacher's aide and ate them, looking to be in bliss as soon as they did.

"I said no eating during class!" snapped Ms. Fareafu.

"Ah come on, they did right bringing that up, it's good they should keep up with more current events, cause those current events soon become history!" grinned Nilonu, "You see class, that cult Eibet just spoke about was known as the Order of Reyahm. They believed that the gods of this world have brought pain and misery to the people, and are a blight on our existence. Their goal was to destroy and replace them with new gods of their own choosing." Nilonu spoke out.

"Bunch of nut-jobs if ya ask me! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow commented.

"It was thanks to Prince Fargent that the Order of Reyahm was defeated and their land is now in prosperity!" Nilonu nodded, "Shortly after that, representatives of Fargent came to meet with Hyrule about establishing peace and harmony and all that good stuff, and they decided the Princess Zelda should marry the prince as well to make things even better between the kingdoms!"

"Huh, that's the first time I've heard about that." Link said with renewed interest, and found himself having a small bit of admiration to the prince that was to marry Zelda.

"Wow! I never knew that!" said a student.

"Yeah, that's so interesting! Ms. Nilonu knows a lot!" said another child.

"Ahem, can we go back on topic?" Ms. Fareafu cleared her throat loudly in annoyance.

"Oh yeah, sure Ms. Fareafu, go on back to your droning." Nilonu said, walking back to her seat.

"Hmph." Ms. Fareafu scowled at her assistant, before going back to her lesson, and the class went from interest to boredom once again.

"So what's with the lady with the puppet?" Saria whispered to a kid sitting in front of her.

"Oh that's Nilonu, Ms. Fareafu's teaching assistant, she's really funny and nice to us! She even gives out candy if you do good!" said the student.

"Yeah, those candies are really good, and you can't buy them anywhere in town, so I've studied real hard so I can get as many answers right as I can!" said another girl eagerly.

"She does seem like she knows what she's talking about." Saria said, "And she knows how to keep the kids' interest!"

"More then I can say about a certain other teacher." muttered Link, only to get hit by another piece of chalk.

* * *

"...now with our lesson in history over, it's time to move on. I trust that you all study up on what I have told you for the test next week." Ms. Fareafu stated to the class.

The class collectively moaned out.

"Ugh.. another test? I don't know if I'm going to be able to remember all this..." Ilite sighed as she went over what she had managed to write, "She scolded me last time even though I wasn't here for the lesson the week before because of my condition."

"I'd like to help you myself, but even though I tried my hardest to comprehend the information, this teacher makes it hard to concentrate." Saria sighed, it was then she had an idea, "Hey, maybe we can help each other by comparing our notes later?"

"Oooh, I'd like that!" Ilite said happily, before she started coughing loudly again, "Ugh... but are you sure you'd be okay with my asthma?"

"Your asthma doesn't matter to me, I just want to spend more time with you Ilite!" Saria said.

"Thank you..." Ilite said, smiling softly.

"Well I'm glad for you two, but this stuff was so boring..." Link groaned, "It went in one ear and out the other for me..."

"For our next subject we shall be going into more lessons on desert survival." Ms. Fareafu stated to the class as she wrote the word 'survival' in Gerudo text.

"Well this at least sounds like something more helpful to the kids." Link muttered.

Ms. Fareafu started her lesson, "Now back in the year 739, the great explorer Toufite discovered the usage of he double knot noose to trap animals, but there was much debate with others in the tribe in regards to the preservation of the meat when it was used, leading to-"

"Wait, I thought this was survival, not another history lesson!" Link exclaimed.

"Silence!" Ms. Fareafu tossed another piece of chalk at Link's forehead, before going back to her notes, "Nilonu, where is the rest of my papers on ancient animal trapping?"

"Oh, it's in the second drawer on the left." Nilonu said.

"Thank you." Ms. Fareafu said, bending over and opening the drawer, only for her to jump back and scream out, being so scared her double hair-bun burst apart into short spiky strands, "WHAT IN THE DESERT GODDESSES NAME?"

The class laughed out loud from Ms. Fareafu's shocked expression, as she stumbled backwards, gasping out in shock. She pulled out her ruler and looked as if she was about to pull it open for some reason which confused Link, but that was when Nilonu burst out laughing.

"Haahahaha!" Nilonu laughed, tipping backwards on her chair a little, then getting herself up and going over to the desk, removing from it a large life-like statue of a reddish yellow snake creature, specifically a monster known in Hyrule as a 'Rope', "Sorry Fareafu, I brought over something we could use as a visual aide and I couldn't help myself!"

"Oooh, what is that?" asked one of the kids with wide eyes.

"T-That... that's..." stammered Ms. Fareafu in shock and anger.

Ignoring Fareafu's reaction, Nilonu then placed the statue on the desk, "This here kids is a Venom Rope, a serpentine creature in the further reaches of Gerudo Valley. When they see their prey in sight, they come at them with blinding speed and strike!"

"Yeah, strike like a boss!" Bow-Wow said, lunging forward and snapping his mouth.

"Wow, I've never seen something like that before." one of the kids said.

"Yeah, sounds pretty dangerous." said another.

One kid raised their hand, "Um, I was saw a Rope that was green scaled, is that a Venom Rope too?"

"Nah, those aren't venomous, though their bite can still hurt." Nilonu said.

"But how can you tell the difference?" asked one kid.

"Well there's a simple way to know which Ropes are poisonous and which aren't, just remember this, "Red and yellow kill a fellow, while green and black venom they lack"!" Nilonu said in an almost rhythmic tone.

"Oh, okay! I got it!" nodded the student.

"Red and yellow kill a fellow, while green and black venom they lack!" repeated Bow-Wow, swaying his head left and right as he spoke, and the kids all started to repeat after the two.

"Hey, that's kind of catchy!" Saria said.

"Yeah, she's pretty good at this sort of thing, " Link nodded, looking out at the class, "She's teaching more practical stuff then Ms. Fareafu and holding their attention as well."

"Okay, thank you Nilonu, now can we once again get back to the lesson?!" Ms. Fareafu asked getting up with a clearly annoyed look on her face.

"Oh hey Fareafu, forgot you were there." said Nilonu with a snicker.

"We didn't scare you, did we?" Bow-Wow asked with a mocking tone.

"O-Of course you did not scare me!" Ms. Fareafu stated, though she seemed to have small traces of tears in her eyes as she spoke, she turned away and folded her arms, "I would never be scared of a simple little statue like tha-"

"Sssssss..." Nilonu made the sound of a snake while nudging the statue against Ms. Fareafu's ear.

"Yeeekkk!" screamed out Ms. Fareafu again, her face a pale white, making the class break out into laughter once again.

"Grrr... shut up..." Ms. Fareafu muttered, but the laughing didn't stop.

"I said shad ap ya lil' brats!" she shouted to the class, in a surprisingly much less refined voice then before, as she was waving her fists up and down in a fury, "Shaddap or I'm gonna whack you all til ya go cryin' to yer mommies!"

"I... was not expecting her to talk like that." Link said in surprise.

"Uh oh everyone, here it comes!" said one of the schoolchildren with an amused grin.

The class watched eagerly as Ms. Fareafu was getting so worked up from her anger that she took a step forward and tripped over herself, impacting heavily into the ground, making the class laugh even harder.

"I kinda feel bad for her." Saria said sweatdropping.

"I don't." Link said, pretty amused himself.

Ms. Fareafu finally got herself up onto her feet, holding herself up with her desk and glaring at the class to make them quickly shut up. She stood up and strengthened out her outfit, taking a deep breath to regain her composure.

"Now then, let us continue." she said in her calm voice again, as she went back to the lesson.

* * *

Ms. Fareafu's next lesson was architecture, and the class was just as zoned out from it as ever. Even Saria found herself trying not to nod off. Ms. Fareafu went around the class, walking up and down the aisles of the class as she was consulting a book and making sure the students were paying attention.

"...and in the establishment of Gerudo Fortress, there was much debate on constructing the arena, based on Hotaig's Coliseum, the leader of the people at the time, King Rafezirn, argued with his advisers about the tradition in preserving the..."

It was then Ms. Fareafu came up beside Link, who was laying back and snoring. A snot bubble was rising up and down as Link breathed in and out deeply in his sleep. The other kids stared with worried expressions while Ilite and Saria were trying to shake Link awake, but with him being a heavy sleeper, it was futile for them.

Ms. Fareafu however, brought up her hand and whacked Link sharply over the back of the head with it, causing the bubble to pop and snapping him awake.

"The answer is fifty three!" Link exclaimed. Before looking around in confusion. He then looked up to see Ms. Fareafu was staring down at him menacingly.

"..."

"Uh, was that the right answer?" Link asked innocently, as Saria slapped her forehead in exasperation.

"That shall be another day of detention for you." Ms. Fareafu said glaring down at Link.

"How many days is that now?" Nilonu asked her sock puppet, consulting a notepad with checkmarks on it.

"Dunno, I can't count past fifteen." Bow-Wow said.

"Now let us continue," Ms. Fareafu said coldly as she continued to read off her book.

As soon as the teacher was out of earshot Link sighed, "She's a real tyrant here, isn't she?"

"It's always like this with Ms. Fareafu." one student said, "Though she's being pretty tough on you compared to most of us."

"Why does the class put up with it?" Link asked.

"Well usually she just yells or throws chalk at students who slack off." said the student, "But get her too mad and she'll get out... the ruler."

"The ruler?" Link questioned, "She doesn't spank you girls with it, does she?"

"Well... not exactly..." the student trailed off a bit nervously.

It was then Link looked over to see another student whispering to a girl beside her, as the two giggled. She then took out a small eraser and threw it through the air, right at the back of Ms. Fareafu's head...

But it was then Ms. Fareafu suddenly took the ruler by her side, she slid the top half of it upwards, and Link saw what appeared to be a strange shine coming from it, reflected by the light from the window. It was then with a quick upward motion, Ms. Fareafu swung the half-ruler, and the flying eraser was suddenly divided in two, the two halves falling to the ground harmlessly.

The two prankster girls gasped out as they saw the eraser bits on the ground, and went immediately back to the schoolwork, in the hopes the teacher wouldn't go after them.

Link stared at Ms. Fareafu as she held her ruler, to see there was some long, flat and sharp steel inside of it. She slid the top half of the ruler back on and secured it to her belt.

"S-She conceals a blade in her ruler?" Link whispered loudly.

"Yeah, that chalk is nothing, she uses that blade to make the worse pranksters shut up. I heard she used to be a strong warrior years ago at Gerudo Fortress before the big war, and after that she became a teacher." the student said.

"She's really skilled with it..." Saria said with her jaw dropped.

Link meanwhile had a cold sweat run down his head, as he recalled some things that had been brought up during the meeting earlier that morning.

* * *

"_Well it's just a rumor at this point, but I'm hearing that the mole might be of Sheikah blood." Maukai said._

"_You mean someone like Ms. Impa?" Saria asked._

"_Interesting, that could explain their ability to be so covert in town, especially if they were proficient in Sheikah techniques." Nabooru nodded._

* * *

"_That would be great, I'd love see to Impa again! She showed me a few Sheikah tricks back at the resort when she was teaching me to make bombling arrows!" Aviel said, "One was using common household objects to conceal weapons, like a sword or those kunai things!"_

* * *

Link gulped a bit as he contemplated what he had been told; the rebel possibly being a half-Shiekah, of whom could be capable of covertly concealing weapons in ordinary objects...

'I was hesitant about thinking of her like that, but was I actually right about this, could she really be the rebel mole...?' Link thought, 'And she's teaching a class of children?! I need to tell Nabooru about this as soon as I can!'

He looked to Saria who looked just as worried, she glanced back to him, but there was no need to discuss this out loud, as they could both understand the gravity of the situation.

Link leaned forward and watched the teacher closely, trying to think of an idea of how they could get out. The question was, how? Ms. Fareafu had the only key to leave the room, and with that kind of blade-wielding skill she just demonstrated, it would be dangerous for Link to even consider fighting against her unarmed. As klutzy and easily riled as she came off, it was clear she was a capable warrior.

All they could do for now was just to wait for an opportunity...

And hopefully before it was too late.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, I was hoping I could condense this classroom story into a single chapter but it keep ending up being longer then I planned. **_

_**I will make a mention that Ilite's whole situation with her asthma was not in anyway inspired by the virus outbreak going on at the moment. I had long ago planned for Ilite to play a role in this arc and it ended up being a bizarre coincidence that the virus coincided with it. I'm not trying to make any type of purposeful social commentary in regards to the virus either, as I mentioned, asthma isn't a contagious condition.**_

_**As always thanks so much everyone for reading and your support! Leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to!**_


	62. A Seductive Lesson

_**Time for chapter 62, and if Link thought the Forest and Shadow Temples were scary, he hasn't seen anything yet...!**_

* * *

The time continued to past in the Gerudo schoolhouse, as Link and Saria were both on edge. They had come to the conclusion that the teacher, Ms. Fareafu, might very well be the undercover mole who had been leaking secrets to the Ebony Sisterhood rebellion. However they were locked in the classroom, with Ms. Fareafu holding the only key.

Link took a glance over to see Fareafu's teaching aide; the laid-back woman Nilonu and her sock puppet Bow-Wow. She was reading a paper with one hand while Bow-Wow was grabbing small candies from a nearby bowl and tossing them into the air when Fareafu wasn't looking, and Nilonu was catching them in her mouth. From what he had seen so far during the day, she was very much a kind person, and good with the kids.

'Wonder if she'd be willing to hear me out about the teacher?' Link thought to himself, 'I'll have to ask her discreetly later if she can help us get Saria's Deku Staff back...'

"Now for our next lesson,..." Ms. Fareafu spoke up, snapping Link out of his thoughts and forcing him to watch the teacher again, "We shall be discussing more about..." she let out a heavy sigh, "...Gerudo reproduction."

"Huh?" Link did a double take in shock.

"Ooh, I can't wait to hear this!" he heard one of the girls in the class giggle.

Link looked around to see the rest of the children in the class all perk up at the mention of the next lesson and lean forward, now seeming to be paying more attention then before.

"Our lesson today shall mostly delve into the subject of physically seducing a male." Ms. Fareafu started, writing 'Reproduction' in Gerudo text.

"She's teaching _THIS_ in a children's class?" Link exclaimed as quietly as he could to Saria.

The Kokiri herself was blushing a bright red as she listened, "W-When we escape we really need to have a talk with Nabooru about the teaching curriculum here..."

"Ilite, have you been subjected to this as well?" Link asked, seeing even she was watching the lesson with curious eyes.

"Yeah, this is... um..." Ilite gulped a little with a light blush on her face as well, "T-T-This is probably the time the class pays the most attention..."

"As we covered in lesson before; men are very predicable creatures, driven by simplistic instincts to mate with women. As Gerudo are only able to conceive female babies aside from the one male born every one-hundred years, Hylian males are your only reliable means of mating to ensure the future of our people." Ms. Fareafu explained.

"But my sister says she got rejected by a male during her last hunt!" one student said, "She said he was already taken, what do we do about that?"

"Yes well, typically in Hyrule, it is tradition among commoner Hylian males to take a single wife, and it is considered infidelity to sleep with or marry a second..." Ms. Fareafu explained, drawing two stick figures on the board and crossing a line between them, "While men generally would be willing to take any woman that comes on to them, married men in particular can be difficult to seduce, so you must captivate them first."

"I think that's solving the wrong problem." Saria said sweatdropping.

"What about the Gerudo King?" asked one of the children in the class, "Momma says he's going to be marrying Lady Nabooru and many others, like Ms. Togau of the farmland and the town mystics!"

"He's a Hylian, but I've heard he's a really handsome man, and really nice too!" said one student.

"Yeah, maybe someday I could have a child with him!" said another excitedly.

"I wonder if he'd make me his queen!" said another girl who looked like she was daydreaming.

Link sweatdropped as he heard many of the girls chattering about him.

"I do not need to be hearing this." the young king muttered.

Link wondered just how much of this particular subject these girls have been taught at such a young age. He was really hoping nothing would come about that would expose his identity. At first he was afraid he might be seen as an enemy and attacked, but now he was worried he'd be attacked in a very different, but nonetheless still dangerous way.

Saria meanwhile giggled a little to herself. Even back when he was a kid, a number of the Kokiri girls would get flirty with him, though it always seemed to go over his head. However, after his time in Gerudo Town, as well as his relationships with the girls, had woken up to things like love and intimacy. It was clear he was becoming more aware of the come-ons women would give him...

Ms. Fareafu meanwhile, narrowed her eyes and spoke with a bitter tongue, "Hmph, that male is weak and unfit to be our ruler as far as I am concerned, and you should not fantasize about expecting him to treat you with anything like love and compassion. Men will only hurt you, and they are good for nothing but reproduction!"

'Hm, wonder what she went through in her past...?' Link thought to himself, recalling seeing a similar attitude with Nemisa and others, 'Was she rejected by a guy too...?'

Ms. Fareafu continued, "Now as we discussed last time, the Hylian male is a highly predictable creature; easily subdued by large assets, including the breasts, hips and rear end." she went to drawing a chalk outline of a woman with an hourglass figure, "As shallow as it may sound to you, these bare traits alone can captivate a man to induce the hormonal instincts to mate with a woman."

"Even the king?" asked one of the students raising her hand.

"... …. hmph, yes, I suppose so." Ms. Fareafu said nodding.

Link rolled his eyes at the teacher's words for talking down on him like that, and wanted to protest... but then he thought about how often he'd be captivated by Nabooru's figure, Nemisa's hips or Sarami's voluptuous form and he just shut himself up. Saria snorted a little, making Link look to her annoyed, but she played innocent with a smile.

"As for those _NOT_ built with perfect curves..." Ms. Fareafu said, "You will have to lure them into mating via other means, and today we'll be covering just that, physical seduction."

"I have a really bad feeling about this..." Link muttered.

"Now by Nilonu's recommendation, today we shall be using a visual aide. To begin I would like to have two volunteers from the class to demonstrate the lesson for us." Ms. Fareafu stated. She looked around the class, to see there were at least a few raising their hands, while some others seemed a bit too shy about it. She then noticed the girl in green, the one she had caught in the hallway trying to escape class. She seemed to be trying not to make eye contact with Fareafu, and she formed a wicked smirk.

"Very well, you come up here!" Ms. Fareafu said, pointing her ruler at the 'girl'.

"M-Me?" Link exclaimed upon realization that she was gesturing to him, "I... uh..."

"Um, I really don't think she should participate, she hasn't been felling well enough to be able to do something like this!" Saria spoke up desperately in Link's defense, "In fact, I'm thinking maybe I should escort her to Dr. Sarami's medical clinic!"

'Nice thinking!' Link thought to himself, then put a hand to his head, looking like he was dizzy as Saria tried to help keep him steady.

"Yikes, are you really not well Lifeaf?" Ilite asked with concern, wondering if her asthma might really have been contagious to her after all.

"... ...hmph, very well." muttered Ms. Fareafu.

Link and Saria both sighed out with relief, and started to get up, when Fareafu spoke up again...

"In that case, I would like you to volunteer as well Ms. Saria!" she said, pointing her ruler at Saria as well.

"Eeehhh?!" Saria exclaimed, her face a bright red.

"How is this even 'volunteering'?" Link thought to himself.

"Come on class, give them some encouragement!" Nilonu said grinning.

"Rah rah, bowwowow, get up here and seduce em now!" Bow-Wow chanted.

The rest of the class soon started cheering and encouraging Link and Saria, putting them in awkward spot. The two of them gulped as they looked to each other worriedly then to Ilite who gave them a sympathetic smile and a small thumbs up for encouragement, and they reluctantly got up to head to the front of the class.

"Now, for the sake of demonstration, you shall play the role of a Hylian male." Ms. Fareafu said pointing to Link, then pointing down to a pillow she had set up for the 'male' to lay on.

Had it not been for the tense situation, Link and Saria might had laughed at the bizarre coincidence.

Having little options, Link went ahead and laid back on the pillow. It was pretty soft and comfy, much like the ones he laid back on at the palace as his bed. He then looked up at Saria who looked just as nervous about what they were going to do...

"First, entice the 'male' with a suggestive poise, and ascent your finer points." Ms. Fareafu said, "Even if you find it demeaning to your pride, it will charm the simple-minded males."

"O-Okay then..." Saria gulped, she stood before Link. She contemplated at that moment just what her 'finer points' could be.

Nilonu meanwhile, grinned a little as she came up to Saria and turned her about-face a bit. After a second of thought, she took Saria's pants and ripped them off at the thigh, which showed off her legs quite well, and Saria yelped out in embarrassment at them being shown off like that.

"Here, show off your good stuff" she said grinning.

"Yeah, give that 'male' a look at that caboose and dem legs you got there!" Bow-Wow said.

"O-Okay..." Saria said.

By the command of Ms. Fareafu, Saria looked over her shoulder as she started doing some suggestive poses, sticking out her rear end for Link and running her hand along her leg. She spun around and swayed what little hips she had, she stumbled a little trying to step towards Link seductively, but Nilonu helped her by positioning her legs to alternative moving them as the teacher instructed.

"Does that help Ms. Fareafu?" asked Nilonu.

Ms. Fareafu looked to her aide and blushed a little, "Erm... yes. Thank you for your help Nilonu. Now Ms. Saria, please continue."

Saria onerously nodded. Following the actions the teacher and her aide told her, Saria slowly sat down on Link's waist, stroking his cheek with her hand, as she leaned close to him, breathing softly against him. Saria ran her hands along Link's chest, mindful not to accidentally pull off his top. Link's face was flushed red by her hand movements, and the fact the two were practically inches away from kissing...

Ms. Fareafu then spoke, "Now use your words to entice the 'male'. Repeat after me..."

And so Saria did as she was told; speaking to Link with the words Fareafu told her. She spoke in as much of a slow seductive voice as she could, "I-I have never seen a true Hylian male... there are many men out there, like grains of sand in the desert... and most are disgusting and vile.. B-but I believe you're special to me... such a fine, handsome person..."

It was difficult for Link to deal with himself as Saria spoke to him. As much as he found Ms. Fareafu to be a pain in the neck and worried she might very well be the rebel mole, she at least knew what she was doing as far as seduction was. He had encountered it firsthand by Nabooru and his future wives, but being seduced by Saria, even if it was acting, he was having a hard time enduring it.

Saria continued, "I want nothing more then to hold you... kiss you... and become your lover.. and... I... want you to give me your children, Link..."

The Kokiri then realized what she had just said and cut herself off with a loud squeak, her face was a brighter red then ever. She nervously looked up to Ms. Fareafu and Nilonu, then to the class who were all staring back at her with wide eyes, but she regained her composure.

"Hee hee, oops! Sorry, I slipped a bit." Saria said sheepishly, scratching her cheek.

"Oh wow, so Saria wants the King as her husband too?" asked one of the students.

"With moves like that, I bet he'd take her even like she is now!" giggled another student.

Link didn't say a word, he had been made speechless by what Saria said. While she was just following what Ms. Fareafu had been telling her, it seemed Saria just blurted out his name. He was left wondering if that was really just a slip of the tongue... or was what Nabooru had discussed with him earlier that day really true...?

It was then he recalled something he had been told once, back in the dark future, it was something he didn't understand back in that time, but he was more aware of what it meant now...

"_Because, Saria really... liked..."_

Link slowly looked up at Saria who stared back down at him, and it was becoming more clear to him what he had been trying to deny all this time between the two of them...

"A-Anyway, please continue." Ms. Fareafu said, cutting off the moment.

Saria gulped nervously. She then wrapped her arms around Link's neck and came close to him, pressing her slim body against his own. She found herself rocking her hips and rubbing against him.

This was getting too much for Link; the feeling of Saria embracing him and their bodies pressing together as they were. It reminded him of yesterday back when she was hypnotized. This time she was under a different form of control, but it was still driving him mad.

The kids were watching with upmost interest. Ilite in particular was surprised to see Saria so good at such movements and words, and noted the look in her new friend Lifeaf's eyes, it really seemed like she was longing for the girl on her lap...

Saria continued to rock her hips against Link's body. He was holding back as much as possible to avoid letting this go too far between them. He was thankful for his experience in bed with the girls that gave him more self-control. Nabooru and Sarami had also been skilled in concealing his private parts, and he hoped his small youthful body would be able to avoid showing anything like _that_.

Saria continued to rub against him though, and the feeling between the two was growing more, and more, until Link let out a noise,

"Aaahhh!"

* * *

"Do you hear our husband anywhere Togau?" Nemisa asked the rancher as the two future wives of Link went down the street. Togau was in her Lynel form, using her enhanced senses to try and figure out where Link might have been.

"Nothin' yet!" Togau said, her lion-like ear twitching.

As Nemisa and Togau were going down the road, they past by a building with a long plant box set up on the edge of the window, with some various flowers growing out from it. A Gerudo stepped up and looked over the flowers, and her eyes widened at the sight of their condition, as a few plants in particular stood out to her

"Huh, how strange... looks like the lilies are in full bloom today." she commented.

* * *

Back at the classroom, Link and Saria found themselves gasping out in a sweat. Ms. Fareafu had finally ended the demonstration, and even she herself was a little flustered at the way Saria went at 'Lifeaf'.

"E-Excellent work Ms. Saria." Fareafu said, then spoke out to the class, "As you can see, if executed correctly, you can drive just about anyone you desire wild."

"Yeah, no kiddin'." Bow-Wow said, looking as much in surprise as his owner Nilonu did.

"T-Thank you Ms. Fareafu..." Saria muttered, bowing a polite bow..

The class all stared and clapped lightly as Link and Saria awkwardly went back to their seats, while Ms. Fareafu went back to the lesson.

"That was amazing Saria!" Ilite said to the Kokiri after they set down.

Neither Saria, or Link said a word in reply, but just looked away from each other sheepishly.

"Now onto the next part... in the year 597..." Fareafu began, and the class all collectively moaned out again.

As much as the class had taken an interest in the visual demonstration, Ms. Fareafu was going right back to her usual routine; discussing the history of ancient seduction techniques, and even that was starting to tire out everyone once again. Link and Saria themselves couldn't even concentrate at all after what had just happened.

"Um... Saria?" Link finally spoke up, "About what happened there..."

"Oh, uh, it's o-okay..." Saria said, "That was just what we had to do after all!"

"Ah ha ha... right, of course..." Link chuckled.

"I dunno about that Lifeaf, you sure took it pretty well." giggled Ilite, "You looked like you were about to smooch her!"

"Ah... ha ha..." Link gulped and laughed nervously in response.

"In fact, you might... might..." Ilite was cut off in her words by her asthma affecting her, and found herself coughing out again, her facemask recoiling around with each cough.

"You okay there?" Link asked worriedly.

"Yeah, no problem!" Ilite coughed out, taking her bottle of chu jelly capsules out, "Just need another one of my-"

That was when the bottle was suddenly yanked away by Ms. Fareafu from behind, who was glaring down at Ilite.

"I thought I mentioned earlier, no eating in class!" Ms. Fareafu scolded Ilite.

"But Ms. Fareafu, that's my asthma medie-" Ilite started, but was cut off.

"Enough excuses. I'll be seeing you in detention after class." Ms. Fareafu said, taking the bottle and walking off with it.

Ilite hung her head down sadly, as Link stared at her, his previous awkwardness about Saria went away quickly with this turn of events. He couldn't allow the teacher to do something like this to his friend.

"Hey!" Link shouted. Ms. Fareafu stopped in her tracks and she turned to see Link and Saria both standing up and looking at her in anger, "Give Ilite that back immediately!"

"Yeah, that's her medicine! She needs it to help stop her coughing!" Saria agreed.

"Hmph, you've been nothing but trouble since this morning." Ms. Fareafu said to Link, seeming to be ignoring what they told her about Ilite, "And it's clear you're starting to influence even a good student like Ms. Saria here!"

"Please, don't fight like this because of m-" Ilite protested, but was cut off by her loud coughing.

Ms. Fareafu shouted to Ilite, "And I'm not going to allow you to be here anymore if all you'll do is cough like this! Clearly you must be cursed with a foul plague! As of now, you two are both expelled from my class!"

Link's eyes lit up from that, this was the opportunity he had been waiting for to escape and report back to Nabooru.

But it was then he realized what she meant by 'two' and turned to see Ilite, who had froze up in shock, her eyes teared up, as she hugged herself with her arms.

"B-But I can't help it..." Ilite whispered softly.

"You can't do that! Ilite did nothing wrong!" Link shouted to Fareafu angerly.

"...actually, you know what? Maybe she's right Lifeaf." Saria said, surprising Link and Ilite.

Ms. Fareafu looked in confusion at Saria for a second, but smirked lightly.

"Heh, I see at least you understand, Ms. Saria." Fareafu said to Saria, her anger towards the Kokiri diminishing, "You are quite a gifted pupil."

"Yeah, I understand." Saria nodded, then pointed her finger at the teacher, "I understand that Ilite should not be learning under someone like yourself, you old bat!"

The class gasped out at Saria's sharp tongue, and even Link was surprised to see this side of his best friend.

"Zing." snickered Nilonu to herself.

"What... did you just say to me, you little brat?" Fareafu asked with her eyes twitching.

"While what you teach is informative, it's mostly just dull lectures in politics and history! Children at their age wouldn't understand this kind of thing! And even if they had an interest in it, you drone on so much you're making them bored and uninterested anyway! Your aide does a much better job at teaching them then you!" Saria stated.

Link grinned, it was only natural for Saria to know this sort of thing, since she used to spend so much of her life teaching the Kokiri, as well as himself, so much. The kids respected and loved her for far more then just protecting the village with her Deku Staff after all.

"Hmph, if these children do not learn from the history of the past then they'll be doomed to repeat it. This is exactly how I was taught, and look at me now!" Fareafu said.

"All I see is a stubborn insensitive jerk who's living in the past!" Saria shot back, "These children need to have their minds stimulated and kept engaged, so they can comprehend things easier! All you're doing is making them not want to learn!"

"That's not my problem, it's theirs for not being able to concentrate properly!" Fareafu stated.

"Yo Ms. Fareafu, maybe you outta just let them-" Nilonu started, but was cut off by the teacher.

"I hoped you were a bright and aspiring student Ms. Saria, but I see you are truly no different then this slacker girl or that coughing one!" she said referring to 'Lifeaf' and Ilite, "And I especially will not have this girl spreading her coughing curse to me or the other students!" Ms. Fareafu snapped, "All three of you are to leave immediately!"

Link narrowed his eyes. He had it, blade or no blade, he was fed up with the teacher's attitude, especially the way she was treating Ilite. She had come to school to learn and make friends, and instead she was forced to distance herself form the other kids due to the teacher's misguided paranoia about her asthma.

"No way! Ilite's worked hard to get to where she is!" Link shouted, "She was stuck in that clinic for so long, not being able to go outside or see the other kids, but she's been given the chance to go out into the world and make friends, and I'm not going to let you get in the way of that! Now give her back that medicine!"

"Lifeaf..." Ilite whispered with her eyes lit up.

"Silence!" Ms. Fareafu shouted, bringing up her arm and swiftly throwing a piece of chalk at Link.

As the chalk flew right at Link, he then instinctively shifted his head to the side, and the chalk missed him completely. The chalk harmlessly impacting into a wall, exploding into dust. This was enough to throw the whole class into shock.

"W-Wha?" Ms. Fareafu exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm through with your attitude lady." Link said coldly, "Apologize to Ilite and give her medicine back, now!"

Ms. Fareafu narrowed her eyes coldly, but Link didn't back down. She then reached for her ruler and slid it upwards a bit, revealing the blade inside, taking a step forward, "Damnit... you stupid little brat, I shall make you pay for disrupting my-"

But it was then when Ms. Fareafu took another step that she slipped on a stray piece of chalk that had been on the ground, causing her to fall over and hit the ground.

"Kyaaah!"

The teacher had planted facefirst on the ground with an explosion of chalk dust bursting and gently falling down over her. She sat up on her knees with her hair-buns sticking out and her face completely white from the dust.

There was a long pause as everyone stared at the teacher, until the tense mood from a second ago was soon broken, and resulted in the whole class breaking out into laughter at the cruel teacher's misfortune.

"Heh, serves her right." Link grinned.

"Oopsies, wonder how _that _chalk got there?" Nilonu asked with a knowing grin, one that didn't go unnoticed by Link, who smiled a bit in admiration of the aide.

"Ha! Nice faceplant, Ms. Slippy McPowderface! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow laughed out.

Ms. Fareafu just paused, she sat there on the ground as everyone in the classroom were laughing at her. Small traces of tears formed in the teacher's eyes as she clenched her teeth and scraped her fingernails against her legs, tearing at her stockings a bit, before standing up and shouting out.

"Fine ya brats! I know when I ain't wanted! Find yerself anadda teacher!" and with that, she got up and stomped her way out, taking the key from her vest and opening the door. "I never even wanted ta do this ta begin with, ya can go all be stupid dummy brats fer all I care!"

"But what about the lessons, old lady?" Bow-Wow spoke up, before the key went flying through the air and hit Nilonu in the forehead.

"Ya two think yer so good at this, _you_ handle it!" Ms. Fareafu shouted to the aide and her puppet as she slammed the door, unwittingly closing it on her leg, causing her to shout out, before limping off and slamming the door shut again.

"You okay there Ilite?" Link asked, handing the girl back her chu jelly bottle which he recovered after Fareafu dropped it.

"Y-Yeah... thanks Lifeaf, Saria..." Ilite coughed a bit as she took a capsule, and in that moment looking at the concern in Lifeaf's eyes, which sort of reminded her of a certain someone else she knew... "I'm so happy to have you two as friends."

"I'm so sorry you went through that!" Saria said with a huff, "Just what is that woman's problem?"

"No clue, she's never gone that far before..." one of the kids said.

"Well geez, I guess if the old bat is gone, I'm going to have to teach everyone now." Nilonu sighed, rubbing the back of her head, then looking to the class, "You kids okay with me and Bow-Wow teaching you for the rest of the day?"

The kids collectively cheered out happily, which was really all the answer she needed.

"We'd love to have that!" shouted out one child.

"Yeah, you're a really nice teacher Ms. Nilonu!" said another.

Nilonu smiled lightly and looked to her sock puppet, "Looks like we got promoted Bow-Wow."

"Yay! We're in cha-arge! We're in cha-arge!" Bow-Wow sang happily.

"Alright then, let's start from scratch, but I'll make it quick so we can end the day on time and get you all home!" Nilonu grinned.

The class cheered out once more, and the lessons started again.

* * *

"How's this Ms. Nilonu?" one of the students asked, showing her the schoolwork she had done.

"Hey, nice job kiddo!" grinned Nilonu, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a candy for the student, "Little something for your hard work!"

"Thank you!" the student said cheerfully, eating it on the spot and savoring the flavor.

Nilonu went back to reading off the materiel in the book, but rather then read it word for word like Ms. Fareafu did, she was addressing it much more casually then what Link and Saria assumed was written.

"She's really good at this sort of thing, isn't she?" Saria said to Link.

"Yeah, even I'm starting to understand it." Link nodded. He had just written down the notes Nilonu wanted him to put down, just as she was passing by. She took that moment to check over his work and grinned.

"Nice one Lifeaf, have a candy too!" Nilonu grinned, as Bow-Wow leaned down and placed the yellow ball by Link's hand.

"Bowowow, eat up!" Bow-Wow said as they went off to see to the other students.

Link paused as he looked at the candy and started to place it into his pants pocket.

"Not gonna eat that? The rest of the class seem to like them." Saria asked, pointing out how Nilonu was handing out another candy to a student who ate it.

"Nah, I'll probably save it to give to Aviel later, I've never liked these kinds of things." Link said.

"Good idea, I'll probably do the same." Saria nodded, pocketing hers as well.

"You two are missing out, it's so sweet and yummy!" Ilite said happily, smacking the candy inside her mouth.

"Still, I really like how this Nilonu woman does things here, I'm going to talk with Nabooru later about that Ms. Fareafu woman and what she did, and I'll see if Nilonu would like to become the official teacher." Link whispered to Saria.

"That'd be great!" Saria nodded, "Way to flex that kingly might of yours!"

"Ah heh heh..." Link chuckled, scratching his cheek, "I dunno if I'd call it that."

"No seriously, the way you stood up to that terrible teacher was great!" Saria smiled, "You've always been such a courageous person, fighting off the curse of the Great Deku Tree, going to defeat Ganondorf, saving me from Straw Kid... and everything you've done for the Gerudo... it's one of the things I li-... um, really admire about you Link..."

Link blushed at Saria's compliments, he was beginning to think more then ever now that he needed to sit down and talk with her personally about what exactly the two had between each other...

"Alright class, time for the next lesson!" Nilonu spoke up, getting their attention again as class continued.

* * *

Soon the class was starting to wind down, as the day was approaching mid-afternoon.

"Well guess that covers the last lesson on Ms. Fareafu's lesson plan for this week." Nilonu said, consulting the sheet.

"Finally, maybe now we can get back to the palace." Link told Saria.

"I'll ask Nilonu if she can release Faete afterwards." Saria said, the two looked over at the bottle Faete was encased in, and the fairy seemed to be laying back sleeping with a bubble rising up and down from her glowing form.

"It was great to have you two here today." Ilite said, "I know you said you aren't actually students here, but are you going to come back next week?"

"Uh... maybe not Lifeaf..." Saria said, looking to Link who was worn out, "But I'd love to come by and see you all again!" she added with a smile.

"Before we go though class, I just have one final surprise for the day!" Nilonu stated with a bright smile.

"Oh boy, I love surprises!" Bow-Wow said excitedly.

"Oooh, wonder what this could be?" one of the girls asked in curiosity.

It was then Nilonu brought up her hand and snapped her fingers, and with that the window that was bringing in light suddenly seemed to close up, and the doorway out of the class seemingly disappeared, replaced with a wall, and leaving the room pretty dark, save for Faete who was glowing inside her bottle. The bottle was soon covered by Bow-Wow placing a handkerchief over it though, making the room almost pitch-black.

"Huh?" Link exclaimed, looking around.

"What's happening?" Saria asked.

It was then some lights formed, it was Nilonu lighting a few candles, and putting them on the teacher's desk. She then stood at the desk, her expression darkened and she smirked wickedly. Even the cute sock puppet Bow-Wow looked much more sinister in that moment.

"The final lesson for today class, is to educate you all on the fiendish devil that has entered this town, and turning you all towards the wrong way..." Nilonu spoke.

"...I'm going to educate you on the truth about Link, the evil false king."

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, with the real enemy now revealed, Link is in a tough bind, how are he and Saria going to get out of this one? Find out next week!**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you desire, your feedback is always encouraged!**_


	63. Detention Room

_**Now with the true enemy revealed, what will Link and Saria do? Let's get started and find out!**_

* * *

"What the hell is going on...?" Link whispered as he, Saria, Ilite and the fourteen children were sitting in the Gerudo schoolhouse classroom, only to see the new teacher on duty, the aide Nilonu, just put out the lights and started speaking strangely.

"Now class, how about we begin the final lesson of the day? We're gonna be covering the evil regime that's ruling over our town, and what's being done to fight it!" Nilonu said cheerfully.

"Huh? What's this about?" asked one of the kids.

"This is really scary..."

"Ms. Nilonu, what do you mean?"

"I need to warn you all of the false king, and his evil deeds, as well as the horrible things he has in store for the people of Gerudo Town!" Nilonu stated.

"Yeah, he's a big bad dude and got a big bad attitude! Bowowow!" her sock puppet Bow-Wow stated.

Nilonu continued, "The false king Link came to this town 'bout a little over a year ago, chosen by Lady Nabooru as the new ruler after the great King Ganondorf was wrongfully captured. Well, it turns out it was all a plot by the evil Link, who lusted for power and control over our people, and wants to take everything for himself; stripping our town of it's money, killing people who disobey him, and forcing himself onto women for his own sick pleasure!"

"A crook, a killer, and a womanizer, all in one!" Bow-Wow stated.

Meanwhile, Link whispered to Saria, "I can't believe it... Nilonu was the rebel mole all along!"

"And here we thought it was Ms. Fareafu, what should we do?" Saria asked.

"Not sure at the moment. If we try to speak out it could be dangerous. We don't know what she's capable of, and we can't risk the lives of these kids. Let's just wait for an opportunity." Link said.

Saria nodded as the two listened to Nilonu along with the rest of the class.

"There's also the matter of the war from about eight years ago." Nilonu said, "You were all too young to know anything about it, but in that war, our beloved Gerudo sisters fought to save our poor king. Sadly, in the end they were no match for the Hylians... and a lot of them died for nothing..."

The kids were all saddened from these words, "Did... you lose anyone from that war Ms. Nilonu...?" one of them asked.

Nilonu just stood there, grimacing, as Bow-Wow spoke up for her.

"She had a sister that meant the world to her, but she served in the war to save our great king, and those bastard Hylians struck her down!" the puppet said.

"Oh no, that's so sad..." another one of the students said.

"Poor Ms. Nilonu..."

"And it was King Link who caused it...?"

"So she lost someone too." Link whispered looking down. He remembered when he saw the plaque at Hotaig's Mausoleum with Reirousa, and all the names engraved on it to honor those who fell in the war.

Saria looked sadly at Link, as she recalled Nabooru telling her how much he blamed himself for what happened. She pat Link's hand reassuringly.

"Bow-Wow, no need to say that to the kids." Nilonu said.

"Erm, sorry about stepping over my boundaries, Maam." Bow-Wow said, bowing his head to his owner.

"Nah... it's alright..." chuckled Nilonu lightly, "You can't step over anything without any feet after all."

"Bowowowow!" laughed Bow-Wow, "Good point!"

Even the class, as sad as they were to hear of Nilonu's loss, laughed a bit at the joke.

"Even now as I'm telling you this," Nilonu continued to the class, "The evil false king is plotting his next equally evil scheme; convincing the Goron and Zora tribes into joining his army! But you don't need to worry, cause there's a great big team of heroes fighting against him; the Ebony Sisterhood and their leader the great Mother Eclipsis!"

The class was surprised and started talking among each other.

"Mother Eclipsis?" asked one student.

"I've never heard of her..."

"She's a strong and proud Gerudo who's going to save you all from the evil false king and take our true king back from those darn Hylians!" Nilonu said proudly, "The great King Ganondorf, along with Mother Eclipsis will make everything better again!"

Link gulped, the leader of the rebels, Mother Eclipsis was stepping up her assault on the town as of late, and it seemed she was going so far as to having the undercover mole indoctrinate the children of the town now.

"Just how does she plan to get away with this...?'" Link whispered to Saria.

"I don't know..." Saria said.

"Bowowowow! Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!" Bow-Wow sang proudly.

"Come on class, say it with us!" grinned Nilonu, "Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!"

"Um... I don't know about this..." said one student.

"Yeah, I thought the king was a good person." said another.

"But he did say he got King Ganondorf captured, didn't he...?"

"And that he caused the big war..."

"Link.." Ilite whispered, putting a hand to her chest as she thought about her dear friend, unaware he was currently sitting right beside her

Saria frowned, Nilonu was putting doubt in the minds of the children, it even seemed to be affecting Ilite, and the Kokiri girl had just about enough of this.

"Now wait a minute!" Saria shouted, standing herself up, "You're part of the rebellion then, aren't you Ms. Nilonu? What you're doing is not just treason against the Gerudo throne, but you're saying a bunch of lies! Link would never do anything to hurt the people! He cares deeply about each and everyone of them, and he's a great king because of it!"

"Saria..." Link whispered.

The kids all looked to Saria in surprise of her open defense of King Link, and found themselves questioning just who was in the right in that moment.

"Hm, looks like we need a little more oomph to convince em." Bow-Wow said.

"Alright then, I hated to have to resort to this, but go for it Bow-Wow." Nilonu said.

"Bowowow, here goes!" with that, Bow-Wow closed his mouth tightly, then opened his mouth wide, revealing a strange disk inside of his mouth. The disk had a sort of spiral shape on it, and as he kept his mouth open, the disk started spinning, and a strange wave started spreading out across the classroom.

"Huh...?" one of the kids muttered.

"What's happening...?"

"My head feels dizzy..."

"What is she doing...?" Link asked, looking around at the kids.

"Now kids, shall we start over?" grinned Nilonu, "Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!"

"Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!" said Bow-Wow.

After a few moments, the children all started speaking out, in a way that shocked Link and Saria.

"... …Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall..."

"Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall..."

"Mommy Eclipsis will save us all, and the evil false king will suffer and fall!"

"They're... all repeating after her..." Link muttered, he looked over at Ilite who was trembling.

"Mommy... save... all, evil... false... suffer... fall..." Ilite stammered softly.

"How is this happening?" Saria exclaimed.

Link paused on that note and took a look at Ilite carefully as she was muttering to herself. He saw the look in her eyes; it was a somewhat hazy and spaced out stare. It came across as fairly familiar to him...

"...I... think I know," Link said, "I think the kids are being hypnotized by Nilonu!"

He looked over to Bow-Wow and saw the disk spinning in his mouth.

"That sock puppet has something that's causing the kids to look just like you did when Kesuta and Korume put you in that trance." Link said narrowing his eyes.

"Oh my gosh... !" gasped Saria, but then added after a thought, "But wait, if that's the case, why aren't we affected then?"

"Dunno, maybe because we're older then the kids?" Link pondered, "Either way, let's pretend to be hypnotized as well, until we can come up with a new plan."

"Ugh, I guess it's our only choice at this point..." Saria groaned, before repeating the chanting Bow-Wow was saying.

"Very good class!" grinned Nilonu, "Now let's continue!"

* * *

Link and Saria just watched and contemplated their plan to escape as Nilonu continued with the new lesson, consisting of various encounters Link had made with the rebels in the past, showing Link just how carefully the rebel had been monitoring him. Naturally Nilonu fabricated the stories to make Link come off like the one who provoked each situation. She even drew goofy cartoonish drawings on the chalkboard of Link as an angry villain of sorts, complete with some stink lines emitting from him.

Nilonu continued with her 'lesson', "...and despite our efforts to fight against him, the false king has hurt us in a lot of tragic ways as well... He struck down two of our beloved sisters, the brave warriors known as The Slicer and Boss Faurugo, as well as our cherished pet Molderm..."

"We'll never forget you Moldy!" cried out Bow-Wow.

'It's name was Moldy?' Link thought.

"Is King Link... really like that...?" asked one of the kids with that same dazed look in their eyes.

"What a terrible man..."

"How could Lady Nabooru choose him as our king...?"

"Yes, it truly is a shame." sighed Nilonu, walking down the aisle, approaching where Link, Saria and Ilite were, "But I can assure you, the Ebony Sisterhood won't allow their deaths to be in vain, we'll continue to fight for the greater good, and crush the evil false king Link!"

"Yaaay! Fight the evil king!" cheered one of the kids, and some others cheered along with her.

"This is really bad." Link muttered.

"Now I don't expect any of you to put your lives in danger for the sake of defying the evil false king," Nilonu said, "I also don't want you telling your parents about what I'm saying here, so you don't get treated as traitors, but I just want you to take to heart what I'm saying. Soon the great Mother Eclipsis will storm this town, take it back from the false king, and save everyone!"

With Nilonu so close to them, Link was breaking out into a cold sweat. If he had a weapon he might have stood a chance to fight her, but as he was now he couldn't do much at all...

"But... Link..."

Hearing a voice speak up, everyone turned to see Ilite, who was hanging her head down.

"Link... he's.. he's not a bad person... he's a good king!" Ilite said, raising her head up and looking to Nilonu, "And he's my friend!"

"Hahaha, you don't need him Ilite, I'll be your friend, and so will Bow-Wow, and all the kids here!" Nilonu grinned.

"Yay for friends!" Bow-Wow cheered.

"I... um..." Ilite stammered.

"Come on Ilite, wanna join us in fighting against the evil false king?" Nilonu asked.

"Yeah, please Ilite!" said one of the students.

"We wanna have fun playing with you!"

"Uh..." Ilite gulped.

"We might even be able to help you with your asthma, we have better resources for it then here, including a really smart doctor!" Nilonu added, "In fact they're so good at what they do, they might even be able to cure you!"

'A doctor...?' Link thought to himself.

"Yeah, just say the word and no more coughing for you Ilite! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow said.

"I.. could..." Ilite muttered.

"Ilite..." Link whispered softly.

It was then Ilite looked over to Lifeaf, someone who despite her only having been met that day, felt like a good friend she had known for a long time. Ilite looked into her eyes, then looked to Saria.

"Ilite..." Saria whispered very faintly so as not to let Nilonu hear, "Please, remember who your real friends are..."

Despite the young Gerudo being in her hypnotic daze, in that moment Ilite saw a tear fall from Saria's cheek. She paused, closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then looked up angerly at Nilonnu.

"No... no I won't, you meanie!" Ilite shouted out, "I'll never turn my back on Link!"

The class gasped out.

"But Ilite... don't you want to make friends?" Bow-Wow asked, "Don't you want to be cured of your asthma and be free to do whatever you want, bowowow?"

"Of course I do..." Ilite said, the hazy expression in her eyes seemed to be clearing up ever so slightly, surprising Nilonu, "But if that means making Link my enemy... then I'd rather be stuck back in the clinic!"

"Hey, why would you defend someone like the false king?" Nilonu asked shrugging, "Especially after all he's done to our people?"

"Because... I know he's a good person." Ilite said, "He saved my life..."

* * *

_Flashback_

"Are... you okay?" Link asked, kneeling down to Ilite in Dr. Sarami's medical clinic.

Ilite looked up to see Link smiling a big goofy grin. She saw Link's hand, which was bleeding from a knife he had gripped to save her from being stabbed by a cruel thief named Dakas. Said thief was sprawled out on the floor outcold from Link punching him just a second ago.

"Y-Yes Mr. King Link," Ilite stammered with tears in her eyes, "I'm fine... but... y-you're injured!"

"Don't worry about that." Link said smiling, not even seeming to be reacting to the pain of the gash wound on his hand, "I'm just glad you're okay."

Tears started to run down Ilite's cheeks, and she threw her arms around Link's neck, hugging him tightly and crying her eyes out, while Link hugged her back with his good arm.

* * *

Ilite continued, "I had never met a man my whole life... Mommy used to tell me that all men were terrible people who do nothing but hurt you... then that mean thief kidnapped me... and I thought what she said was really true... But that's when Link saved me, and he smiled at me despite what had happened... After that he started coming to visit me. He's a really kind man, nothing like what everyone's told me... and especially not like what you're saying about him!"

"Don't fall for it, that's all a trick Ilite. He only wants power, and to have his perverted way with our people." Nilonu said, "The Gerudo are suffering, and'll just keep suffering until we save our true king!"

"Come on, join up with the winning side! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow said cheerfully.

Ilite just stared up at Nilonu, and frowned, "No."

"What?!" exclaimed Nilonu and Bow-Wow in unison.

"I'm going to support King Link no matter what. Lady Nabooru choose him to be our king for a reason, and he's proven that by being a great hero to everyone! Link's going to marry a lot of girls and make them his queens; not because he's forcing them, but because they all care about him! I've even seen the way Dr. Sarami looks when she talks about him, and I can tell she wants to be his wife too!"

Link rubbed the back of his head a bit sheepishly as she spoke about that.

"Link has... even told me about a childhood friend of his that's living with him now a while back..." Ilite said, "And when he talks to me about her... he always looks so happy, she really means a lot to him, and I'm sure he wants her to his wife too!"

Saria blushed red at that mention of her, and couldn't help but smile lightly, looking to Link who was looking pretty embarrassed by Ilite's praise.

"There's no way someone like Link could be the monster you say he is... I should know, he's my friend!" Ilite shouted, as she did, the haze in her eyes went away, and everyone saw a strange yellow mist was starting to drift out from her mouth, Ilite herself not seeming to notice.

'Huh...?' Link looked in confusion.

Nilonu meanwhile just stared down at Ilite. There was something that bothered the rebel about the way the girl looked... it seemed all too familiar to her...

"Ugh, what a pain." Nilonu soon sighed, putting her free hand to her forehead, "I don't know how you're fighting it off, but Mother Eclipsis isn't gong to like hearing this..."

"We better keep an eye on this kid so she doesn't escape!" Bow-Wow said, grabbing Ilite by her top and lifting her up into the air.

"Leggo of me you jerk puppet!" Ilite shouted, thrashing around, only for her asthma to come back and she started coughing again.

"Hey, let go of her!" Link shouted, deciding enough was enough, as he and Saria both jumped up and lunged at Nilonu, knocking her over and releasing Ilite.

"Get offa me!" Nilonu shouted, as Link and Saria were trying their hardest to punch and kick at her.

"I'll help you Nilonu!" Bow-Wow said, the sock puppet turned to the class and opened his mouth wide, exposing the hypnotic disk "Okay kids, defend your beloved teacher!"

The children sat there with their eyes spiraling in a daze from the hypnosis, before all getting up and slowly lumbering over to Link and Saria, grabbing and restraining them, giving Nilonu the chance to stand up.

"Phew, I don't know how you two resisted my hypnosis as well, but I can't have any of you gettin' in my way!" Nilonu said.

"And how exactly do you plan to not get caught doing this?!" Saria said, "The kids' families are going to be worried about them!"

"Relax kiddo, I plan to let them all out. After I'm done using my hypnosis they won't even be the wiser of what was going on here." smirked Nilonu, "The important thing is I sow the seeds of rebellion into them all, and soon they'll start revolting against the false king!"

"She can do it too, Nilonu's a master hypnotist! Bowowow!" Bow-Wow laughed.

"Hardly a master, your tricks didn't work on us or Ilite!" Saria pointed out.

"Just a setback. The question is what should I do with the three of you then...?" Nilonu said.

Link struggled, but it was to no avail. The kids were decently strong despite their age, and they had him tightly restrained thanks to their numbers.

'There's got to be something we can do...'

* * *

Meanwhile a few blocks away at a bar, a certain Gerudo was laying against the counter, holding an alcoholic drink in her hand. Surrounding her was about four more discarded cups. The Gerudo herself had an annoyed scowl on her face, as well as faint remains of chalk dust smeared on it.

"Another one, Fareafu?" the bartender asked holding a bottle.

"Please." Ms. Fareafu said holding up the cup.

"Wow, sixth cup and it's not even the evening yet, you have a rough day?" the bartender asked, pouring her another cup-full.

Fareafu just laid against the counter, her mind in that moment was focused on the girl in green named Saria, and the words she spoke to her...

"_All I see is a stubborn insensitive jerk who's living in the past! These children need to have their minds stimulated and kept engaged, so they can comprehend things easier! All you're doing is making them not want to learn!"_

"...damn that girl, she went and had to say those things..." Fareafu groaned, putting a hand to her head.

"Fareafu? Is that you?" spoke up a mature but silky sweet voice, "Oh my, six drinks already? I have a hard enough time getting Nabs to cut down."

Fareafu looked beside her to see the top medical doctor in town, Sarami, sitting beside her and placing an order for two glasses of water.

"Whadaya want Sarami?" Fareafu muttered.

"I was going on an important search, but I saw you here, so I thought I'd take a small rest." Sarami said with a smile, taking one of the water cups and giving it to Fareafu, "Judging from your drinks and your accent slipping again, I assume you had a bad day at class?"

"You could say somethin' like that..." Fareafu sighed, "I was made a fool of in front of them all, and I even got told off by one of the students about my work as a teacher... I've been adamant about the way I teach my class, just doin' what I was told growing up, but some of the things she said are naggin' at me..."

"Let me guess, you spent most of your lesson time discussing history again?" Sarami asked, taking a sip of water.

"Y-Yeah..." sighed Fareafu, "You remember I was pretty sickly as a kid, and I never had a chance to go to school, so my mother hired a personal tutor to teach me. I learned a lot from her, but she was also a total hard-ass, and I guess it just sorta rubbed off on me, it's all I've ever known..." Fareafu said.

"Yes, and after you got better, you became quite a warrior, we worked well together before I left the team when I was chosen to become Ganondorf's child-bearer." Sarami said nodding.

Fareafu continued, "I had to sit out the war against the Hylians due to me breaking my leg in an accident, but it gave me time to think about the situation we were all in. Lady Nabooru was an inspiration to me, that we Gerudo could change from the thieves and killers we used to be. So I thought if I spent my time teaching the children our history, they would be able to move on from our old ways."

"It's very admirable you've done such a thing for everyone Fareafu, but I think you're going at it the wrong way." Sarami nodded, "Back when I was exiled, I came to meet my mentor who helped me become a doctor. She treated me well, and didn't beat me into submission with lessons and lectures. The way she was able to teach someone like me; a retired thief, transformed me into what I am today."

"Yeah, the kids have told me how good of a doctor you... are..." Fareafu then grimaced, thinking about how badly she treated Ilite earlier. Having been sickly as a child, she herself had been isolated and lonely... and yet here she was trying to do the same to Ilite...

Sarami just continued, "Much like my mentor, Nabooru's leadership has allowed her generation to advance and grow from our own generation's old ways as thieves and killers." she then turned to her friend and smiled warmly, "...and you have a responsibility to instruct the future generations of our people. But I think you just need to think with the feelings of the children in mind more."

"I... see..." Fareafu muttered, deep in thought, "Thanks for that Sarami..."

"Fufufu, anything for my old friend." Sarami nodded, then wrapped her arms around Fareafu, pressing her breasts against the teacher.

"Okay, okay, just keep those things offa me!" Fareafu exclaimed with a heavy blush, pushing the giggling doctor away.

"Sarami, we have a situation!" shouted out a voice. Sarami and Fareafu both turned to see Nemisa, gasping out of breath from running around town trying to keep up with her companion Togau. The rancher was still in her Lynel form, bouncing up and down clomping her hooves, still full of her endless energy.

"Howdy Dr. Sarami!" Togau said grinning.

"Did you two find Link yet?" Sarami asked anxiously.

"Wait, you mean it's the king you're looking for?" Fareafu exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, he's become lost in town, and thanks to an accident I was responsible for, his body has become that of a child." Sarami explained, knowing Fareafu well enough to be able to trust her with that information.

"Wha- what...?" Fareafu muttered, as she thought about the child she had caught in the hallway of the schoolhouse trying to leave...

"We still haven't found Link yet, but Saria seems to have vanished as well, we can't find her anywhere!" Nemisa said.

"I swear if that gosh-darn rebel does anything to either of em they're gonna getta Lynel thrashin'!" Togau snorted, stomping her hoof down.

"S-Saria...?!" Fareafu exclaimed.

"Hey Sarami, your friend looks as if she's turned seven shades of pale." Nemisa pointed out.

"This... Saria... she wouldn't happen to be a child-like person herself would she... with green hair...?" Fareafu asked in an uneasy tone.

"Yeah, she's a Kokiri, not to mention me'n Link's best friend!" Togau said, "She's on the short side, but she's the biggest sweetheart I've ever known!"

"What's the matter Fareafu?" Sarami asked.

"I... I've made a big mistake." Fareafu groaned.

* * *

Back in the schoolhouse; Link, Saria and Ilite all found themselves sitting in a corner of the classroom, all with pointy 'dunce' caps on their heads. Standing over them was Nilonu and Bow-Wow, as well as the fourteen other students, all of which still under mind control.

"I'll just have to figure out how to erase your memories of this later in detention." Nilonu said, "As for everyone else, let's continue with the lesson!"

"This is her way to keep us confined?" Link asked.

"It's not like we have a way to escape the room at the moment, we're cornered." sighed Saria.

"I just can't believe Ms. Nilonu is a rebel, and she even hypnotized everyone..." Ilite said sadly.

"I still wonder why me or Lifeaf weren't affected, or how you snapped out of it." Saria said.

"Yeah, and what was that weird yellow mist you breathed out Ilite?" Link asked.

"Dunno, maybe it was something I ate? Mom made garlic cucco last night." Ilite said.

"Something you ate..." Link pondered, when a thought occurred to him, "Wait a minute!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small round yellow candy Nilonu was handing out earlier.

"Hey, that thing looks just about the same kind of yellow that Ilite breathed out." Saria said.

"Remember that power tonic the miner rebel had drank back at the Hall of Knowledge? She had breathed out something similar." Link whispered to Saria.

"Oh that's right! So you think whoever made the power tonic made this as well?" Saria asked.

"Yeah, you and I are the only ones who didn't eat these things, I think whatever they are might be laced with some kind of drug like the power tonic to make the kids more vulnerable to hypnotism!" Link said.

"So she's drugging the children with this? That's terrible!" Saria said in a fit.

"That tears it, we need to deal with her somehow." Link said, glaring at the aide.

As Nilonu continued her discussion, Link looked over at the desk where Saria's guardian fairy Faete was still trapped in the bottle. She had long ago woke up and was trying to escape. Thinking she might be their best means to escape, Link took a deep breath and then crept slowly up to the desk. Saria and Ilite both looked on at Link as he moved the bottle off the desk and started trying to open it. The cork was sealed on pretty tight though, and he struggled with it, only to accidentally drop the bottle and it made an audible sound hitting the ground.

"Oops."

"What th-" Nolinu said, turning to see Link, "What do you think you're doing?" she said, stomping towards them.

Link realized they were in a bind. He then noticed something sticking out from the teacher's desk, it was a slingshot, the one he had been using to play Berry Blitz with Saria and Aviel earlier. Ms. Fareafu had confiscated it from Link back when she captured him. He took the yellow candy Nilonu had given him earlier and used the slingshot to fire it through the air with pinpoint accuracy, beaning her right between the eyes.

"Hey!" Nilonu shouted.

"Bullseye!" Ilite cheered.

Link grabbed a few more objects from the desk and started using his slingshot to fire them off, smacking Nilonu around.

"Ow! OW! Ow! Yeow!" Nilonu shouted in pain as she was whacked around by the flying objects.

Link fired off everything he could reach for, but soon enough however ran out of things to shoot.

"Well crud, I was hoping to knock her out." Link said eavesdropping.

Nilonu scowled, rubbing at her face, "Okay you little twerp, that's it! If time out isn't enough to deal with you, then I'm going to have to do something more extreme to subdue you! Bow-Wow, offensive maneuvers!"

"Bowowowowow!" laughed Bow-Wow, "With pleasure Nilonu!"

"So what're you going to do? Sic your sock puppet on us?" Link asked sarcastically.

With that, Bow-Wow closed his mouth tightly, then in that moment, opened it to reveal a set of pointy steel teeth. He snapped his mouth open and shut, making a loud clanging sound.

"Oh right, concealing weapons inside of ordinary objects..." Link realized, recalling what Aviel said about Sheikah techniques.

"Oookay, that might actually be dangerous." Saria gulped.

Nilonu charged at Link as he ran right at her; Link tried to throw out a fist, but Bow-Wow lunged at Link with his steel teeth, forcing him to pull back and dodge it. Nilonu kept taking a step forward, sending Bow-Wow to snap at him while Link sidestepped and dodged each attack. However Link had soon backed up enough that he hit his back against a wall.

"Now I gotcha!" Nilonu said as she did another attack.

Before Bow-Wow could bite Link though, he brought up his arms and caught the sock puppet with both hands, surprising him and Nilonu. The Hylian then started trying to twist the rebel's arm to subdue her.

"Gack! Help! Air!" exclaimed Bow-Wow.

"You don't even breathe!" Link pointed out to the puppet in annoyance, yanking on Bow-Wow to pull Nilonu come towards him, then quickly kicked her in the stomach.

"Nilonu, I'll stop him!" Bow-Wow said, then lunged out and snapped at Link, scratching him across the arm, causing him to yell out in pain, before bashing him across the face, knocking him down to the ground.

"Ugh..." Link groaned, while Saria and Ilite both gathered around him to be if he was okay.

"Now to deal with you brats..." Nilonu said, as she and Bow-Wow were glaring down at the three kids.

* * *

"I can't believe this, the one who captured the king was you?!" Nemisa shouted to Fareafu as as the two of them were charging off to the schoolhouse. Along with them was Togau dashing along with Sarami riding on her back.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea that was the king!" Fareafu gasped, "He looked just like a young girl, what was I supposed to believe?!"

"In her defense, Link does make for a cute girl!" Sarami pointed out in amusement.

The group soon arrived at the schoolhouse, where they saw a group of Gerudo women all crowded around speaking frantically to each other.

"What's going on here?" Nemisa asked.

"Oh, it's Ms. Fareafu!" said one of the women recognizing the teacher, "Where's my little Eibet?!"

"Yes, it's well after class hours, I have dinner waiting! I didn't spend an hour cooking the Lanmola I hunted down and slayed just for it to get cold!" said one of the mothers.

"Ugh, you're everyone's parents, aren't you?" Fareafu sighed, a little dizzy from her drinking and running over there, "Look, it's no big deal, they're all safe in the schoolhouse, they're under the care of my aide Nilonu."

"But we just looked around the schoolhouse, we can't find them anywhere in the classrooms!" said one mother.

"Yeah, where's my daughter you bitch?!" shouted another mother, pulling out a two-handed battleaxe.

"Huh? But how is that even possible?" Fareafu asked, "They're in class C-2 like usual!"

"We already checked but there was no room like that up there!" one mother said.

"If you don't tell me where my little Ilite is, you'll be wearing those glasses of yours on your pancreas!" said one mother cracking her knuckles.

"The parent-teacher conferences here must be rough..." Togau said sweatdropping.

"But that can't be right, the classroom should be where it always is, you can't just move a doorway!" Fareafu said.

"Strange, how is it possible for an entire classroom to disappear?" Nemisa muttered in thought, "There's no way a large group of children could just vanish."

"Hm... if it can't be seen..." Sarami pondered, when an idea occurred to her, "Wait Fareafu, is Ms. Nilonu by chance a half-Sheikah?"

"Huh? How did you know that?" Fareafu asked in surprise.

"We have sources that state the undercover rebel mole hiding out in this town is a half-Sheikah, if what the parents here say is true, it's likely she's using their shadow magic to disguise the classroom!" Sarami said, recalling what they were talking about during the meeting with Nabooru and Ruto regarding the Lens of Truth.

Fareafu's eyes widened at this news.

"What?! Our daughters are being held captive by a rebel?!" exclaimed a mother.

"Fear not, we'll go immediately to rescue them!" Nemisa said, "Fareafu, show us where that classroom is supposed to b-" but she was cut off upon seeing that Fareafu was already gone.

* * *

Back in the schoolhouse, Link and Saria were staring down Nilonu and Bow-Wow while doing their best to protect Ilite. Link had a few injuries from fighting the teacher aide and puppet, but he wasn't going to let it get to him in that moment.

"Alright, now that you're subdued, I'm going to use one of my hypnosis techniques on you three. Don't worry, I won't hurt you anymore, just gonna put you to sleep for the rest of the day." Nilonu said, "Then I'm escaping this town using my Sheikah cloaking techniques."

"You're not going to get away with this!" Link said.

"And who's gonna stop me kid?" grinned Nilonu, "Bow-Wow, give em what you got!"

"Bowowow! Time to start counting sheep!" the sock puppet said, opening his mouth and showing the spinning hypnotic disk sticking out of it.

But before it could have any possible effect on any of them, a blade sliced through the air and cut through the disk, making it fall harmlessly to the ground. Nilonu stood there in surprise as Bow-Wow yelped out.

"Bow-ow-ow-ow-ow!" cried the sock puppet, "My hypno-disk was cut off!"

"Who did that?!" Nilonu shouted as she turned to see it was a familiar face.

"Ms. Fareafu?!" Link, Saria and Ilite all exclaimed.

"I got through your little shadow trick Nilonu, I've been down this hallway so many times I could remember exactly where the door is!" Fareafu said, brandishing the blade concealed in her ruler. Nilonu looked to the door and realized she just sliced the doorknob off to get in even without the key.

"Heh... uh, h-hey there old lady, forgot something?" Nilonu asked in a failed attempt to feign innocence.

"D-Did you forget your age cream or something, bowowow...?" Bow-Wow asked nervously.

"Enough of this Nilonu," Fareafu said narrowing her eyes, "Give yourself up and we'll talk this out."

"Sorry Fareafu, but there's nothin' to talk about." Nilonu said sighing, "I'm a rebel, and you all oppose us, if I give up I'm letting my sisters down, now beat it or I'll let these three have it!"

Bow-Wow barked out, "She'll do it too!"

"I will not allow you." Fareafu said, "These children are my precious students, and I won't let any of them get hurt because of you!"

The children, still in their hypnotic state, all curiously looked up at Ms. Fareafu as she spoke.

"Wow, and here I thought you gave up on them a while ago." shrugged Nolinu.

"I did give up..." admitted Fareafu with a sigh, "At first I was just fed up with them, never treating me with the respect I felt I deserved. But after Ms. Saria chewed me out earlier, it made me think about just what I've been doing... and the reality is it's me who didn't respect them..."

"Ms. Fareafu..." Saria whispered.

The teacher continued, "I may not be a good enough teacher for them, but that doesn't mean they don't matter to me! I'll do what's necessary to protect them all!"

The kids continued to stare at Fareafu, despite their trance, they seemed to be listening to what she was saying.

"Not bad." grinned Link.

With that, Fareafu charged forward at Nilonu, who blocked her blade with Bow-Wow's teeth. The two started clashing left and right with their weapons. Fareafu swung with deadly swiftness, but Bow-Wow provided an excellent defense against her attacks. The teacher was already beat from her tiresome day and drinking from earlier, and she was starting to weaken.

"Looks like you've just about had it, old lady!" Nilonu said, bringing up her leg and kicking Fareafu away, knocking her to the ground by Link and Ilite. Her ruler blade fell to the ground some distance away.

"I-I'm sorry..." Fareafu said, as the two looked her over, "I let you all down..."

"It's okay." Link nodded with a small smile, "You did your best."

"Yes, thank you for trying Ms. Fareafu!" Ilite said.

"Okay, now it's time to deal with you all." Nilonu said approaching them all, only for a small ball of light to suddenly swoop down and bash her in the face.

"Not a chance!" Faete said, the guardian fairy having been freed by Saria while the two teachers were fighting, "You're not gonna hurt my friends!"

"The butterfly is talking?!" exclaimed Bow-Wow, "That's so bizarre!"

"This coming from a sock puppet?" Link pointed out.

Faete started flying around Nilonu wildly. The rebel tried to attack her with Bow-Wow, but Saria then lunged at Nilonu and jumped on her back, squeezing against Nilonu's neck with her arm in an attempt to choke her.

"I won't let you hurt Link again!" Saria shouted.

"Hey, get offa me!" Nilonu gagged, reaching out to try and grab Saria.

Link quickly collected himself and got himself up. Running forward, he bashed his shoulder into Nilonu with all his strength. The rebel staggered back, but narrowed her eyes, grabbed Saria off her back and threw her into Link, sending her crashing and falling back against the wall.

"Heh, now we're going to-" Nilonu started, but realized something was missing on her arm, "Huh? Bow-Wow?!"

"Looking for this?" Saria asked, holding up the sock puppet she had snatched off Nilonu while she was on her back.

"Damnit... I didn't want to do this." the rebel muttered, she then quickly darted off and picked up Fareafu's ruler blade, "But this is all for the good of the Gerudo's future... I'm sorry, but I have to deal with the four of you. May the death goddess Nerif see your spirits to the next life." Once she had the blade in her hand, the rebel charged right at Saria with it.

"Nilonu, stop!" shouted Fareafu, she tried to get up but was too injured from the fight to move.

Faete flew out and tried to distract Nilonu, but the rebel smacked the fairy away and ran forward. She then pulled back the blade and thrust it forward in an attempt to impale the Kokiri.

"Saria!"

It was then though that Link ran forward and jumped out in front of Saria...

…and the blade was embedded right into the center of Link's Gerudo chest top.

"LINK!" screamed out Saria.

"L-Link?!" exclaimed Ilite in a combination of confusion and horror.

"NO!" shouted Fareafu.

Link just stared down, not moving a muscle, and with his facial features darkened...

…but that was when he rose his head up with blank white eyes bearing an angry glare. Nilonu's own eyes widened in shock at the terrifying look on the small child's face.

It was then she heard a strange ripping sound, it was from the child's Gerudo outfit starting to come apart, because remarkably their body was growing.

"What the hell?!" Nilonu exclaimed.

The strange effect that had occurred on Link's body that made him into a child was finally going away, and he soon grew back to his original height in his lean adult form. his top had came apart exposing his bare muscular chest, which strangely didn't look the slightest bit injured from the blade. The belt sash came off, and the pants ripped, unable to contain his legs. He was now back to his normal self, albeit in the nude.

"L-Link?!" Saria exclaimed, relieved he was alright, but she was flushed bright red at seeing him without his clothes.

"It... it was Link.." gasped out Ilite.

"By the goddess Aifet..." Fareafu stammered.

Nilonu gulped as she gripped the blade ruler to attack Link again, but he simply stepped up to the rebel. Nilonu paused and took a glance down, blushing bright red at the close range sight of what exactly laid between Link's legs, and completely threw off her concentration to fight back.

The young Gerudo King then brought his fist back before punching Nilonu across the face. The rebel groaned out with spiraling eyes, before collapsing to the ground unconscious.

Seeing it was finally over, Link let out a deep breath, as his eyes flickered from white back to the typical gentle blue as before.

"Whew. Glad that's over." Link said with a sigh.

"Link you're okay, and you're an adult again!" Saria exclaimed, dropping the sock puppet Bow-Wow to the ground and rushing forward, hugging Link around the waist, "I'm so relieved, I thought that woman stabbed you!"

"Yeah, that was a close one." Link said, he knelled down and picked up a certain familiar looking object that had fallen off him when his outfit tore open, "Good thing I had this."

Saria gasped, it was the wooden medallion she had made Link for his birthday. There was a small cut on the tree picture where the blade had impacted, but remarkably it wasn't too worse for wear at all.

"My medallion... you had it on you this whole time?" Saria asked.

"Yeah, I kept it on me for good luck." Link said with a goofy grin, "It's no Shield of Hotaig, but it sure protected me just fine."

Saria sat there looking at Link in surprise, before she smiled and hugged him, to which he hugged her right back. The warm feeling between the two melted away the intensity from just a little moment ago.

Fareafu herself just stared at the king, and was bewildered how far he had gone to protect the girl, and took in the sight of his strong body and the compassion he had for Saria and the kids...

"Link you big doofus!" Faete shouted, flying up and buzzing in annoyance, "Don't worry Saria like that again!"

"Ha ha, I'll try not to." Link chuckled, "Thanks for backing us up, Faete."

The fairy floated there for a second, before her light turned a reddish color and she turned away, "O-Okay, just don't let it happen again then!"

"Link...?" Ilite asked, tilting her head as she looked him over, "Is... that really you... Link?"

"Ah heh heh... hey Ilite." Link grinned innocently, "I know this might seem a little weird, but..."

It was then Nilonu's Sheikah shadow magic went away, and the door and window reappeared. They could hear someone shout out, "Wait, I found the door!" before a group of people piled into the room. It was Nemisa, Togau and Sarami along with all the parents of the students.

"Link, sorry we're late, Ms. Fareafu ran off ahead of us, and we had a hard time finding the doo-"

Nemisa was cut off by the sight of the classroom; she saw Saria, fifteen Gerudo child students including Ilite, an unconscious adult Gerudo laying on the ground, Ms. Fareafu, and Link himself. Link was now back to his adult form, and standing there completely nude.

Link just looked to the lot of them standing there, and suddenly feeling very awkward in that moment, especially at the sight of the students' parents.

"Uh... I can explain?"

* * *

_**And that's the end of the chapter... and with that awkward situation, quite possibly Link's physical health as well.**_

_**Hope you guys liked this chapter, there's still a little more to go before this particular arc is over, but bare with me as it's taking me some time to get out.**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to!**_


	64. Saria's Graduation

_**Chapter 64 is finally up, enjoy!**_

* * *

"We're so sorry King Link!" exclaimed a Gerudo mother.

"We didn't recognize you at first and thought you were working with the rebels!"

"Ah-ha-ha, it's seriously okay everyone, now please stop grabbing at me, I'm a littl- YEOW! ...sore..."

Link was sitting in Dr. Sarami's medical clinic, covered in cuts and bruises, and his face was swollen in various places. Ironically these injuries were not due to the battle against the rebel Nilonu, but because of all the Gerudo mothers who had burst into the classroom only to see a tall nude male Hylian with all their children and took immediate action. Thankfully Nemisa and Togau managed to put an end to the massive misunderstanding before Link was beaten up _too_ much.

After everything was straightened out, Nilonu was detained and arrested, while Link, Saria, Fareafu and the students were all brought to Dr. Sarami's clinic for medical treatment. Sarami was in the middle of treating Link's wounds, while at the same time checking him over to make sure he was completely back to normal after changing back from a child.

"I'm glad you're all sorry for hurting Link, but can you please give us some space so I can properly treat him?" Sarami asked with a bit of annoyance in her tone.

The mothers, after learning the details and coming to an understanding of what Link did for their children, were now all crowded around the young king, doing what they thought they could to assist him in his treatment, though some were so anxious to help they were doing more harm then good.

"How about I get you something sweet from the store?" asked one mother.

"Maybe a back massage?"

"Please, let me put some lemon on that wound to soothe it!"

"That's going to do the exact opposite, you idiot!"

"I think I was better off with them beating me up." Link said to Sarami sweatdropping, as the good doctor herself just giggled.

"There you go Link, you should be just fine now!" Sarami then said happily, taking a moment to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"I... uh, didn't get injured on that cheek." Link pointed out with an embarrassed face.

"Fufufu, I know." Sarami said with a playful tone as she got up and walked out of the room to check on the other patients.

"Jees, she's got it bad for you, King Link." said one of the mothers with an amused grin.

"You really think so...?" Link asked, as he recalled what Ilite said about her before.

"Yeah, I'm impressed. I didn't think she'd ever want to fall in love again after what she went through with the old king." the mother nodded.

"Well on that note, now that you're okay, you wanna go spend some time with us...?" asked one of the mothers suggestively, tickling Link's chin.

"Ah well... I actually have to go do... uh, things." Link stammered as he got himself up and stumbled out of the room before they got any more touchy with him, while a nurse came in to ask the mothers to leave their children to Sarami and her staff overnight. They were all a bit hesitant, but complied.

* * *

"My darling husband!"

As soon as Link stepped into the hallway, he was greeted with a loud squealing, as Ruto grabbed onto Link and squeezed him, "It's so good to have you back to your old self!"

"Hey there Ruto." Link cringed a bit from her pressing on some of his injuries, "Glad to be back."

"I just wanted to make sure you were fine before I take off back to Zora's Domain." the Zora princess said, then drew a serious expression and sighed, "And... I wanted to apologize about what happened this morning with my water trick. I got a little too into using my powers that I forgot my own strength..."

"It's fine Ruto, you just gotta keep it under control, okay?" Link grinned, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah... keep it under control..." Ruto said with a slightly sad smile, confusing Link.

"Ruto, is something the matter?"

"No, no, it's fine." Ruto said, smiling once again, "I need to go back home now, take care and I'll see you soon, okay darling?"

"You too, have a safe trip." Link nodded.

"Oh, and make sure you treat our little friend Saria right, okay?" Ruto added with a giggle. She gave Link a goodbye kiss and strolled off out of the hospital.

Link paused with a light blush on his cheeks, as he rubbed the back of his head, "Jees, even Ruto knows..."

But he was snapped out of his thoughts by a shout.

"Hey Link! We have a situation!" Saria exclaimed, running down the hall, "It's the students from the classroom!"

'Uh oh.' Link thought as he ran off with Saria.

* * *

Link and Saria came into one wing of the clinic occupied by the fourteen other students, they were all being attended to by the nurses, but they all had dazed looks in their eyes still. Along with them was Dr. Sarami examining them as well, and Link saw that Nabooru, Ilite, Ms. Fareafu, and even the rebel Nilonu were there, with the latter being accompanied by two guards. Ilite herself ran right up to Link and clung to the bottom of his vest, trembling into it.

"What's going on, and what's Nilonu doing here?!" Link exclaimed as he put his hands on Ilite's shoulders to try and comfort her.

"It's okay, I permitted her to come here so she could aide us with the students' condition, since she's the best expert on the subject." Nabooru said with her arms folded.

"Come on kiddo, snap out of it!" said Nilonu, too focused on what she was doing to notice Link, she was snapping her fingers in front of one of the girls who was still in a trance, "Damnit, why isn't it working..?"

"Wait, they're still hypnotized?!" Link asked.

"Yes..." sighed Sarami, "Nothing we do seems to be helping them regain their senses... I had a nurse escort the mothers out so they don't worry themselves or attack Nilonu over it."

"I consulted Kesuta and Korume, but since this was caused by science rather then magic, they said trying any spells they've learned so far could potentially make things worse." Nabooru clarified, her face grimacing a bit as she spoke.

"This is terrible..." Saria said sadly.

"N-No one's talking or anything Link! What if they..." Ilite gulped, "...never come out of it?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure they will." Link reassured her, hugging her back, "Nilonu, don't you have control over the hypnotism? You handled it pretty well back at the classroom."

"Normally yeah, but it's never lasted this long in our testing." Nilonu said, waving her hand over one child's eyes, "There must have been something extra in those candies I handed out that I didn't know about."

"So then I was right about the candies?" Link asked.

"Yes Link, Nilonu confirmed with me that the candies were laced with a compound that had a potential mind control effect in them, and could be triggered using the hypnotic disk that was concealed in her sock puppet." Sarami explained.

"One of my more genius tricks, besides that time I prepared curry that can make someone spontaneously strip naked!" Nilonu bragged.

Two seconds later Nilonu's face was embedded in a wall by Fareafu pressing her into it with extreme force

"So that's what happened last month at the staff party!" the teacher shouted angerly.

"Be careful in here, this is a children's ward!" Sarami exclaimed.

"Sorry..." muttered Nilonu with her face embedded in the wall.

"I swear, I didn't think you'd do something so despicable to our class, and betraying me after you and I have known each other for so long!" Fareafu said, narrowing her eyes at Nilonu as the rebel pulled herself out from the wall.

"Hey, I didn't want this to happen! I've tested it before and it usually goes away after a hour or two. I swear I've never seen it last this long..." Nilonu said, sporting a sad, worried look in her eyes.

Fareafu paused, and looked away from the rebel with a heavy sigh.

"I feel so bad for everyone, I wish there was something I could do to help..." Ilite sighed.

Meanwhile, Link looked to Saria and saw was thinking deeply about something to herself.

"What's up Saria?" Link asked.

"Well..." Saria pondered, "I just had a notion... Nilonu, you said there must have been something different about the candy you gave out, does that mean you're not the one making the candy yourself?" Saria asked.

"Nah, that doctor I mentioned before distributes them to me. I give her my notes on hypnotic techniques and then she does all the sciencey stuff." Nilonu said.

"Hm, I'd like to see into this doctor myself." Nabooru said, "If the rebels have an ally like that I'd like to find out who they are and where they got their skills from."

"Is something on your mind Saria?" Link asked.

"Well, it's just... you and I were fine because we didn't eat the candy, but I was just wondering why Ilite is okay." Saria said, looking to her.

"Yeah, what happened was pretty strange, she resisted it a lot better then anyone else back when we were still in the school, and then there was that strange yellow mist she breathed out..." Link said.

"Yellow mist, just like what we saw with the rebel miner Boss Faurugo..." Nabooru pondered.

"I don't know why I was able to resist it... but... I..." Ilite started to speak, but covered her mouth as she started coughing again, "Just a second." she then took one of her chu jelly capsules made for her asthma and ate it.

Saria turned and watched Ilite eat the capsule, the same ones she had been eating since she met the young Gerudo, and that's when an idea occurred to her.

"Wait, Dr. Sarami!" Saria exclaimed, "What if there's something in Ilite's mediation that could be helping her resist it?"

"Huh...?" Ilite asked with wide eyes.

"You mean her asthma medicine? How could that possibly-" Sarami then paused in thought. "Wait a minute... if the combination of herbs and juices I mixed together in the creation of that medicine..."

Everyone watched as the good doctor seemed to be doing some deep thinking, she moved her finger in the air as if she was writing something, "It is very possible it could counter balance..."

It was then Sarami's eyes lit up, and she snapped her fingers, "That's it! Saria, I think that theory could very well be true! If only we had a sample of the candy itself so I could study it's composition and make an accurate comparison!"

"You mean like this?" Saria asked, reaching into her pocket and pulled out the candy Nilonu gave her back in the classroom.

"Yes, this is perfect!" Sarami said, taking the candy, "Just give me a little bit of time everyone!"

Sarami went off into one of her lab rooms as everyone waited for her, doing what they could to help the nurses with the kids in the meantime.

Then about an hour later, Sarami came back in with a delighted expression on her face, she went right up and gave Saria a bug hug, practically squeezing the Kokiri between her breasts.

"Saria you cute little genius, you were right! I did a careful examination, and it does indeed seem that the combination I mixed with the teal chu jelly to create Ilite's asthma medication can actively counteract the formula used in the candy!"

"Mmph!" muffled Saria from the doctor's bosom, while the eyes of everyone lit up, including Ms. Fareafu and Nilonu.

"So that means..." Link said, purposely trialing off so Sarami could give the answer.

Sarami released Saria and spoke happily, "It means with a bit of work, I can use the formula from the asthma medicine to cure these poor children!"

"Oh thank goodness!" Saria said with a relieved sigh, then smiled to Ilite, "Did you hear that? Your medicine helped save everyone!"

"Wow, I didn't think it could do something like that!" Ilite said, "I guess having asthma isn't so bad if it could help everyone else!"

"Nicely done Sarami, as per usual!" Nabooru smirked.

"So they can be helped... what a relief..." Nilonu said to herself with a sigh.

In that moment, the rebel paused and looked out at everyone cheering. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat to get their attention,

"Listen everyone... um, I don't think any amount of butt-kissing on my part is going to take back what I've done to you all. I first came here with the intention of learning the weaknesses of Lady Nabooru and her army, and I was pretty shocked when she announced this guy as the new king." she said gesturing to Link.

"Believe me, I think everyone was surprised, including me." Link said rolling his eyes as Nabooru snickered.

Nabooru then stated, "And it's because of you reporting about Link that your leader Mother Eclipsis sent The Slicer to assassinate him then."

"Yeah, didn't think it would end the way it did with Slicer failing, we really underestimated what you can do, King Link..." sighed Nilonu, "After that I was told to lay low, so I started taking some odd jobs around town to make ends meet, then I got my gig as the teaching assistant."

"You certainly met the qualifications, it's a shame you walked the path you did." Fareafu said.

"But the weird thing is... while I had my loyalty to the Ebony Sisterhood and have wanted revenge for my sister's death, I have to admit overtime I grew to like working with everyone here in town, especially the kids. It's been fun teaching them, helping them with their personal troubles, and making them smile, but I knew it wouldn't last forever... eventually I'd have to leave you all..." Nilonu said, "Guess I just had to force myself to stick to my rebelliousness so I wouldn't have nay regrets..."

"You were torn between your duties and your happiness then..." Link said.

"I know what that's like." Saria said, clutching at her Deku Staff strapped to her back.

It was then Fareafu slowly came up to the rebel and stared straight into her eyes. Nilonu gulped at a bit at the intimidating glare the teacher gave. It was then Fareafu brought up her hand, and swung it right at Nilonu, making the rebel flinch and close her eyes, expecting to be hit again...

But Fareafu just placed her hand on Nilonu's shoulder, and then looked at the rebel with a sincere look in her eyes, catching Nilonu off guard.

"Nilonu, I shall just tell you this; you may be a rebel, and you have committed terrible crimes since you came here, causing our town so much trouble, and indeed what you did to the king and the children cannot be forgiven with a simple apology... but you are still my aide. You have done so much for me, and you are far better with the children then I ever could hope to be."

"M-Ms. Fareafu..." Nilonu stammered with tears starting to form in her eyes.

"As such, your homework assignment is to work hard to reform for as long as it is expected of you. You will assimilate yourself into our society, and when you are ready, return back to the class, the children and I will be waiting for you." Fareafu said, tapping her ruler against her palm.

"...th-thank you, old lady." Nilonu said, with tears starting to stream down her eyes, but still smiling lightly.

Link, Saria, Nabooru, Sarami and Ilite all looked on at the two with relieved smiles of their own at seeing the two make up, and the potential of another rebel joining them in their town. Shortly after that, Nabooru had the guards take Nilonu away back to her prison.

"Oh my, I wasn't expecting that to happen." Sarami giggled in amusement, glad to see her old friend take what she said before to heart.

"What Nilonu did was despicable, but she seems to want to make up for it all and join us." Link said with a nod, "Which is exactly what I want for all the rebels."

"Yeah, I hope she can reform soon, so she and Bow-Wow can come back to class and bring smiles to the children again!" Saria nodded.

Nabooru meanwhile contemplated what was said from Nilonu, and looked somewhat downcast.

"Nabooru, you alright?" Link asked.

"Ah, just fine Link... come on, let's get back home." she spoke.

* * *

The next morning, Link, Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa all arrived at the entrance to the clinic to see how the children were doing, with the hopes that Sarami pulled through with the cure.

"So where did Saria say she was going again?" Aviel asked looking left and right.

"She said she had some important business to do this morning, but she'll meet up with us later." Nemisa said.

When they got to the clinic, they were told by the nurses that the kids weren't in there anymore, and they were refereed to the central garden area of the town. It was there where, sure enough, they saw all the students, once motionless and in a dead-eyed trance, were now all running around happily laughing and playing together, even Ilite was there with them.

"Hi Link!" Ilite called out waving, running over and hugging him.

"Would you look at that, they're all okay!" Link exclaimed happily, kneeling down and giving Ilite a hug back.

"They took some of those jelly things like what I've been having, they burped out some weird yellow gas, and they snapped out it right after!" Ilite said cheerfully.

"As expected of Dr. Sarami, she really pulled it off." Nemisa said nodding.

"Fu-Fu-fufufu, never doubt the power of science!" Sarami said walking up to the group, adjusting her glasses as they gave off an unreadable gleam, "Once I figured out the cure, I mass produced enough chu jelly capsules for all the children, and it cleared the hypnotic formula completely out of their systems."

"You did excellent work Sarami, we couldn't be prouder to call you our finest doctor." Nabooru said with a smirk.

"I owe even more to Link and Saria though, as this incident has also given me a breakthrough in my research of the science the rebels are using against us." Sarami explained, "It turns out the hypnotic candy was made with a very similar compound to the strength-enhancing tonic that the Hinox and the rebel Boss Faurugo had taken, if I can get some more information on the ingredients and how they were put together, we might very well find a cure for the power tonic itself!"

"Being able to counteract the tonic? Now that's even better news!" Aviel said.

"Nice, we can stop the rebellion's secret weapon and save our sisters without them having to lose their lives. This has given us a great new hope for the future!" Nabooru nodded.

"Hey Link, over here!" called out a voice, as they saw Saria and Ms. Fareafu both coming up to the group. Ms. Fareafu was looking to the side with an awkward expression.

"Saria, just what have you been up to this morning?" Link asked.

"Oh, I just went to go speak with Ms. Fareafu here." Saria said, "I could tell she was having a hard time after everything that happened yesterday."

"Hmph..." Fareafu muttered, adjusting her glasses, trying to avoid looking at Link.

Ilite looked over to the two and her eyes lit up, she ran straight for Saria and hugged her tightly.

"Hi Saria, thanks again for everything!" Ilite said.

"Oh, of course! I'm glad to see you're okay after what happened!" Saria said, returning the hug.

"Hey, it's Ms Fareafu!" said one of the students noticing the teacher

"Uh oh, watch out for flying chalk!" said another kid.

"H-Hey now..." Fareafu stammered. "I ain't gonna do something like that, I don't even have any chalk on me...!"

The kids all stood there dubious of the teacher's words, making her more nervous. But Saria patted her arm reassuringly.

"Come on Ms. Fareafu, go ahead. Just say what you wanted to tell them." Saria said.

Ms. Fareafu paused, and nodded nervously to the girl. She gulped a bit and cleared her throat, "Um, listen everyone... there's uh, something I need to tell you all..."

"It's not another pop quiz, is it?" asked one of the students.

"N-No, we ain't even in class!" Fareafu exclaimed, startling the kids again, "No, it's... that I've been doing some thinking recently about my... um, methods as a teacher over the past months... I think in order to instruct you all better, I need to rework my curriculum... and um..."

"Come on, just say how you really fell, Ms. Fareafu." Saria said.

Fareafu sighed and nodded, "Y-Yes, actually, what I'm really trying to say is..."

She then bowed at the waist to all the children before her.

"...I want to apologize for how I've treated you all."

The kids stood there, all bewildered at the change of attitude in their teacher. For just a second, they all recalled seeing her in the classroom, protecting them with her blade ruler from a terrible person, though they couldn't recall all the details due to the hypnotic trance they had been put into.

"I've been too harsh on all of you through the methods I grew up on. I failed to understand the feelings of all you in doing it. So going forward, I... em... would like to do my best to teach you more practical and substantial information that can benefit you all, and I promise to give you the respect you deserve... Knowing that, w-would you be okay accepting me back as your teacher...?"

Fareafu paused, still in the bowing position. She wasn't getting any sort of response from the children, and she worried that nothing she said could take back how she acted towards them...

But it was then Fareafu felt something hugging her around the waist, and looked to see the kids all gathering around and hugging her.

"Everyone..." she whispered, falling to her knees.

"Looks like they forgive you, Ms. Fareafu." Saria said smiling.

"Y-Yeah..." Fareafu said in surprise, before getting down on one knee and hugging the kids back.

"Hey, come on Ms. Fareafu!" one kid then said, tugging on her arm, "Wanna come play with us?"

Fareafu cleared her throat and spoke out, "Erm, I don't exactly pla-" she cut herself off for a moment, before smiling lightly and nodding, "O-Okay."

Then she was yanked off by the kids as they all went to show her the game they were playing.

"Well I'm glad that worked out. Nice work Saria." grinned Link.

"Hee hee, I didn't do too much, I think it's just what she wanted to say." Saria said smiling.

"I just wonder what her attitude was with me and what she told the class about men and myself." Link said.

"Oh, don't take it too personally." Saria said with a small grin, "Don't tell her I said this, but she told me that you reminded her of a guy she used to have a crush on when she was a young girl, but he ran off with another woman with a sexier figure before she could confess to him. She just has a hard time letting it go."

"Huh, I was expecting it to be something deeper then that." Link said sweatdropping.

"Hey Saria, wanna join us?" Ilite asked, gesturing to the kids playing with Fareafu, and Aviel soon joining them in it.

"Sure, okay!" Saria nodded, running off with her.

"Looks like things are going to be alright with them." Link commented as he sat back on a bench alongside Nabooru.

"Wouldn't have happened without your help Link." Nabooru said with a smirk, "Just like many of the things that have happened since you arrived and became our king, you've made a great impact on everyone."

"I guess in a way I should thank Ruto sometime for spraying me out of the palace then." Link snickered.

Nabooru chuckled as well, and took a moment to look out at everyone playing; Saria and Aviel were teaching them how to play Berry Blitz, much to Fareafu and Nemisa's protests. Nabooru just paused as she recalled the trance the children were all in the other day due to the hypnotism and frowned.

"Listen Link... I've been doing some thinking..." Nabooru said, "And in light of what happened with the children, I think maybe you were right about the whole hypnosis interrogation plan I was going to use on the rebels..."

"Oh?" Link asked.

She let out a sigh, "I suppose it reminds me too much of what those terrible witches tried to do to me all those years ago. Because of that, I think I can understand the children's pain as well. I... guess I just feel like sort of a hypocrite for trying to use it on our own enemies..."

Link looked over to Nabooru as she continued to speak, "I only want what's best to stop the rebellion and take back our people, but I wonder if I'm becoming no different then Mother Eclipsis..."

Link didn't say a word at first, but just stared at Nabooru, seeing the sad look in her eyes, and it told him it might have been more then just remembering what happened with Twinrova that was making her bothered by it...

"Well, I'm glad you think of it that way..." Link finally started to speak.

It was then though that Link grinned and patted Nabooru's shoulder, surprising her.

"But I think the way you plan to go about it isn't as bad; not using hypnosis to outright change their way of thinking like Nilonu tried, but just to let the truth be known..." Link told her.

He took a moment to look out at the kids playing together with their teacher, Ms. Fareafu was getting pulled around left and right by the kids. Despite her protests though she didn't seem angry at all.

"... and use that truth for what's really important; to protect everyone, including the future of our people. As for Kesuta and Korume, they may do a lot of pranks, but still I love them both, and I know they'd use that power the right way when it counts... and I know you will too, Nabooru."

Nabooru paused and looked at Link, surprised by the newfound point of view of his. She closed her eyes and smirked at how her young king just kept surprising her even after all this time...

"Alright then." chuckled Nabooru, "I'm still not entirely sure about it, but I'll at least take that into consideration. Now that we might have chance at countering the power tonic, we may not need to relay on it after all, and we'll just leave the hypnosis idea as a last ditch resort. Thanks for saying that Link."

"No problem, you and I are in this together, and if there's one thing important to running our kingdom, it's compromise." Link said.

"Indeed." nodded Nabooru, "And we'll bring about that compromise when he finally meet with the Parliament. But now though, let's enjoy this fine day!"

"Sounds good to me." Link said grinning, as they watched the kids and Aviel playing with an increasingly irritated Ms. Fareafu.

Meanwhile, Saria was speaking to some of the kids about one of the plants growing in the garden, teaching them about how it was planted and grown. Just as she finished and the kids ran off to join he others, Aviel came up to the Kokiri.

"Hey Saria, feeling alright after what happened yesterday?" Aviel asked with a bit of bounce in her step.

"Feeling much better now knowing the children are okay, yes." Saria said nodding.

"I gotta say, that was pretty cool of you to help Ms. Farfig out. I remember being taught by her as a kid shortly after I was brought here and she drove me nuts, but she really seems a lot different now!" Aviel said.

"Her name's Fareafu." Saria said sweatdropping.

"You did great helping Fareafu work up the courage to apologize to them all... but what about you?" the bird girl said grinning, "You ready to say what you've been wanting to tell Link yourself?"

"...yes, I think I'm finally ready." Saria said, looking to Link with a blush on her cheeks.

* * *

Late that night after dinner at the palace, Link was standing with his arms folded before Kesuta and Korume, all three of them in the hallway leading to his bedroom. The two witch sisters were both on their hands and knees bowing to Link.

"We're so sorry about what we did to Sister Saria, Link! Please forgive us!" Kesuta pleaded, "We didn't mean to upset either of you like that!"

"We just wished to make you both happy by bringing you together!" Korume said bowing her head.

"Eh... it's alright. I guess you two didn't mean any harm." Link said shrugging, "But like I told you before, I don't want help like that to win over the women in my life, otherwise it wouldn't mean anything. Just be careful about using that power in the future, especially in using it to interrogate the rebels if Nabooru give you the okay to do it."

Link then sported a big goofy grin that lifted the guilt-ridden spirits of the twins.

"All I'm saying is use it responsibly from now on, alright?" he asked.

"Of course, my love!" the two of them both said, bowing their heads once more.

"Okay then, as far as I'm concerned you're both forgiven, I'll talk to Saria later about you two making up with her as well." Link nodded.

"Thank you so much Link!" Kesuta shouted out in relief, getting up and hugging him around his neck, giving him a warm kiss on the lips, before turning and running off back to her and Korume's home.

"You have a good night too, Korume." Link nodded to the ice mystic. He was about to turn and leave when she suddenly spoke up.

"Link, listen... there's something else you should know, about Saria."

"W-What's that?" Link asked with sudden concern.

"Did Nabooru tell you what exactly she wanted us to do with our hypnosis magic?"

"Yeah, interrogating the rebel for information. What about it?"

"The truth is, while we did use hypnosis on Saria, we never changed her way of thinking, we would never go that far, not even for a prank." Korume said, "We merely used the same hypnosis technique we were practicing for the rebels... to force the truth out of them."

Link couldn't help but smile softly, as his thoughts on the two and the use of their powers were affirmed.

But it was then something occurred to him about the way Korume phrased it, specifically about Saria.

"Wait, then does that mean...?" Link trailed off.

Korume explained, "Yes, when we hypnotized Saria, we didn't force her to attack you the way she did, we simply released her inhibitions. In other words; everything that happened that day was what she really wanted to say Link... what she has been too afraid to tell you."

Link was speechless, he looked down and took a gulp. That was when Korume came up and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. He could feel the cold but soothing sensation from her breath as she pulled away.

"Go to her my husband, she needs you, and I know you need her." Korume said softly, before going off after her sister.

Link stood there motionlessly, in shock of this revelation. He looked down and took a deep breath, and went on his way.

As he went down the hall, he then saw Saria slowly walking down from the other direction. She came to a stop and the two stared at each other.

"H-Hey Saria, can we talk... alone?" Link asked.

"O-Okay..." Saria nodded.

Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa were all went down the hallway just then as well, but stopped and watched as Link led Saria into his bedroom. The three of them paused, and then silently nodded to each other, before turning and leaving to their own private rooms for the night.

* * *

Link walked into his bedroom first and Saria shut the door after them. There was nothing but silence between the two, all they could hear was a few cicadas buzzing outside of the palace from a nearby palm tree that broke the silence.

It was then Link decided to speak up and break the ice.

"Um, so Saria..." Link gulped a bit, "About what happened before, do you really-"

That was when he was caught off guard by something rushing at him from behind and tackling him over, knocking him forward onto his bed of pillows. He quickly turned himself around just as the one who tackled him got onto his waist and sat on him of him, straddling his body with their surprisingly strong legs.

Of course it was Saria, staring down at Link.

"Saria, you're... um, sure you're not under hypnosis again are you?" Link spoke softly.

"No Link," Saria whispered, it was then she started the process of removing her top that covered her chest. Link blushed, and was about to stop her so they could focus on talking instead, but she just pulled off and tossed her top to the side, and sat there with her bare chest exposed to him. Her face was red and there were faint tears in the ducts of her eyes, "It's not hypnotism, not even the day I attacked you. All Kesuta and Korume did was make me be honest with you... everything I've wanted to say... everything I've wanted to do with you for so long."

Link gulped again, it was just as Korume had said a moment ago. He said nothing in reply, but waited to hear what she had to say to him; to be honest with him, and herself.

"I've cared about you for so long Link, I missed you every moment you had been gone on your quests." Saria spoke as she thought of the day she handed him her ocarina and he ran off into Hyrule, "You were gone for so long I thought for a long time that you were leaving me behind forever... that we could never be together, not as friends, or anything beyond..."

In that moment, she recalled one of the dreams she had years ago, of herself running into the Forest Temple, then of her standing in some unfamiliar fountain room of some kind, feeling a great sense of sadness... She never knew what it all was supposed to be, but if it meant feeling as sad as those dreams made her, she frankly never wanted to know.

"But then you came back to me, and you always kept coming back." she continued, thinking back to when Link returned from getting Ganondorf captured, then again when he came back from his seven year journey as an adult, then once more when he saved her from Straw Kid and taking her with him to their new home in Gerudo Town, "...and I realized it was actually me that was always giving up on you."

"Saria..." Link whispered, but Saria put a finger to his lips to quiet him, as she continued to talk her heart out.

"The day the Great Deku Tree brought you into my life, I knew you were a special person, someone I wanted to be best friends with forever, someone I wanted to support and protect. I watched you grow up for ten years from a small baby into a strong-willed boy, and then you came back one day as a strong and mighty man, one that would eventually become the Gerudo King."

She traced a finger along Link's strong chest, then brought her hand up to her own child-like flat chest.

"As for me, I've stayed the same as a Kokiri... even after over four hundred years I still have the body of a child, and I'll be like this for the rest of my life. But despite how much you've changed, and the women you've come to love, you've never turned your back on me, and we've remained best friends all this time."

"Of course we have." Link said nodding.

"But the truth is, I want to be more then that. I don't want you to just see me as the little girl you grew up with, I want you to see me as a woman, a woman with desires! I want to hold and kiss you... I want you to take me with that strong body of yours and make me feel loved like you do with Togau, Nemisa, Kesuta, Korume, Princess Ruto... I want to be a part of all that!"

Tears then started to spill down Saria's cheeks as she finally spoke out the words she had been wanting to say to her cherished best friend.

"Link... I really lik- no, Link, I really truly love you!"

Link was just speechless to hear her finally admit her feelings to him, but before he could even begin to reply she embraced him with her head laying against his shoulder, and her bare, flat chest pressed against his firm muscular one.

"I love you so much, and I want you to love me the same... I want you to touch me and pleasure me like you do with your fiances... I know I don't have a sexy body like any of them, and I can never give you a child, but..." she broke the hug and sat back, looking a him eye-to-eye. "...can you accept me as I am?"

Link took in those words as he gazed down at her. While she did indeed lack the womanly curves of the women he was engaged to, and nowhere near the sexy bodies of his child-bearers, there was a certain something to her body that he enjoyed all the same. Her skin was soft to the touch, and her small delicate frame compared to the big strong women he had been with had fine qualities in itself.

It was then Link wrapped his arms around Saria, holding her small body against his.

"Saria... I'm sorry I made you wait for so long. I've been confused about just what you mean to me. I love being friends with you, but at times I've wondered just what that love I felt for you really was, if you were just my friend, or my family... or something else. You've always stayed by my side and supported me in so many ways that a friend, sister, a mother, or even a lover would, and I've just come to think that how I feel about you can actually be all of that."

Link pulled back and smiled warmly, causing Saria to practically melt as he reached up and stroked her cheek gently.

"Saria, I love you, forever and always as my caretaker, my tutor, my best friend..." Link said, "And I'd be honored to take you as my wife and queen as well."

Saria smiled brightly at those words, with tears still spilling down her tears.

It was in that moment the two leaned towards each other and shared their first kiss together. It was a short quick one at first, but then the two kissed again with more passion. As the two childhood friends started getting more into making out, they both felt a heated sensation between each other. Saria was growing more fascinated with Link's strong physique, while Link enjoyed the feeling of her small, soft body against him. The two started moving their hands around each other. Link's hand trailed behind her and rubbed at her somewhat round rear end, and Saria replied by letting out a slight moan.

It was then Link took her around the waist and flipped her over onto the bed. He propped himself up with his arms as he looked down at his friend, still gripping one of her hands with his own. She was laying back with a flushed face, and her breathing was labored from the make out session. He drew himself into her appearance. While she did look like a child, he knew that was nothing close to who she was really was; she was a woman with desires like any other, and he waned to fulfill every single one of those desires with her, forever.

"Link... please..." Saria whispered, she looked up to him and squeezed his hand tightly, "I want this."

"So do I Saria." Link whispered back, as he leaned down and kissed her again.

Soon enough, the rest of their clothing went flying off and into a pile some distance away from the bed.

And the two childhood friends and lovers shared a wondrous night together...

* * *

Morning came, and the sun beamed light down through the window of Link's bedroom, shining brightly on the young couple in bed.

Saria slowly opened her eyes and gazed at the man across from her. He was sleeping soundly as he always had. It seemed after all these years there were many things about Link that never changed, and she couldn't be happier for that.

Then again, at the same time many things about him did change, as she looked over his strong body, and she thought about what he had done with her that night. Though she may not have had the exact same anatomy as a Hylian or a Gerudo, she still had many places on her body similar to that of a human had that brought great pleasure within her, and she found herself wanting more of it from Link the whole night.

Link's time with the other girls had truly made him an expert in love-making. He hit all of her sweet spots that put her into constant pleasure the whole night. Feeling his large strong body holding her in his arms protectively and lovingly, Saria also loved the feeling of him inside of her, and she was looking forward to doing this more often with him.

Saria snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Link's eyes soon open, and he sported a warm smile seeing the lovely girl he had spent the night making love to before him.

"Mornin' Saria." Link said.

"About time you got up, sleepyhead." giggled Saria.

The two shared a morning kiss, stared into each other's eyes for a moment, then leaned their foreheads against each other, making a cute giggle between each other. While they may have been lovers now, they still treated their relationship as naturally like they were the same best childhood friends as always.

"I'm so happy Link, I've always wanted to say how I felt about you." Saria said, "But I never would had thought it could happen, I was always too afraid to say anything, but I'm glad I finally worked up the strength I needed."

"You're changed in a lot of ways Saria, even if they aren't physical. You're way stronger then you thought." Link said softly, "And I couldn't be happier to have you as my wife."

"Oh I wouldn't say that Link," Saria giggled, "I know there's still some more girls you have your eye on, Togau told me all about it!"

"Ah ha... so she mentioned that, huh?" Link asked sweatdropping.

"Yep, I'm glad you're so happy with me, but I think you'll be happier when we've all come together as a family. I want you to make them all as happy as I feel about you, and for them to all make you happy in their own special ways." Saria said with a small nod.

Her thoughts went to several of their friends, namely Lady Nabooru, Sarami, Reirousa and of course Aviel. While Aviel told Saria about how she saw Link as a big brother of sorts, the Kokiri could tell there was a deep desire the bird girl had towards Link. Saria would know, as she had felt something similar for so long...

"Thanks for that." grinned Link, "I admit before you came into my life again I was worried for a while about telling you about my marital situation. I know generally most girls would prefer to have their boyfriend to themselves."

"Yes, but you're not like most boyfriends." Saria said, "You're the Gerudo King, and a hero to everyone, and I'd like to see you surrounded and loved by everyone like you are to me."

Link smiled warmly at Saria, back when he returned to Kokiri Forest those months ago to save her from Straw Kid he never would had thought things would go they way they have. Saria wasn't just his cute little childhood friend anymore, but his beautiful lover and future wife and queen. While she couldn't give him a daughter, neither of them truly cared, and were just happy to be together forever.

"So, think we should get up and greet everyone for breakfast?" Saria asked, now playing with his bleach blonde hair locks.

"This might sound insane coming from me, but I think the food can wait for now." Link grinned, as he moved Saria back under him.

The Kokiri girl giggled as he started going back to kissing at her neck again, his strong muscular body pressing against her small self,

And the two resumed back to their activities from last night once more...

* * *

Later that morning, Link and Saria met with Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa in the dining room, where the two of them decided to make their announcement about their engagement.

"So um... we just wanted to tell everyone tha-" Link started, but was cut off by Nabooru.

"Let me guess, you and Saria had some fun last night, and now she's become your latest fiance?" Nabooru asked with a smarmy grin.

Link rubbed the back of his head as Saria gripped his hand and nodded with a small giggle, "Hee hee, that's right!"

"Yaaay! Finally!" Aviel exclaimed, taking to the air with her bird wings and divebombing on Link and Saria.

"Incoming!" shouted Link, but the two were tackled by Aviel anyway, who hugged them both with her wings.

"That's great, I'm so happy for you two!" Aviel cheered out, "Great work on finally pulling it off Saria!"

"Well, it's about time, you two." smirked Nemisa, "Togau's going to love hearing this."

"Congratulations you two." Nabooru said with a smile, "You may not be a Gerudo by blood Saria, but as far as we'll all concerned you're a part of our people, and we couldn't be happier for you to be one of our future queens."

"I'm honored Lady Nabooru." Saria said, getting up and doing a polite bow, "And I won't disappoint you all when it comes time to talk to the Hylian Parliament about abolishing the banishment law."

"Sounds good." nodded Nabooru, as Link finally got himself up and pried the excited Aviel off of him.

"So any big news for us today Nabooru?" Link asked, sitting down at the dining table, with Saria sitting down beside him. Saria took a small glance at Link, before leaning herself against him, as they both started to eat their breakfast.

"Weeell... " Nabooru said, seemingly purposefully trail off, "There is one big thing in particular I think you should know."

She snapped her fingers, and that was when Dr. Sarami walked into the dining room with a bright smile, and accompanied by Link's royal child-bearers, Ragome, Leivuri and Esolu, all looking rather blissful themselves.

"Hey King Link, sup?" grinned Ragome, "We just overheard about you and Sister Saria, congrats!"

"Oh, thanks!" Link said, then asked in curiosity, "So um, what are you girls doing here?"

"I just finished giving these three their check-ups this morning," Sarami said, "And I have great news for you all, especially you, Link!"

Link's eyes widened, as the realization of what she was getting to soon occurred to him.

"I'm happy to say in about eight months from now you'll be a father of at least three wonderful daughters!" Sarami said happily.

"Hee hee, surprise!" Leivuri said blushing.

Esolu meanwhile, despite her blank facial appearance, held up her sketch pad with a prize ball popping open with a bunch of cute baby penguins falling out of it.

Link just stared at the three ladies with very wide eyes, and his jaw dropped, "I... I..."

"Heh, told you it was big!" laughed Nabooru, "Took you a while to get started on aiding us in our repopulation, but it sounds like you've made up for it big time, and I'll be looking forward to what you can do with the next group of child-bearers I pick out for you!"

"No way, coool! Link's finally gonna be a daddy!" Aviel said, waving her bird wings.

"My, my, all three at once? Not bad my husband, I can't wait until it's my turn!" giggled Nemisa.

"Oh that's wonderful! Congratulations!" Saria said then turned to her husband-to-be, "Isn't this great Link?"

Link just continued to sit there with his mouth hanging open.

"...Link?" Saria asked, waving her hand in front of his face.

It was then Link fell backwards to the ground outcold, and everyone crowded around him to see to his condition.

"Don't tell me he's under hypnosis now?" Aviel asked frantically.

"No Aviel, just a bit mesmerized." Saria giggled, kneeling down and embracing her unconscious best friend, though they weren't just friends anymore...

The bond between the young Gerudo king and the Kokiri girl, once thought by Saria to weaken over the years, had only strengthened as time went on, and just last night, the bond was sealed, and the two would never be apart from each other ever again.

* * *

_**And that ends the Saria arc, with her and Link finally together, their bond with each other, and their Gerudo friends will only grow further. I admit originally I wasn't going to have Saria stay with Link at the end of the Forest Temple story, but I was rather surprised with how much fun she was to write, and I'm glad I went through adding her to the cast.**_

_**Heh, as weird as it sounds, I kinda like how Saria just so happened to get with Link in Chapter 64, referring to the Nintendo 64. Funny coincidence.**_

_**Next time, Link and the group are going to finally meet with Ruto and King Zora about their alliance, but little do they know what's in store for them!**_

_**Like always, leave a like, follow or comment if you desire!**_


	65. Life's a Beach

**_Time for the newest arc! This time the focus will be on Princess Ruto, who has a few surprises for our heroes!_**

* * *

"Oh Liiinky-pooo!"

"Nrmh... wassat...?"

"Wakey-wakey, your lovely wife has arriiived!"

"Saria, could you please turn off the alarm? I'm trying to sleep..."

"I can't Link, the bed is holding me hostage..."

It was a bright new morning in Gerudo Town, and the young Gerudo King Link was sleeping on his bed of pillows, and beside him was his childhood friend and newest fiance, Saria.

It had been three months since the night Link and Saria confessed their love for each other, and the two were finally taking years and years of repressed desire between each other and releasing it through fun dates in town and hot nights of love making in the palace. Naturally their Gerudo friends all took well to the two getting together. Despite Saria having such a youthful-looking body, they all knew she was anything but just a mere child ad had the same desires as any of them. Togau in particular was overjoyed at Saria joining her as one of Link's future queens, and the two had practically become like real sisters.

"Hmph, Lady Nabooru has called you for an important meeting this morning!" Ruto said, standing over Link and Saria and aiming her finger at them, "Don't make me squirt you two awake!"

"Can you just take notes for us Ruto?" Link muttered, turning and holding Saria in his arms, who sighed blissfully and snuggled against Link's body.

"Okay, that's it!" Ruto said as a watery aura started to form around her hand...

* * *

"Ah good morning you two, you look like you slept well." Nabooru said with a smirk in the palace dining room as Link, Saria and Ruto arrived in.

"Morning Link, morning Saria! Um, why are you two wet?" Aviel asked.

"No reason." Link said in annoyance as he and Saria had changed into their normal garments, but there was still water dripping off of them from Ruto's water shot. The zora princess herself was affectionately hugging Link's arm as the three were walking in.

"I think I prefer Aviel waking us up." Saria said equally annoyed as she wrung some water out of her hair.

"My, my, I hope you're not taking after our husband's sleeping habits, Saria." Nemisa said with a teasing smirk. Saria just stuck her tongue out at her in response.

"So what have you got for us today Nabooru?" Link asked sitting down.

"Well to start things off, I'm pleased to say Nilonu's rehabilitation has been going pretty well. As part of her work, she's been helping the teacher Ms. Fareafu with putting together material for the class. She's also been informing us of what she could about the hypnotic candy she had tried to use on the students. Unfortunately, since she's been in the town for over a year, she couldn't give us too much information."

"Speaking of the candy, has Dr. Sarami gotten any closer to figuring out how to counteract the power tonic from the piece I gave her?" Saria asked before taking a bite of scrambled eggs.

"Sarami says she's made some headway, but she'd really need more information on how exactly it's made, it's not just something anyone could do it seems, even with the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book we recovered for her." Nabooru said, she bore a somehow concerned expression, "But I think something about it is bothering her for some reason..."

"I just hope she doesn't try to push herself too much." Link said.

"Well on the more positive side, Ruto has come by with great news!" Nabooru said smiling.

"Allow me, Lady Nabooru." Ruto said in an elegant tone, "I'm happy to address that Daddy is finally prepared to speak to you all about forging an alliance between the Gerudo and the Zora!"

"Alright! So we're going to meet at Zora's Domain then?" Aviel asked.

"No dear, we're going to the beach area of Zora Coast instead." Ruto corrected her.

"Huh? Why there? Isn't your kingdom at Zora's Domain?" Aviel asked tilting her head left and right, trying to understand the situation.

"Yes, but Daddy insisted we have the meeting for this alliance at Zora Coast. It's the location of the sacred shrine of the Water Goddess Lophela, where..." Ruto gulped a bit, "..there's a certain... rite of passage I have to do so that I can properly become the future Zora queen, and Daddy doesn't want to finalize the union until after that."

Link curiously looked at how unnerved Ruto seemed to be as she spoke about that.

"But once that's over with, we can finally begin proper preparations for our marriage, my beloved husband!" Ruto said batting her eyes, "Naturally our wedding will also include all your fiances," she took a look over at Saria and smiled softly, "Including you Saria."

"Our wedding..." Saria said blushing, "Thanks Ruto, I never thought I'd get to hear that!"

"Believe me, I know what it's like; Link used to be pretty dim about things like love back when we were children, but Lady Nabooru did a fine job bringing out his inner beast, I'm sure you get what I'm saying." Ruto said with a giggle.

"Y-Yeah..." Saria said, thinking about what they had been doing last night that left her so tired that morning that she slept in.

"Heh, it's been a pleasure and an honor." Nabooru chuckled with a bow, "Mostly a pleasure."

"I think I'm beginning to have more sympathy for the dairy cows at Togau's ranch." Link said sweatdropping as he thought about how much the girls had been going at him at night.

"Hello all, anyone here interested in some flapjacks?" a servant called out, walking in carrying a plate stacked with freshly-made pancakes covered in creamy butter and rich maple syrup.

"Right here please!" Aviel exclaimed holding out her plate, which she was served a sizable amount.

"You want some too, Ruto?" Link asked, already digging into a large stack of his own.

Ruto stared at the stack Link was eating, and the sauce dripping from it. She slowly licked her lips for a bit, before shaking it off and saying, "No thanks, you go ahead and enjoy it!"

"Alright then." Link said, before putting another whole pancake in his mouth.

Ruto picked at a small egg white on her plate as she continued, "So anyway, the rite and your alliance meeting will be about two weeks from now, so you better all prepare yourselves!"

"Trust me Sister Ruto, we're all looking forward to it!" Nabooru said nodding, "Another step towards our goal in meeting with the Hylian Parliament."

"Alright, I'm done!" Aviel said, stacking her plates into a pile, "I think I'm gonna head out into town and pick out a new swimsuit for when we go out to Zora Coast, wanna come with, Saria?"

"Um... I think I already have a good enough suit..." Saria said, only to have her arm grabbed by Aviel.

"Oh just come on, we gotta get you something really nice and sexy to show off to Link!" Aviel grinned, "You wanna go too Nemisa?"

"Why not? I've been meaning to pick out a new suit as well." Nemisa said as she got up and left with Aviel and a reluctant Saria.

"Something tells me I'm going to enjoy this trip." Link chuckled, "Any assignments you got for me today Nabooru?"

"Well there is one thing; I believe there's a certain three ladies who wish to see you over in the maternity quarters." Nabooru said with a smirk.

"Oh... OH!" Link realized, without her even having to tell him, "Alright, I'll go see to that."

"You go on ahead Link, I'm going to talk with Nabooru a little more." Ruto said.

"Alright then." Link nodded and went off.

Once Link was out of the room, Ruto let out a heavy sigh.

"My, there's never a dull moment for Link, is there? To think he's already succeeded in impregnating his three child-bearers. He's been really excited about the day he gets to see his children." Ruto said.

"Yes, though just between you and me, back when we were handling the alliance with the Gorons, we happened to meet with Lady Impa of the royal family's protectors, and there's a good chance that she herself might be carrying Link's seed." Nabooru smirked.

"Lady Impa, you mean Princess Zelda's caretaker?" Ruto gasped, "Oh my, how scandalous!"

"Heh, right?" chuckled Nabooru, "Imagine the lids of the Hylian Parliament flipping if they found out the new Gerudo King already claimed his place within Hyrule Castle, so to speak."

The two girls laughed wholeheartedly at that, until Nabooru soon calmed down and looked at Ruto's breakfast plate.

"So Ruto, is there something we should know about rite of yours...?" Nabooru asked, "Or rather, something your husband-to-be should know...?"

"No... no it's fine..." Ruto said, she stood herself up, "If you don't mind, I need to use the pool to moisturize myself. It's been a pleasure speaking to you, Lady Nabooru."

"Very well, go ahead and enjoy yourself." Nabooru nodded, as Ruto went off on her way, but she stared at the zora walking off, seeming to look slightly dizzy as she moved.

It was then Nabooru looked back over to the plate Ruto had been eating from, seeing that she had only eaten a few pieces of fruit and not much else...

* * *

"S-So... this is...?"

"Yes my king, your daughter."

The young Gerudo King Link was in the maternity living quarters of his three royal child-bearers; Ragome, Leivuri and Esolu, meeting with them about the progress of their pregnancies. Link was staring down at the modest bump of Leivuri's belly that she exposed when she moved her silk gown off of it.

The young king slowly placed his hand over the bump, feeling very faint movements from within it. He was astonished at the sensation; this was a new life to be brought into the world, one created by himself and the beautiful Gerudo woman in front of him. As Link's hand brushed gently against the bump, he was filled with a great sense of warmth, and was starting to understand more about Nemisa's fascination with having children of her own with him some day.

"Hee hee hee, that eager look in your eyes is so cute, my king." Leivuri giggled, putting her hands over his own, "I have to thank you, for you're the one who blessed me with this child."

"I'm more then happy to Leivuri..." Link whispered, leaning down and giving her belly a kiss, making the girl giggle, "And I can't wait to see my first daughters come into this world."

"Well I'm glad you and the king are enjoying it Lei." Ragome said, laying back on the pillows, snacking on some food as she rubbed her own round stomach, "I'm bored out of my mind lately; the nursemaids won't let me practice with my spear or anything now that I'm knocked up, so all I'm doing is laying around getting fat from carrying this kid of mine."

The mute Esolu just stared at Ragome, before she flipped through her sketch book and held up a surprisingly detailed sketch she had done a while ago, It was of Ragome cautiously raiding the palace food supply in the middle of the night.

"Heh, sure it's not just cause you're a glutton, Ragome?" Link snickered.

"Wha- how did you draw that without me noticing?!" Ragome shouted, before covering her mouth, realizing she just exposed herself.

"Oh you've been doing things like that long before you became a child-bearer!" Leivuri said in amusement.

"It's okay Ragome, I love my fellow gluttons, and you're eating for more then just yourself now after all." Link grinned, gently patting Ragome's stomach.

"Ah heh heh..." Ragome chuckled, looking away from Link with a light blush, "Don't tease me like that, you're the reason I'm like this now, so you better take responsibility for it!"

"How do you mean exactly...?" Link asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well part of our reason for wanting to seeing you was our pregnancies are getting us pretty horny, if you catch my drift." Ragome said with a suggestive grin.

"Ah, I see..." Link nodded with a grin, as Esolu came up to him from behind, starting to remove his vest for him, Link went ahead removed his belt sash and took off his vest completely, showing his bare chest to the girls, "In that case, I better get started."

"Eep!" Leivuri squeaked, covering her face out of embarrassment, "Y-You're really in the mood to do that with us when we look this way...?"

Link simply answered by pulling Leivuri into a soft kiss, causing her to moan out in pleasure. Esolu came up from behind and started kissing at Link's neck, and he turned to make out with her. Soon Ragome crawled up and started nibbling at Link's ear, and he responded by kissing at her, with his hand rubbing her pregnant bump. It didn't take long after that before the four of them shed all their clothing and Link started to go to work on pleasuring them...

Unknown to the four though, peeking through the door was Ruto, having opened the door just a crack to get a look at Link and the three girls enjoying each other. She gulped a bit as she turned away and closed the door softly so as not to disturb them. Her legs were fidgeting a bit, as she found she was rather turned on by seeing Link go at the three the way he was. Ruto then looked down at her slim and dainty body, running her hand along her stomach, and let out a small sigh.

"But would you be okay with me Link...?" she spoke to herself, before going off on her way.

* * *

Two weeks later, the day had finally come, and using the aide of the warp point that led to Zora's Domain, and then from there to Zora Coast, Link and his friends had finally arrived at their destination.

"Wooow, look at it all!" Aviel squealed out.

A gentle tropical breeze blew through the palm trees decorating the area, the ocean waters were flowing gently across white sand, seagulls were flying through the air cawing out, and there were majestic stone formations all around the place that added to the scenery. It wasn't all nature either, there were numerous stands along the shoreline; small stores selling merchandise, restaurants that were frying up various foods, and they could all see a big white shrine off in the distance.

There were Zora everywhere of various kinds, some blue like Ruto, but there were also red, green, yellow and even purple variations. The Zoras all ranged in appearance, some had two fins, some had one, some had bulbous heads like Ruto, and there even some Zoras who didn't have typical legs, but long fish-like lower bodies like mermaids. They were all either laying back on the sand, walking along the shoreline, swimming and jumping though the ocean, there even some Zora children running along playing together and playing on the sand. There were also a small number of Hylians and Gorons walking about the place as well.

"This place is so... cool!" Aviel said with bright eyes, "This beats Lake Hylia any day!"

"This is really nice, I've never been to this area of Hyrule." Link said looking around. Rather then his typical king's clothes, at the moment he was wearing a modest red shirt and white shorts, but he was holding a bag that contained the Zora Master Tunic he had received from Ruto for his birthday.

Alongside the two were Nabooru, Saria, Nemisa, Togau, Dr. Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta, Korume, as well as a number of other Gerudo that Nabooru had hand-selected as guards and aides for the negotiations they were to make with the Zoras such as her assistant Halei, as well as a small number of Gerudo whom she felt deserved a little rest and relaxation after their hard work, like Reirousa's friend the diner chef Sovan. Nemisa's friend Ifemi was there too, looking around excitedly.

"Well whadda sight! Can't wait to go swimmin'!" Togau said, looking out around the water.

"I'm thinking of checking out those cute stores!" one of the other Gerudo said.

"I want to see what kind of food they prepare here, get some ideas for the menu at the diner!" Sovan said with interest.

"You guys can delegate, shop and swim, I'm gonna go find me a hot Zora hunk!" Ifemi said, leaning forward and putting her hand above her eyes to get a better look at the men in the area.

"You got a thing for fish or somethin'?" Reirousa asked Nemisa's friend.

"Well I haven't had too much luck meeting Hylians, so I thought I'd try something a little different." Ifemi said, looking at two muscular male Zoras walking by, and she licked her lips, "Wish me luck Nemisa!" she said running off after the two guys.

"Uh okay, good luck with that." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"Does she have a prayer?" Nabooru asked quietly.

"Doubt it, but I admire her enthusiasm." said Nemisa.

"Ugh, I dunno how you guys talked me into coming here, I don't even like this moist weather." Kesuta said, rubbing her hands together to generate some flames in front of her.

"We're doing this for Ruto's sake Sister, so suck it up." Korume said.

"Alright, fine..." Kesuta grumbled.

"Well hello darling, everyone! Glad to see you all arrived just fine!" spoke out a voice, as the group turned to see Princess Ruto walking up to them, accompanied by her bodyguard Zopem, her best friend Luva, and the royal Zora ambassador Oton.

"Look, it's Luva!" Aviel said cheerfully, running up and hugging the green-scaled Zora girl with her bird wings.

"Aviel! It's like, totally awesome to see you again, babe!" the Zora said, hugging her as well, the two of them having developed a bond of sorts during the time Aviel was giving her a guided tour of Gerudo Town back during the Desert Goddess Festival.

"A pleasure to meet you folks again!" Oton said shuffling up to the group, before turning to Link, "So I've been told by Princess Ruto that you're the official Gerudo King now, eh boy?"

"Yeah, that's right. A pleasure to see you again Ambassador Oton." Link grinned, as he bowed a bit to the zora.

"Ga ha ha ha! Seems you've gotten more of a hang of your position! Good for you!" Oton said bowing back, then nudged Link with a snide grin, "So tell me, have you courted any more of these lovely women here?"

"Ambassador Oton," coughed Ruto awkwardly, "Now's not the time for that."

"Hm, so you've arrived." muttered one gruff voice, as everyone looked to Zopem staring down at Link. The two stared at each other for what seemed like some time, giving off a tense stance... that is until the two grinned and shook hands.

"Good to see you again Zopem." Link said.

"The pleasure is mine, King Link." the Zora bodyguard nodded.

"Glad ta see those two gettin' along, I remember they were buttin' heads durin' the Desert Goddess Festival." Togau said.

"Yes Link's come a long way, and he's making a great impact on the neighboring tribes." Nabooru said smiling, "And he's done that not through typical royal training or grooming, but from just being himself."

"So Ruto, what exactly is this rite you were talking about before?" Kesuta asked, "Does it have anything to do with that shrine over there? I'm feeling powerful energy from it."

"That's PRINCESS Ruto to you!" Zopem boomed out to the fire mystic to correct her.

"Meep!" Kesuta quickly hid behind her twin sister.

"Settle down Zopem, she's family." Ruto said rolling her eyes, "The shrine is where I'm going to perform the rite I need to gain the power of a true Zora queen. My current water powers are just a small sample of what I'll be able to do when I'm done!" she spun her finger, conjuring some water around it as she did.

"The mystics are currently preparing for the rite, so until then King Zora has requested that the two of you meet with him to discuss the alliance." Oton said to Link and Nabooru.

"Very well, I've been looking forward to this." nodded Nabooru.

"Um, if it pleases the king, I was wondering if sometime while we're here I could speak with King Zora about relations with my own people as well." Saria spoke up.

"Well aren't you a cute one?" Oton said, "Don't think we've met. Just who are you, King Link's sister?"

"I'm Saria, botanist for the Gerudo, and one of Link's future wives." she said with a bow.

"H-His wife?" Oton asked in confusion.

Zopem stared down at the child-like girl and took in the words she said, then turned to Link with a somewhat disgusted look on his face, "Fiance...? King Link... just what is this about...?"

"She's a Kokiri and my childhood friend, she's over four hundred years old." Link clarified in a flat tone.

"O-oh, I see!" Zopem realized, then did a frantic but polite bow at the waist to Saria, "My apologizes Ms. Saria Kokiri!"

"Uh, it's no big deal." Saria said, waving her hand dismissively, "I get that a lot."

"So you said you want to join the alliance then?" Oton asked the Kokiri.

"Yes, I'd like my people to reach out to different tribes during this time of peace in Hyrule, and I'd like the Zora to ally with us as well!" Saria said.

"Well it's a bit short notice, but I bet I can get Ol' Maweepbutt to fit you into a meeting later!" Oton chuckled.

"...Ol' Maweepbutt?" Nabooru asked with an amused grin.

"Yeah, that's me and the late queen's nickname for King Zora, don't tell him I said so." chuckled Oton.

"Na ha ha, wonder where he got a name like that!" snickered Togau.

Link meanwhile was covering his mouth, doing everything in his power not to burst out laughing, as he had a feeling that nickname came from the strange sound King Zora made back when he scooted out of the way of a passage Link needed to cross on his quest.

"Alright, let's go prepare to meet with Ol' Maweepbutt then, Link!" Nabooru said.

"Okay, you girls all go on ahead and have fun at the beach, alright?" Link said to the others.

"Aw, we wanted ta play with you a little while we're here." Aviel said pouting.

"Don't worry girls, I'll see to it he'll have time for you later before the rite." Ruto said, "I have to go prepare for the rite myself for now. But in the meantime Link, it might be good for you to change into the outfit I got you, I think it would be a good sign of respect to Daddy if you wear it."

"Good idea." Link nodded.

* * *

About ten minutes later, Link came out of a changing tent donning his Zora Master Tunic. It fit perfectly on him; the blue cap on his head stuck out long and hung down his back, resembling a Zora head-fin. The bluish-green sequinned vest hugged his body firmly but comfortably. Hanging from the belt were fin-like attachments that were meant to help him swim more effectively. His blue gloves and boots were scaled and jagged backwards, with the ends being webbed and clawed, which Ruto said could be used for close combat if necessary.

"Can't wait to do some real swimming in this!" Link grinned, pulling on the glove and wiggling the fingers to make sure it was secure. He had experience swimming in the palace pool using this tunic, but he was excited about taking it out into the ocean. It gave him good memories of his time in Termina when he used the Zora Mask to swim through the waters of Great Bay.

"Woah, check out the hot stuff!" said a woman's voice, as Link turned to see a few Zora girls all waving to him flirtingly. He just smiled and waved back out of good nature.

"Heya Link, lookin' good!" said another voice, as Link turned and his jaw dropped to see his Gerudo friends and fiances all there in their own swimwear.

Aviel was standing at the front wearing a two-piece with a frilly top, she did a happy little hop that made her pretty big chest bounce, though she seemed oblivious to it.

Nemisa was wearing a more practical black one-piece suit and had one hand resting against her wide hip. She was sporting a modest smirk as she looked Link up and down, amused at how much it made him look like a Zora.

Saria was wearing a modest pink two-piece with frilly edges around the arm and leg openings, as well as a strange colorful plastic tube around her waist. She was clearly embarrassed about wearing a two-piece swimsuit outside of Gerudo Town for the first time, as she was trying to hide herself among the Gerudo girls.

Togau, not being much for fashionable wear, simply wore a loose tanktop and shorts with sunglasses and her straw hat. The left strap of the tank top was hung off her shoulder.

Sarami was wearing a light blue two piece bikini with her usual long white vest worn open over it, as well as topping her outfit with a sunhat and a small pair of sunglasses.

Reirousa had on a surprisingly bold green camo-print two-piece bikini that showed off her bulky figure and her abs, though she was still looking away with a blush on her face.

Kesuta was wearing a skimpy suspender strap swimsuit that wrapped over her shoulders and barely covered her chest, though despite how much she flaunted it she didn't have exactly much chest to show off with it anyway.

Korume herself was wearing a modest beach coat and hat, and holding it together at the top so as not to show anything off to anyone else at the beach.

"So whadaya think, lover-boy?" grinned Togau, "Do we look hot?"

"I'll say you do." Link chuckled, considering himself at that moment to be the luckiest man alive. A good portion of the girls all laughed and giggled to themselves at how much they charmed Link with their outfits.

"Oh my, I'm surprised you would wear something so revealing Reirousa." Sarami giggled, "Are you trying to show off for Link, too?"

"Wha- o-of course not!" Reirousa shouted, "I tried other swimsuits but I'm too big for em, at least this ain't tight on me!"

"Either way, it suits you Reirousa, looks pretty attractive on that figure of yours!" Link nodded.

"S-Shut up or I'm gonna pound ya.. you little dweeb..." Reirousa muttered nervously and quietly.

"Come on Saria, show yours off to him too!" Aviel said, taking the Kokiri by her slim shoulders and pulling her out to the forefront.

"Ehhh... um..." Saria blushed bright red, "It's kind of embarrassing to be wearing it in public with so many other people around like this..."

"Saria-dear, where did you find a swimsuit like that anyway?" Nemisa asked, seeing the cute plastic tube she was holding around her waist.

"Oh, I went to the clothing store in Gerudo Town and asked if I could get something cute to wear, and they picked this out for me." Saria said, tugging on the top.

"You didn't happen to tell them how old you were, did you?" Nemisa raised an eyebrow.

"No, but the clothing lady said the tube can be used to float in the water, and she even threw in this cute plastic bucket and a small shovel for some reason, so I didn't mind." Saria replied, holding up the two items which were made from colorful plastic, "Is something the matter?"

"Never mind." Nemisa sighed, feeling pity on Saria for her overly youthful looks, and hoping there were no Hylian children at the beach wearing anything similar for her to catch on.

"Well it definitely does look cute on you Saria." Link nodded looking her over, particularly her firm rear end, which the tube was resting on in the back, and her bare legs, "It shows off some more of your finer points too."

"Heehee... thanks..." Saria said, putting her hand to her cheek and blushing happily. Thankfully Link was fine with the way she looked, so the girls didn't say anything beyond that about her swimsuit.

"So Link, how about you help us with some sun oil before we all go swimming?" Togau grinned, holding up a bottle, "Put those massaging hands of yer's to the limit!"

"Yeah! Rub us down Link!" Kesuta cheered out.

"Well if you put it that way, how could I say no?" Link asked.

"Steady there tiger, we got a meeting first." spoke up a voice, as everyone looked to see Nabooru, "You girls will have to take care of yourselves for now."

The Gerudo leader herself was wearing a bold two-piece black bikini. The top wrapped around her neck and held up her breasts, but mainly covering the sides of them. Maybe it was because Link was used to seeing her in the nude from all the times they made love together, but he could have sworn that Nabooru had grown at least another cup size or two over the past year or so, and the top did a great job showing them off. She wore a matching red thong tied together at the sides that showed off her nice shapely legs and rear end, as well as a white open shirt that she let hang off her arms rather then on her shoulders. She even had undone her ponytail and let her vibrant red hair cascade down her back and her shoulders. She also wore a pair of sunglasses that currently rested on her forehead.

Link's jaw dropped down, "N-Nabooru, you look.. really..."

"Hot? Naturally." smirked Nabooru, "Now you ready to go meet with the zora king?"

"You're meeting the king dressed like that Nabooru?" Nemisa raised an eyebrow, "Are you hoping to win him over with more then just your negotiations and bargains?"

"Nah, it just feels more comfortable to wear this!" Nabooru grinned, deliberately doing a stretch to show off her physique.

"I think if anything it might distract Link too much." Korume said with an amused grin as she noticed Link's stare, taking a handkerchief to wipe off some drool on his mouth.

"Well come on then, get a move on Link." Nabooru said, snapping her fingers to get him out of his trance, before turning and walking off.

"Yes master." Link sighed after snapping out of his trance. He rolled his eyes and followed after her.

"Poor guy, she's got him on a choke collar." Togau said, then sported a big grin, "Well how about we take his advice and have some fun, girls?"

The others cheered out and headed off to the waters and shores.

* * *

"Aaaahhh... this water's even cooler then Lake Hylia..." Aviel said, floating on her back in the ocean water. She flicked at the water a little to feel it on her fingers, then flipping around to submerge her face in. A second later she frantically scrambled around spitting out the water, "BLECK, it tastes terrible!"

"You're not supposed to drink it little birdbrain, it's salt water!" Korume called out from the shoreline. She was sitting with Kesuta, who was draped in a bath towel to keep herself warm and dry.

"Why ain't you goin' in Korume?" Togau asked, "You took to the lake pretty well."

"Lake water is one thing, but ocean water is problematic for me because of the salt." Korume explained, "The two of us are content just resting here on the sand."

"Ugh, speak for yourself, this is boring." Kesuta groaned, "Wanna go shopping instead, sister?"

"Hm, as entertaining as it is to see Aviel learning the fine details of what not to do in the ocean, sure." Korume nodded, the two mystic girls getting up and going off to the seaside stores.

Reirousa was busy floating on her back, staring up into the sky with a mellow, relaxed look on her face. She was so relaxed she didn't notice some seagulls flew down and took up residence on her stomach, perhaps thinking her abs were rocks or something similar. The other girls noticed but didn't bother trying to wake her up so they could see how long it would take Reirousa to see the birds.

"Hey Sarami, how 'bout you joinin' us then?" Togau shouted out to the doctor, who was sitting on a bath towel reading a book.

"Yeah, come on Dr. Sarami! It'll be fun!" Aviel chirped happily.

"I-" Sarami was about to decline, as she was never quite energetic to do such activities in the past, but thought to herself and how over the past year she had been finding more time to get exercise, "Hm... I suppose I could..."

"I say go for it Dr. Sarami," Nemisa called out, "You won't regret it, the water feels divine."

"Fu-fu-fufufu, okay you got me, sweeties!" Sarami said, getting up and removing her vest coat, her voluptuous figure turning the heads of a few tourists, even a female or two, as she delicately walked to the end of the shore where the water was washing in and out.

As soon as Sarami's delicate toes brushed against a small wave, she squeaked out and backed up a bit from how initially cold it was. She looked up nervously to the other girls, who were watching her in anticipation. She gulped a bit and nodded to herself, before slowly and surely walking into the water, each inch she crept sent a small shiver up her body, until she was up to her knees.

"You okay there Dr. Sarami?" Saria asked.

"Yes, it's cold, but I'm sure I'll get used to it." Sarami nodded, slowly moving into the water inch by inch.

"Eh, better to just go in all at once and get it over with." Reirousa said shrugging, as more seagulls were landing down on her body without her knowing.

"Um... I don't know about-" Sarami said.

"Good idea Reirousa!" Aviel said, using her wings to sweep up a bunch of water and blast Sarami with it.

"Kyaaa!" screamed out Sarami, becoming drenched in the ocean water. She stood there blankly before she puffed out her cheeks in annoyance of Aviel, "Oh you little child! How dare yo-"

That was when Sarami's bikini top slipped a bit and exposed her chest to the world, and she quickly covered herself up, "Kyaaa!"

"Dang, those suckers are never not huge." Togau said blankly.

"Don't tell me that top is too small for her..." Saria said with her jaw lowered in surprise.

"D-Don't look! Don't look!" Sarami exclaimed as she frantically tried to adjust her top back into place.

"Eh, sorry...?" Aviel asked, only to get bashed upside the head by Nemisa anyway.

"That was too much you moron!" Nemisa shouted.

"It... it's okay..." Sarami sighed, "I've been too timid about this sort of thing, I guess I do need a motivational push every now and then..."

"Kinda like how Link's been motivating you to get stronger?" grinned Togau.

"Eehh?" Sarami asked, blushing bright red.

"She's right you know." smirked Nemisa, "You've changed greatly since Link came into your life. Of course we all have, but I'm more impressed by you then anyone, doctor. "

"It's... it's not that much..." Sarami muttered.

"Link really means a lot to you, doesn't he?" smiled Saria, "I can understand, he was an inspiration for me to get stronger too!"

Sarami didn't say a word, but folded her arms behind her back as she thought about the past year since Link came into her life. After he convinced her that she needed to be able to relay on others, she was finding more time for herself, allowing her to partake in the simple pleasures of life, and was much more active then before. It helped that Link would often visit to help with tasks, not to mention he was great with some of the patients, especially the asthmatic child Ilite.

Sarami also recalled the blissful looks of Link's royal child-bearers as she gave them their examinations. She had been overjoyed that they were all with child, though at the same time a little jealous...

"Come on Doc, quit daydreamin' and lets have some fun!" Togau grinned, "Ya deserve it after everything you've done fer us!"

"Thank you everyone." Sarami nodded, taking a step forward, when a sudden wave came up and splashed her, causing her top to come off again, "EEP!"

"I suppose it's better for Link's sake that he wasn't here, he wouldn't be able to contain himself." chuckled Nemisa.

* * *

"...well, you seem to know what you're talking about, we could definitely use your assistance in those areas."

Link and Nabooru were sitting in a large straw hut on the shoreline, where the leader of the zora people, known as King Hauvir Tijeem Zora, held the meeting. Accompanied by him was some zora servants splashing him with some water to keep his scales moist. Ambassador Oton was also there, serving as a middle-man between the two sides.

"Thank you King Zora." Nabooru said, bowing her head, "We greatly appreciate you taking the time to speak to us, and I hope that this alliance shall benefit both out sides for years to come."

"Given your situation with the banishment, I hope so as well, namely for your sake." King Zora said crossly.

"Ahem, Hauvir." Oton said clearing his throat, refering to the zora king by his first name, "Remember what we talked about!"

"A-Ah yes," King Zora said sweatdropping, "Forgive my manners, but you have to understand we Zora have had a great deal of mistrust in the Gerudo after the previous king Ganondorf manipulated us with his honeyed words, only to then backstab us by cursing our Lord Jabu Jabu to try and claim the Zora's Sapphire. And then of course there was the war your people started to take him back shortly after his capture."

"Trust me when I say that man hurt our own tribe greatly for the sake of his selfish ambitions as well, we were just a bit too complacent for our own good..." Nabooru said, clenching at her folded legs as she spoke, "We're doing everything we can to separate ourselves from him and the actions of our people during the war eight years ago, so that we may live peacefully with the other tribes."

"Hm, yes indeed." King Zora said, then looked to Link, "As for you Gerudo King, I have to admit I was disturbed when my daughter told me that the boy she chose as her future husband to be the new Gerudo King. I also don't know how I feel about my Ruto marrying into a king's harem, but she's quite insistent that she gets along well with your other fiances, and both Oton and Zopem have spoken well on your behalf about it."

"I'd mention that the king greatly admires what you did in saving his daughter and Lord Jabu Jabu from that curse years ago, and of course destroying Morpha at Lake Hylia so we could reclaim the Water Temple." Oton mentioned.

"Hm, yes... but the important question however is if Ruto is as important to you as claimed, or if it's all just a means of forging an alliance with us? We Zoras consider our pride as a vital aspect to our society, and I won't have my beloved daughter being treated as mere seaweed by you." King Zora spoke, narrowing his eyes.

Link paused and looked up at the large Zora. He had known the man since he was a child, but up until about a year ago he never thought he'd find himself meeting with him to get his blessing to marry Ruto. Link just took a deep breath and bowed his head, speaking from the heart, "I promise you King Zora, my love for Ruto comes far before any possible alliance we can have with the Zoras, and I care for her as much as any of my future wives, and when the time comes for her to bear our children, I will care for her and them all as my beloved family."

"You can trust him with that vow, your highness." Nabooru said, "Just as I trusted a Hylian with being our new king, you can trust him as the husband of your daughter."

"...hmph, well said." King Zora admitted, "I shall hold you to that promise, and I'll be keeping my eye on you while you're here. If anything comes between the two of you, then this alliance is done for."

"Thank you, your majesty." Link said.

* * *

Ruto meanwhile was standing just outside of the hut, out of eyesight of her father, her fiance and Lady Nabooru. She had heard most of the conversation between the three, and smiled softly at the words Link had said before her father. King Zora had always been rather stubborn, and she was one of the very few with the ability to make him see things in other ways. To see her beloved husband stand up to her father for her sake warmed her heart, he was just as brave and noble as he was when he met her as children.

"Hey Ruto!" spoke up a voice, startling her, she looked to see Link and Nabooru were just walking out of the hut, "Now that the first round of negotiations are over, we were planning to do some swimming, wanna come with?"

"Why of course, I'm done with my rite preparations for now!" Ruto smiled brightly, "But instead of merely just swimming, how would you like to participate in a little competition, the Zora Grand Prix?"

"What's that now?" Nabooru asked.

"It's an annual racing competition we hold here at Zora Coast, and it's just about that time to sign up!" Ruto said.

"Hm, participating in a friendly competition like this would be nice to help boost relations with the Zora." Nabooru suggested.

"Yeah, sounds like fun!" Link grinned, "Think I've gotten the hang of this tunic from our time in the palace pool that I can graduate to swimming in the world's biggest pool."

"Oohohohoho! Very well, but while you may be my beloved fiance, I vow to not lose to you!" Ruto said.

"Bring it then, princess." Link said with his game face on.

* * *

Later that day, Link stood beside Ruto, as well as a number of other zora including Zopem, on a small cliffside overlooking the ocean. The ocean itself was littered with large rings down the way to the other side of the beach drifting upright in the water, with two flagpoles at the very end with a black and white checkered sash between them. Watching Link, Ruto and the participates was a number of zora, as well as Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and the other Gerudo. Even King Zora and Ambassador Oton were there.

"Go get em Link!" Aviel called out.

"Send em out ta dry, lover-boy!" Togau shouted.

"Like, stay fresh Ruto!" Luva cheered.

"Been a while since you and I have competed in a contest, huh Zopem?" Link said to the zora bodyguard.

"Indeed, before it was war, but this time it's for sport!" Zopem said, "And I shall defeat both you and Princess Ruto!"

"We'll see about that!" smirked Ruto, "I'll have you both under my foot by the end!"

"How is that any different from any other day?" Link asked jokingly to Zopem, who snickered.

The Hylian and the Zoras all went into position and waited for the signal to start. A zora girl who was hosting the competition held up a strange pufferfish into the air.

"Okay everyone, the rules are simple!" the zora girl said, "You must swim through all thirty five rings on the ocean's surface and then pass through the flag-post goals to win! If you miss a ring then you must turn back for it, and if go onto the beach itself then you're disqualified! Get ready and... GO!"

With that, the zora pulled on the fish's back fin, causing it to swell up and spit out a shot of water that exploded into the air with a loud burst, prompting the racers to dive into the water and start swimming.

Despite this being his first time in the race, Link had plenty of experience in races like it, one notable time back in Termina when he played with some beavers for a prize, so he took to it rather quickly, swimming left and right, avoiding rocks and other racers, and shooting through the rings.

"Woah, look at Link go!" Saria exclaimed, "He's like a real Zora!"

As the race continued, Ruto swam up beside Link at one point, and took a glance at him to see how effectively he was swimming. He took well to the tunic she had crafted for him, and she loved how cute he looked in the zora fin cap...

"Ruto, watch out!" shouted Link suddenly, snapping her out of her trance, as he bumped into her from the side, the two barely missed hitting a sea rock.

"Wha- hey! What was that for?" Ruto exclaimed with a pout.

"You almost hit that rock!" Link pointed out.

"O-Oh, sorry." Ruto realized.

"It's alright, I wouldn't want you to ruin that pretty face of yours." Link grinned, leaning in close to her.

"Ah... hahahaa... Y-You charmer, of course my face is pretty!" Ruto stammered with a bright red face.

"...after all, I want to see the look on that face when I beat you in this contest!" Link then said grinning, suddenly zipping off through the water, leaving Ruto stunned.

"Wha- why you brat!" Ruto said, chasing after him.

Link continued to shoot across the water, spinning and weaving through the rings. At one point Ruto managed to gain some distance over Link, and he saw one ring floating over the water by a suspended balloon.

He watched as a few of the lead Zoras jump out of the water and through the ring, while Ruto herself shot out and did a flip through the air to make it through the ring. She continued to spin in midair, then upon reaching the water again, she bounced off the surface and did a triple spin in midair, before diving back into the water and continuing the race.

Back on the shoreline, as the Gerudo were all excitedly cheering for Link and Ruto, King Zora was sitting back watching the competition with Oton.

Oton mused, "Hm, perhaps the princess would be getting more distance if she wasn't showing off so muc-"

"Yeah!" King Zora exclaimed all of a sudden, standing up and calling out to everyone there, "Did you see that?! That's my daughter Ruto there! Go sweetie!"

"Hauvir, please sit down." Oton said sweatdropping.

Link meanwhile was looking up at the ring as more zora jumped through it, wondering how he could jump that high. It was then he noticed a rock formation nearby that had a slanted look to it, and an idea occurred to him. He turned towards the rock and shot at it with great speed, shooting up it and doing an impressive leap into the air off the rock.

King Zora managed to pull his eyes away from his daughter for a second and looked up with surprise as he saw Link shoot through the air, clearing the ring, before impacting down into the water.

"Hm, he takes to that tunic well." King Zora said.

"Yes, you should have seen him at the Desert Goddess Festival, the Gerudo King learns things like this pretty quickly." Oton said, "He may not be as skilled in royal relations as Ganondorf was, but King Link has him beat in ways that matter far more, namely his drive, and his heart."

King Zora paused and looked down at his old friend, before focusing back on the race. As excited as he was to watch Ruto, he would sometimes check to see where Link was doing as well.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. With Link and the group working to unite with the Zoras and Ruto working to become the queen, will everything go swimmingly, or is there something lurking below the tides...?**_

_**Thanks you all so much for reading and your support, leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure!**_


	66. Pirates Attack!

_**Hello folks, it's time for Chapter 66! While things are going pretty well for out heroes so far, we all know that doesn't last for long!**_

* * *

The Zora Grand Prix race eventually ended with Zopem winning, while Link barely won out against Ruto. After the three had all arrived on the shore, the Gerudo girls quickly gathered around and congratulated the three of them on their effort.

"Heh, sorry I couldn't win the race girls." Link said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Nah, don't worry about it." Nabooru grinned, "This was better for our alliance then you winning, participation was more important then anything."

"Zahahaha! It was a fine race, Link!" Zopem said wearing a gold medal around his neck, he slapped the young Hylian across the back, causing him to almost stumble over, "I even saw you back there helping out Princess Ruto during it, thanks again for looking out for her!"

"Hmph, I didn't need saving or anything!" Ruto said, turning her head away and pouting, obviously still sore about falling so far behind in ranking, "And I won't lose next year, I'll have you both know!"

"That was pretty cool of you winning over King Link, Mr. Zopem." Ifemi said, twirling her finger in her hair and batting her eyes, "I was thinking maybe you and I could celebrate tonight by letting me treat you to some nice drinks and dinn-"

"No." Zopem said flatly, causing Ifemi to fall to the her hands and knees in defeat.

"Wow, shot down instantly." Nemisa said sweatdropping as she tried her best to comfort her friend.

* * *

Shortly after that, Link, Ruto, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, and Zopem went on their way over to the large white brick shrine at the far end of the beach to see about the rite the zora princess was to take part in. Reirousa, Sovan and Ifemi had went to go check out the food stands while Togau went with Saria and Sarami went to see what the stores had stocked to discuss possible trading with Gerudo Valley.

"Hey, what's that going on over there?" Aviel asked, noticing a number of zora coming to the coastline. They were all carrying numerous boxes and setting up tent stands, "Are they opening more stores?"

"Hopefully not, we're both out of souvenir money already." Kesuta said, walking up to the group with Korume, the two of them holding numerous shopping bags. Korume was using a free arm to hold a large stuffed dolphin plushie she purchased.

"Kukuku, this is so cute..." Korume said, nuzzling against the plush, "I would have gotten you one too Nemisa, but this was the last one in stock."

"Oh it's okay, I got plenty of-" Nemisa cut herself off, "Wait, how do you know about that?!"

"Know about what Nemisa?" Aviel asked, the rest of the group aside from Link not being aware of Nemisa's love of plushies.

"N-Nothing!" Nemisa said blushing.

"That group of zoras must be the ones that'll be participating in the cooking competition later today." Zopem said.

Ruto just stared out at them and gulped a bit nervously.

"Neato, a cooking competition?!" said Aviel with a bit of drool hanging rom her mouth, "Think they'd let Sovan join it? She'd probably win easily!"

"I'm afraid not, as good as her cooking is, this competition this is for something a little more... important." Ruto said hesitantly, she took a moment to look out at the shrine they were close to approaching.

"Important how?" Link asked.

Ruto sighed, "Well, it's a competition to determine who's going to become the new head chef of my dietary needs once I become the Zora Queen. Daddy insisted we do this now so they can be ready for after I complete the rite. In fact, I'll be the one judging the cuisine myself."

"Oh is that so, you'll be taste testing all the food they prepare?" snickered Kesuta, "Just don't go too far with the judging or you might need a tailor to let out your new queen's robes!"

Ruto flinched and stopped in her tracks, looking to Kesuta in annoyance.

"Grrr... you watch your mouth before I have to wash it out!" Ruto shouted, spraying Keutsa lightly in the face with a water shot.

"Gack!" Kesuta said spitting out the water, then flicking her finger and conjuring a small flame, "You wanna try something Princess Caviar-Breath?!"

"Hraaah! You dare insult our Princess like that?!" Zopem boomed at Kesuta, towering over the fire mystic with a fierce look in his eyes.

"Aaah! Sister, save me!" sobbed Kesuta hugging her Korume.

"Oof, like I'm going to get you out of this mess you started." Korume said, pushing her away with one finger.

* * *

After Link and Nabooru calmed everyone down, the group eventually approached and entered the shrine. It was a rather large and spacious place, with statues of female zoras holding jugs that poured water into fountains, the walls were decorated with colored tiles that depicted various zora women, and at the very back of the shrine was a large pool of water with a small fountain in front of it.

"Oh wow, check this place out!" Aviel said stepping up ahead of the group.

"Halt! Just who are all of you to enter this sacred place?" a zora guard shouted, brandishing a spear at Aviel, who frantically held up her arms to surrender.

"It's okay, they're my family." Ruto assured the guard, making him bow and back off, "Welcome everyone to the Shrine of Lophela! This is one of the places besides the Water Temple where we worship our water goddess, and it's also where I'm going to be performing my rite of passage to become the illustrious Zora Queen!"

"Impressive!" Nabooru said, looking up at the tile pictures of the zoras, "So I take it these were the previous queens?"

"Yes, that one you're looking at is Queen Fuphana, she's the one who decided we should take up residence in the waterfall basin known as Zora's Domain." Ruto said, then started showing off the others, "And this the great Queen Atuvu, who first started the idea of the Zora allying with the Hylians..."

As Ruto ran off the various queens, Link took a glance at her and saw the serene look in her eyes. It seemed as though she had a great admiration for her ancestors.

"Oooh! Who's this one Ruto?" Aviel asked, looking at one particular picture. The zora was light blue colored with a slight purple and teal tint to her, "She kinda looks like you!"

"Y-Yes..." Ruto said with a bit of unease in her tone, "That's because she was my mother... Queen Louruta."

"Oh my, she was so beautiful..." Nemisa said softly, before looking to Ruto with a light smirk, "She must have been a fine mother for you to turn out the way you did Sister Ruto."

"Yeah... sure she was..." Ruto whispered, the others looked to the princess confusingly. Link was about to speak to her when someone else spoke up.

"Well, hello there Princess Ruto, I see your friends are here too!" spoke up a somewhat flamboyant voice. Everyone turned to see a new Zora approach them, it was a broad-chested male zora, with head fins that ran down his back, his scales a yellow and orange color, and he was wearing a blue robe.

"Pleased to meet you all, I'm Hemeron, head mystic of the zora royal family!"

Link and the others went ahead and gave their introductions. The Gerudo King took a glance at Zopem out of the corner of his eye and saw Ruto's personal bodyguard looking a little awkward at the mystic before them. But before he could inquire about it, Mystic Hemeron got right up into Link's face and gazed directly at him.

"Hmmm... HMMMMM..." Hemeron muttered, leaning forward and looking Link over, "So you're Princess Ruto's big strong husband-to-be she's spoken about? The Gerudo Kiiing?"

"Um... yes!" Link said, standing upright, "I intend to marry her when the time is right, but we all agreed that it won't be until my fiances are assembled and ready! I... uh, hope you can understand that Mystic Hemeron."

"Yes, yes, yes... I totally understand! A handsome man like yourself shouldn't just be held by just one woman!" Hemeron laughed.

"Uh huh..." Link said sweatdropping.

"But before you dooo marry our princess..." Hemeron muttered, looking Link over, "I think I need to judge you for myself. I've been training Princess Ruto with her water techniques for quite a while now, and with her being my young ward, I'm concerned for her well-being. So I need to make sure you're going to be a proooper man for her..."

Link put his guard up and nodded, "Fine, I'm ready to take on any challenge you present me with."

"Very well theeen." Hemeron nodded.

It was then the zora mystic's eyes gave off a gleam, as he suddenly stepped behind Link, reached downward and groped the Gerudo King's rear end.

"GACK!" Link exclaimed with his eyes as wide as dinner plates, "What the hell was that?"

"Hmmm... yes, nice and firm! You definitely pass as far as I'm concerned!" Hemeron said, sporting a big sharp toothy grin and a thumbs up.

Two seconds later, Hemeron was laying in the ground face-first with multiple bumps on his head, given to him by Nemisa.

"Touch my husband like that again and I'll crush you harder!" Nemisa shouted.

"Ouhohohoo... so sooorry..." Hemeron muttered from the sand.

Ruto let out a sigh, "I apologize Link, Hemeron is a skilled mystic and teacher, but he can be a bit... odd at times."

"I gathered." Link said in annoyance, rubbing his rear.

"He doesn't do that to the others, does he Mr. Zopem?" Aviel asked, looking up at Ruto's bodyguard, only to see he was completely paralyzed, with a distant look in his eyes.

"I... don't want... to talk about it..." Zopem muttered with a shudder.

"Alright, so you've seen how nice Link's butt is, I could have told you that. Now care to tell us what this whole rite is about? Ruto is our beloved sister, so we'd like to know what she's going to be doing in it." Nabooru spoke.

"Of cooourse, allow me to explain!" Mystic Hemeron said standing up again, squirting some water in his mouth to clear his throat, "Now then, the ceremony that Princess Ruto will be participating in is to enhance her magical abilities over water and light. It's something that all the females in her bloodline can potentially perform, it's one of the reasons why her family are the royals of our people!"

"Mystic Hemeron is the one who taught me the basic water techniques I know over the past years, it was to help prepare myself for this rite." Ruto explained.

"As for today, the rite involves Princess Ruto bathing in the sacred waters formed within that pool over there." Hemeron said, gesturing to the large pool at the end of the shrine.

"I see, and that will grant Ruto her abilities?" Nabooru asked.

"Yes, it's a tradition that dates back to the time of our earliest ancestors, founded by the Ancient Sage of Water." Hemeron said, "Me and my mystics will perform a prayer to the goddess Lophela to infuse Princess Ruto with a portion of her great power, making her into the lovely new Zora Queeeen!"

"Amazing, it's one thing for us Gerudo mystics to receive messages from our desert goddess, but to be blessed with a portion of her power sounds amazing." Korume gasped.

"So how does Ruto getting a new chef during that competition come into this then?" Link asked

Hemeron frowned a little, "Well that's where it gets a bit unusual, you see when the princess is given the power from the water goddess, it can be difficult for them to properly contain it from within. The power she gets from the rite requires a great amount of energy, and it has a significant effect on the princesses' metabolism and appetite. In order to sustain her power, she needs a large amount of specifically prepared food to fuel her body until her power is fully stabilized."

"Wow, that sounds kind of... difficult." Nabooru said.

"And that's what the winner of the competition is going to be for then? To prepare Ruto's new diet?" Link asked.

"That's correct sweetie!" Hemeron said clapping his hands together.

"Don't call me that." Link said narrowing his eyes.

"Heh, so that's what it's all about then?" Kesuta asked Ruto with a smug look, "You're going to get as big as your daddy then?"

Kesuta was hoping to get another flustered look on the zora princess' face, but instead she saw the pained, distant look on the zora princess instead. She didn't look angry at all, but rather was looking uneasy at Link without him noticing. Kesuta frowned a bit, but before she could say anything, she felt a murderous aura, and turned to see Zopem glaring down at her darkly.

"You just don't learn your lesson, do you maiden?" Zopem muttered, cracking his knuckles.

"EEP!" Kesuta squeaked out, hiding behind Nemisa.

"Hm, I think I see now why you're so insecure about your weight Ruto." Korume said sympathetically.

"..." Ruto didn't say a word in response, but Link went ahead and put an hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her.

"It's okay, it's not like what you think!" Hemeron said, "In order to contain her power, she must bathe in that pool with water purified with one of our people's greatest treasures, the Smooth Pearl. It releases magical water from that fountain there, and pours into the pool Ruto will be in, and will help stabilize her form!"

"So that's how it works? Interesting." Korume said, "And the diet she'll be put on will help in that as well?"

"Preciiiously!" nodded Mystic Hemeron, "Now Ruto, if you please, go along with the mystics so they can get you ready for the rite!"

"O-Okay..." Ruto nodded, "Zopem, can you please lend your aide to me during the preparations?"

"But of course my princess." Zopem nodded, following after the princess and the mystics.

When they had all left, Mystic Hemeron clapped his hands together again and smiled.

"Now while she's off doing that, anything I can help you folks wiiith?" he asked.

"There is something actually." Nabooru stepped up, taking a moment to look at the mural of Queen Louruta, "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly was it that happened to Ruto's mother? I've heard rumors on the grape vine that she was assassinated, but I haven't been able to get Ruto to tell us anything."

Everyone's eyes widened at this news, especially Link and Kesuta. Ruto had mentioned before to Link that her mother died long before the two of them met, but he had no idea that she was murdered.

He turned to see the giddy and flamboyant zora looking quite somber and serious all of a sudden as he spoke, "Well, that's correct. Our Queen was killed, back when sweet little Ruto was only eight..."

"That was about two years before I met her." Link said, rather alarmed by this news.

Hemeron explained, "One day, our people were approached by a religious group from a faraway land who wanted the late queen's assistance in their goals. Apparently they had gained knowledge of how the Zora Queen is infused with the power of the goddess Lophela and they wanted to learn more about the process. Of course, since the rite is sacred, we would never disclose it to people we didn't trust."

"Just... who were these people...?" Nabooru asked raising an eyebrow.

"They called themselves... The Order of Reyahm." Mystic Hemeron said, looking downwards and narrowing his eyes.

"Reyahm? Where have I heard that name before...?" Korume muttered in thought.

Link's eyes widened, "Ah, that's the group the rebel Nilonu taught us about back when me and Saria were trapped in that schoolhouse! The ones the prince of Fargent defeated!"

Hemeron nodded, "Good thing he did too. That group believed the gods of our world are unfit for their positions, and their goal was to destroy them and replace them with new gods and goddesses."

"That's insane!" Nemisa gasped, "And they tried to get Ruto's mother involved in this?"

"Yes, they wanted Queen Louruta to replace the water goddess Lophela since she had mastered the power she obtained. The queen naturally refused, but that didn't stop the Order from attacking our people to get the secret of our rite. We placed Queen Louruta, King Zora and Ruto under protection by our most elite knights and went into battle. While we were able to drive them back; in all the dreadful chaos, the queen was fatally injured by a surprise attack that had poisoned her." Hemeron sighed.

"That's awful..." Aviel said sadly.

"Normally we Zora are pretty resistant to poisons, but this particular one was enough that not even our great queen could withstand it, even with her divine power..." Hemeron said sadly.

"It's okay, we'll take it from here Hemeron," spoke up a familiar voice, as everyone turned to see Ruto and Zopem standing there.

Princess Ruto was now done up in a beautiful loose purple and white silk robe, with sashes hanging off her wrists, and jewelry around her forehead and neck. Link's jaw practically dropped to the ground at the sight of his future zora wife.

"Wow Ruto..." Aviel smiled widely and her eyes sparkled, "You look so pretty in that gown!"

"Ohohohoho! But of course I do! I look great in just about anything, don't I?" Ruto laughed out.

"Ah... princess, forgive me for stepping out of liiine!" Hemeron spoke frantically.

"It's fine Hemeron, they're my family, and they deserve to know what happened as well." Ruto nodded.

"I was just a teenager back when it happened, but that tragedy affected us all greatly, especially Sir Titas." Zopem said.

"Sir Titas? Who's that?" Link asked.

"He was the captain of the royal guard at the time. He had been put on guard duty for the royal zora family during the battle against the Order of Reyahm, but they still managed to get in a sneak attack. Titas was so devastated by his failure to protect the queen that he left our kingdom out of disgrace." the zora bodyguard sighed sadly, "I looked up to that man; he was the one who inspired me to become a soldier before I ended up becoming Princess Ruto's bodyguard."

"I barely even remember all the details of that myself, I was just too scared." Ruto spoke sadly, "Nothing could be done for Mother, and when she was on her death bed, she gave me her treasure, the Zora's Sapphire, and asked me to give it to a great man that I would choose to marry." she took a look at Link and smiled warmly, "A man who was both courageous and kind, and someone who would protect me no matter what."

Link blushed lightly, now having more of an understanding behind how devoted she was to him, and how much of a fool he was to treat her the way he did before. Back when he was younger he was always weirded out by Ruto's flirtiness towards him, as she was a half-fish creature and he was a Hylian, and a relationship between them could never work out, but during his time traveling and being with the Gerudo, his eyes opened up much more to the world, and when they reunited back at Lake Hylia, he found himself falling for his old friend after all.

"Thank you for telling us all of this." Nabooru said bowing, "I know it must be hard to reminisce on a past like that."

"Not a problem, Nabooru." Ruto smiled, "It actually feels good to get that off my chest to you all."

"Heh... yes..." Nabooru nodded, seeming to be lost in thought herself.

"Well then, it's time to cheer up now, and move on to the next part of the rite!" spoke up a new unfamiliar voice. Everyone turned to see where Mystic Hemeron was a second ago, but instead there was a zora who was very different. While resembling Hemeron in many ways, this zora had a slightly more daintier figure, with large breasts and hips, and full lips. She also wore the exact same robe that Hemeron was wearing.

"Huh, who is this?" Link asked, looking around, "Where did Mystic Hemeron go...?"

"Oh sweetie, you're that worried about little ol' meee?" the zora asked in amusement.

"...WHAT?" everyone aside from Ruto and Zopem shouted.

"Wait a minute, what's going on here? Who are you?" Nabooru asked.

"Hee hee, I'm Mystic Hemeron of course!" the woman said doing a curtsy, "This is just my other self!"

"Huh?! What the hell are you talking about?" Link exclaimed.

"Allow me to explain." sighed Ruto, "Mystic Hemeron is a subspecies of zora known as a striped clown zora. Clown fish have a natural ability to adjust their gender and reproductive traits to suit their population. Hemeron just tends to randomly change back and forth."

"That's so weird." Aviel said. She looked back over to Zopem who was burying his face in his hands, looking incredibly traumatized.

"It's part of what makes me, meee!" giggled Hemeron, now hugging Link around his arm, making sure his arm was squeezed behind her breasts.

"I don't care if you're a man or woman, I'll crush you again if you don't let go of him!" Nemisa shouted clenching her fist, making Hemeron back up from Link.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" Hemeron said frantically.

Zopem at that moment couldn't help but have an admiration for Nemisa being so defensive of her husband.

* * *

Hemeron and the mystics had final preparations to make before the rite, so they made everyone leave until it would officially start. While the others went to go do some shopping and get some food, Link just decided to hang out outside the shrine to await for the mystics to allow them back in. He looked out at the beach to the zora tourists enjoying themselves, then out to the tranquil waters of the ocean, and he took a sigh of bliss, thinking about the day he and Ruto would soon marry... that is of course if he could earn the proper respect of King Zora...

After some time though, he heard a voice speak out to him.

"Oh good, you're still here Link... listen, can we talk...?" spoke up Ruto, still clad in her rite robes, walking up to her husband-to-be.

"Is it okay for you to be out here?" Link asked.

"It's fine, I just wanted to chat a little before we start the rite." Ruto said.

"Okay, I have to admit I'm glad to know where you got that power of yours now. Remember back when we were involved in that one incident along with Darunia?" Link said, "You were really a big help."

"Ohohohohoh, of course! I'll never forget that!" Ruto laughed, "I was so happy to see you again, we met so many great friends during all that, and I got to go all-out with my abilities!"

"Heh, yeah." Link grinned, "Darunia said something similar when I met with him a few months back."

"What about that power you held?" Ruto then asked with concern, "Were you ever able to find out what happened to it...?"

"No, I didn't." Link frowned, "At least I don't think so..."

"I see..." Ruto sighed.

"Something else on your mind?" Link asked.

"Well... I suppose it's about that whole thing with me becoming the future queen..." Ruto said, "Back when I was growing up I was rather lonely. Mother wasn't really able to make much time for me, as she was busy with her work as the Zora Queen, namely working on forging a proper alliance with the king of Hyrule. I tried to make friends with the zora children, but they always kept their distance because of my status as the princess."

"Huh, I never knew that..." Link said.

"One day I wandered out to Lord Jabu Jabu's lake, just when he was eating a fish snack, and I was sucked into his mouth. It was scary at first, but during the time I was in there I took a liking to it, and playing in his belly gave me an outlet for my loneliness, I felt like he was the only one I could consider a true friend."

"That explains a lot about why you like doing that so much." Link realized.

"After Mother died though, I started isolating myself more and more... wondering if I had anything to look forward to in the future..." she then smiled lightly, "But then I met you Link. At first I thought you were just some annoying bratty commoner, but then you demonstrated just how brave and kind you were... And for the first time, my heart skipped a beat, and I knew you were the man I would want to marry as mother wanted me to."

Link blushed lightly at Ruto as she continued to speak to him,

"I understand Mother was straddled with a lot of responsibility as queen, and I don't blame her for not having much time for me... but that's what's bothering me more then anything. When I complete this rite and become the queen, and you and I eventually have children together... I'm wondering if I'll be able to become a proper mother for them, or if I'll have to neglect them as my own mother did to me, all of them feeling like I was as a child..."

"So that's it..." Link frowned, he had a feeling this sort of thing was bothering her for some time, as he recalled when she was distraught over trying to hold Maifeki's baby back during his birthday party months ago.

"Listen Ruto, I-" Link stated, but was cut off.

"There you are Princess!" spoke out a loud voice, turning out to be the currently female Mystic Hemeron, "I told you not to leave the shrine! Now hurry-hurry, it's time for the riiite!" she turned to Link and said, "You all can come in and watch, but don't interfere, okay sweeeetie?"

"Sorry Link, we can continue this later!" Ruto said as she was pulled in.

"Sure, okay." Link muttered. After she was taken inside, he sighed and went off to go gather everyone else.

* * *

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Zopem and the rest of their friends had all gathered into the shrine to watch Ruto's rite of passage. The zora princess stood before Mystic Hemeron, who read off a scripture from a book. Ruto took one last look at everyone, especially to Link, before she stepped into the shallow pool and knelled down in it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and started going into prayer. Hemeron and the other mystics started reciting prayers of their own while pouring sacred oils into the pool around Ruto.

"So this is the rite, interesting..." Nabooru whispered.

"Kinda looks more like she's getting a spa bath then anything." Reirousa muttered.

Link said nothing, but just stared at Ruto, dwelling on the words she spoke to him just before she was hurried inside...

Mystic Hemeron then clapped her hands together, as a bright burst of light came up from the waters of the pool and engulfed Ruto. Link and the group stood in awe as her body began to glow. The light reflected off the pool water, illuminating Ruto's body. Everyone could see new glowing spots on her body lit up, and yet despite all this going on, Ruto managed to retain her poise, still in prayer as the energy flowed around her.

"It's so pretty...!" Aviel gasped out.

"Wow, this power I'm feeling is so strong." Kesuta said with wide eyes.

Link just gazed at his wife-to-be, the light shining on her brought out her beauty even more then normal. For just a moment it sort of reminded him of a certain time in the dark future when he saw Ruto in a fountain room... but rather then the strange uneasy sense of sadness he felt back then, he felt nothing but uplifted now, as she would soon return to his arms as the enw queen, and he would become her husband...

But that was when a loud sound went off outside the shrine, and the group could hear screaming and yelling.

"What was that?" Nabooru asked.

Ruto seemed to flinch for a second at the sound of the explosion, but continued to concentrate.

"Mystic Hemeron, we have bad news!" shouted a Zora guard running up to the shrine, "The coast is being attacked by pirates!"

"Pirates?" Link exclaimed.

"Wha- pirates?! Here and now?" Hemeron panicked, "This is no good! No good! The rite is nowhere near complete, and we can't just cancel it right nooow!"

The group all ran out to go confirm the guard's report. Sure enough, they saw a large wooden ship in the distance, and it was firing cannonballs that exploded as soon as they hit the shore. The tourists were running around wildly in terror of the explosive attacks.

"What the hell, an actual prate attack here?" Nemisa exclaimed.

One zora was fleeing an explosion, before he tripped to the ground face-first. He got himself up a bit, only to see a large figure standing before him. It was some sort of fish creature like the zora, but with a larger bulkier body covered in rough dark green scales. It had creepy yellow eyes, and pink-ish fins sticking out from his head. The creature grinned as he swiped at the zora with razor sharp claws, but he managed to get up and run away in time. The creature was soon accompanied by many more of his kind, all jumping out from the pirate ship and quickly swimming up to the shoreline.

"Yarrharhar! We've come fer yer wares you weak guppies!" shouted one bigger fish person, who wore a large black pointed hat and with mini-cannons strapped to his back, "Alright boys, get to pillaging, and strike down anyone who gets in yer way, in the name of our leader, show em how fish-cious you all are!"

He then thrust his shoulders back, causing two cannonballs to fire out of the mini cannons he wore, which exploding into food stand. The other strange fish creatures all cheered out and ran out to attack the tourists, while the royal zora guards went to battling the pirates to protect them.

"Just what the bahooty are those things?!" Togau asked.

"They're the Zola!" Luva shouted, "They're a subspecies of ours, only stronger, totally ruthless... and like, way uglier!" she stuck her tongue out to emphasize her option on them.

"In the past we used to try and integrate them into our society, but their barbaric nature has made them too difficult to tolerate and so we banished them from our domain. They all left and formed this sort of rogue pirate army, and have been attacking us from time to time." Zopem said angerly, "I've seen that one with the cannons on his back, he calls himself Tokir the Rimfire, and is second-in-command of these fiends."

"They like, say they work for some bodaciously powerful zola named Admiral Krehaul, a ruthless killer and plunderer!" Luva said, "Didn't think they'd try to attack us today!"

Two zora were fleeing from a big group of pirates, when one of the zola inhaled air, and spat out a powerful stream of water, impacting into a male zora and sending him crashing to the ground. Another zola pirate came up and grabbed at the arm of the lady zora, but two guards came up to fight off the pirates while the civilians escaped.

"This is awful..." Saria gasped out.

"Listen King Link, Lady Nabooru, everyone!" Ambassador Oton said hurrying up to the group along with King Zora, "Please come with us to the king's side cabana quarters. You'll be safe from harm there!"

"But what about you guys?" Aviel asked worriedly.

"And what about Ruto?" Link asked desperately.

"Don't worry about us here in the shrine, sweetie!" Hemeron said, "We'll keep the princess safe!"

"Yeah and like, don't worry about us, we can totally fight!" Luva said going into a battle poise.

"Mm-hmm, yes. You all are our honored guests, and this isn't your battle." King Zora said, "We're the ones who banished these zola, and it's our duty to deal with them!"

"Go now your Gerudo highness!" Zopem shouted to Link.

"What do you think Nabooru?" Link whispered, "I want to help everyone, but I don't want to overstep our boundaries with King Zora."

Nabooru just stared out at the zola pirates and narrowed her eyes. She saw the cannonballs rain down, and the savage nature of the pirates, attacking and stealing without mercy.

"No... we're not going to stay out of this." Nabooru said, getting the attention of King Zora, Oron, Zopem and Luva, "This is just like what we Gerudo used to do as thieves... looting and attacking the innocent... causing the people of Hyrule so much pain... Ganondorf may have been the main cause of it, but our old ways are what truly led to our banishment."

In that moment Nabooru thought about a time when she was on her hands and knees in a destroyed town, tears running down her face as she looked up to see a powerful being standing over her.

Nabooru clenched her fist, before unsheathing one of her scimitars and pointing it outward, "Everyone, ready your weapons, we're all going to fight the pirates as well!"

"But we don't want you all to get hurt Lady Nabooru!" Oton shouted frantically.

"Fear not, you're our allies now, and because of that, your enemies are ours." Nabooru said with a smile.

"That's right!" Link shouted, pulling out his Hero's Sword and Hotaig's Shield, "You heard her girls, we need to protect our friends and allies, and allow our sister Ruto to complete her rite! Everyone attack!"

"Yeah!" the others shouted out, as Aviel spread her wings and flew into battle with her crossbow, Nemisa cracked her knuckles and charged in with her fists, Saria took out her Deku Staff and ran at the zola herself, Togau brought up her fists and shouted out, transforming into her Lynel form and running at the pirates brandishing her hand ax. Reirousa pulled out her warhammer and stomped into battle, while Kesutaa and Korume got on their brooms and flew at the pirates, conjuring their respective fire whip and ice spears to attack them. Ifemi unsheathed her sword, while Sovan jumped onto her Spinner device and pulled out her chain whip.

"Please escort me to your medial facility here so that I can aide your doctors!" Sarami told Oton, replacing her sunglasses with her normal eyeglasses, "I'll well versed in zora health care!"

Oton was stunned, but then turned to some guards, "Y-You heard her, give her a hand!"

"Are... you sure about this King Link?" King Zora asked.

"Of course! Like Nabooru said, we're your allies now, and we Gerudo never turn our backs on any of our people or our friends!" Link said with determination, "Now get to safety and we'll protect all of the zora, and Ruto!"

King Zora's eyes widened, before he nodded and was escorted off by his guards to his private quarters.

With that, Link, Nabooru and the Gerudo all charged into battle against the zola pirates. Just as one zola was about to cut down a zora girl,he screamed out in pain and fell to the ground from Link slashing him across the back, while Nabooru flipped through the air and slashed through another with her twin blades.

"Wha- who the halibut are you guys?!" asked one zola.

"I'm King Link of the Gerudo," Link introduced himself, "And you're not hurting anymore of our allies!"

"Surrender now or we'll strike you down like your little friends!" Nabooru said coldly, standing alongside Link.

"Oh my cod, they cut down Gilson!" exclaimed a zola.

"That's it, ready your weapons and krill them all!" shouted another.

Link paused for a second at he strange puns the pirates said, before shaking it off and bringing up Hotaig's Shield to block off the two pirates' attacks. He then brought back his sword and pulled off a spin attack to slash away the two. A large zola came at him with a club, but Link quickly side-flipped out of the way and punched him in the side with his shield, before slashing at him with his sword.

Nabooru blocked a claw attack by one zola, forcing the pirate backwards before slicing him across the chest. Two zola attacked her from different angles, but she ducked down so they missed with their attacks, and she swung up her swords, slashing them both away.

Aviel took to the sky and fired her arrows down on the pirates. Some tried shooting water at her, but she quickly swooped out of the way, then switching to her bomb arrows and firing them at the sand around the pirates, and the explosions sent them all flying.

Sovan rode in on her Spinner, creating dust clouds in the sand, the zola were blinded by the blast of sand grains in their eyes, as she swung out her chain, wrapping around the neck of one and sending him bashing into another.

Nemisa meanwhile leaped through the air, jumping off the head of a pirate and landing down into the center of a group of the zolas. They all charged at her, one lunging at her with a spear, but she kicked the weapon away and punched the pirate in the face. One zola lunged at her with it's sharp teeth and bit down on her wrist, but the steel band she was wearing held firm, allowing her to punch the zola in the face, shattering it's teeth and knocking it over.

"Aaah!" What's a Lynel doing here of all places?!" exclaimed a panicked pirate.

"Take that ya fishie freaks!" Togau said, charging into battle in her Lynel form, thrusting her horns forward and sending a group of pirates flying. She blocked an attack by one zola, before slashing them down with her ax. Another tried shooting a water blast at her, but she shouted out a Lynel's Roar, the sound wave blasted the water away and impacted into the pirate and his allies and sending them flying.

Zopem meanwhile charged in with his battle staff, decking one pirate before jabbing another one with a thrust attack. Another bulkier one came up from the side and he blocked it's attack. The two struggled to try and overpower each other, but the zola then gagged out in pain before falling over dead, as Ifemi had just impaled him in the back with her sword.

"Nice work miss!" grinned Zopem.

"No time for flirting, we got pirates to fight!" Ifemi laughed, as the two went back into battle.

In another area, Sarami and the medical staff were tending to the injuries of the zora they had saved from the pirates in a medical tent. Sarami took a second to wipe her brow, before going back to work on her patient.

"There they are! Go for the injured ones and cut them down!" she then heard some pirates shout, and turned to see a bunch of them charging at the tent.

"Aaahh!" exclaimed a zora doctor, "The pirates are coming!"

Dr Sarami just narrowed her eyes coldly, and quickly chucked out some bottles of green chu jelly potion out at the zola, spilling out the contents onto the ground. As the zola ran over the jelly, it instantly bound their feet to the ground, leaving them all immobile by the sticky substance

"Huh? What's this?" asked a pirate, trying to pull his legs out from the goop, but it clung to them firmly.

"Fu-fu-fufufu... I'll leave them to you, sweetie." Sarami giggled darkly as she adjusted her glasses.

The zola looked at each other in confusion about what she meant, then noticed a shadow looming over them, and they looked up to see Reirousa staring down at the pirates.

"Sup?" Reirousa said, holding her warhammer.

The pirates were downright terrified of her intimidating look as Reirousa brought down her weapon and started bashing and smashing them all around.

"Back off you monsters!" Saria shouted at a zola, before bashing it away with her staff. She was protecting a small group of zora children who had been separated from their parents during the panic. The Kokiri pulled up her staff to block a sword swing by a pirate, then decking him in the face. She then shot out some vines to bind the pirate's arms and made it drop the sword. More pirates came at her, but she spun her staff to produce spiked deku nuts and bash them all away.

"T-This is a-trout-cious, we can't fight these guys!" a zola exclaimed as he helplessly watched his comrades getting pulverized.

"Yeah, even their children have powerful magic!" said another zola gesturing to Saria.

"I'm not a child!" Saria shouted at the zola in frustration as she was fending off another one.

"We got them beat in numbers, let's just ambush em!" shouted a pirate, running out to attack Saria, before he was blasted by a surge of fire, causing him to fall backwards into a smoldering heap.

"Keeheehee! That won't be happening you cowardly little fishies!" Kesuta said flying in on her broom, sending a barrage of fireballs down on the zola, making them run away. She then heard a scream and turned to see a pirate attacking two zora.

"Greheheh, now I got you!" the zola said, lumbering up a zora lady who was defending her boyfriend that had been attacked by the pirate. He brought up his claws, and swung them down at the zora woman, but that was when something stopped him in his tracks.

"Huh?" the zora lady and her boyfriend both looked up to see something blue and solid sticking out from the pirate's neck.

"Grk...!" the zola pirate gagged out, having been impaled through the neck by what turned out to be a spear made of pure ice. The Zola then fell to the ground lifelessly, surprising the young couple, but they quickly took the opportunity to escape.

"What the heck? Who did tha-" exclaimed another zola pirate, who was then suddenly killed by a spear flying right into his head. The others quickly looked up to see a blue clothed Gerudo on a broomstick holding spears like what killed their allies.

"Die you accursed bottom feeders." Korume said coldly, firing more ice spears at the Zola pirates, forcing them to all flee or get skewered.

"Sir, we're getting our basses kicked by these Gerudo women!" said a zola pirate to Tokir the Rimfire.

"We've only had experience fighting the zora, but these people are way too much!" said another, "I don't have a good eel-ing about this!"

"Grrr... damn these Gerudo wenches!" Tokir scowled, before turning to the ocean and shouting out, "Hey! We need yer help now!"

"..." the ocean water seemed to shift a bit.

"Do it or you know what will happen!" Tokir said angerly.

"...ugh, okay already! Such a bossy little man!" said a rather large feminine voice, alerting everyone.

"What was that...?" Link asked, looking out at the sea.

Everyone stopped and watched as the water shifted, and emerging out from the ocean was what appeared to be a giant pink round Octorok. It was wearing a green and white striped bandanna on her head, and it's snout had deep red lipstick on it.

"Yeah! Big Momma Octo is here!" cheered a zola.

"Gesososo!" giggled the large Octorok, "You little ones stay back, and let Big Momma handle this!"

With that, Big Momma Octo started spitting our blasts of black ink down at the Gerudo, forcing them to back off. One blast of ink managed to get on a Gerudo guard. It didn't seem to hurt her, but she found her movements were severely slowed down.

"Wha-what?" the guard exclaimed, before being knocked away by the Octo's tentacle. Saria used her Deku Staff to lasso the guard up and pull her to safety before Mama Octo could hit her again.

"The heck? I've never seen a Octorok that huge, or use attacks like that!" Link said.

"I've heard of them, that's a Big Octo. They only hang out in ocean waters, and are quite rare. Their ink supposedly can hamper it's target's ability to move their bodies." Nabooru said, "The question though is why is this one helping the zola...?"

"Either way we gotta fight her!" Togau said, scraping her hoof against the sand and charging forward.

The group charged into battle against Big Momma Octo, who brought her tentacles up into the air and started smashing them down on the beach, forcing everyone to instead scatter. One impact sent Nemisa flying, but Aviel caught her in midair and the two landed down by Link and Nabooru.

"This thing's really tough!" Aviel gasped.

"I'll make that damn thing into sushi!" Nemisa said snarling, smashing her fist into her palm, as she broke from Aviel's grip and charged back into battle against the Octo. Nemisa leaped over a tentacle swipe, before flipping and kicking Big Momma Octo across the face.

"Oh you naughty child, Momma's gonna give you a spanking!" Big Momma Octo said, as she started spinning with her tentacles out, moving so fast she started hovering in the air, before shooting right at the group, bashing into them and sending them all flying.

"Jees, she packs a wallop." Reirousa groaned, rubbing her head.

"Geeeesososo! Momma sure showed all of you!" laughed the Big Momma Octo.

"That's it, I'm gonna roast her!" Kesuta shouted, igniting her hands with fire and taking to the sky on her broom, bringing down a barrage of fireballs on their opponent.

"Yeow! Yeeoow! Hot hot hot!" Big Momma Octo screamed out, flailing around on fire. She tried to crush the group with a tentacle, but Togau leaped up and slashed it off with her hand ax, "Yeooowch! You're lucky those grow back!"

Big Momma Octo inhaled air to fire another blast of ink at the group, but Aviel flew into the air and fired off a barrage of bomb arrows down on the Octo, exploding all around her.

"Ow! Ow! Stop! I need to cool off a bit!" Big Momma Octo shouted, attempting to retreat to the ocean, only to find herself immobilized due to her back tentacles being frozen in ice, "Huh?"

"Kukuku... if it's too hot for you, how abut some ice to chill down then?" Korume giggled, having frozen Big Momma Octo's tentacles with her ice powers. This allowed Link, Nabooru and the others to charge in and fight the creature directly.

"Clam it! Ranged attackers, deal with those witches!" Tokir shouted to a group of zola who saluted and started firing a barrage of water shots at Kesuta and Korume. The two witches tried to avoid the attacks, but Kesuta was shot down by a stray blast of ink from Big Mama Octo, leaving her covered in octopus ink and found she was unable to cast her fire magic very well.

"Ugh... I knew going to the ocean was a bad idea..." Kesuta groaned.

Korume was trying to turn the water shots being fired at her into ice with her magic and repel them back, but the salt in the water being shot was making it harder for her. She then turned to see Kesuta had fallen and was immobilized, by ink. Korume tried to dive down to help her sister, but more water shots came her way, forcing her to go on the defensive.

Link and the others meanwhile were having their hands full fighting Big Momma Octo and the other pirates joining in, the former having broken free of the ice and was now back to attacking them at full force. As Link struck down another pirate, he then heard a shout and turned to see one zola pirate running at Kesuta with a large clever sword.

"Kesuta!" Link shouted, he was about to run to help her, only to be blasted by a spray of ink from Big Momma Octo, knocking him back and slowing down his movement forcing him to focus on defending himself, while the others continued to attack fiercely against both the pirates and the Octo.

"Damnit..." Kesuta groaned, too weak and slow from the ink attack to properly ignite her body, as she looked up at the zola about to hit her with his sword, she closed her eyes tightly to prepare for the attack...

...but that was when a powerful shot of water whizzed through the air and impacted into the zola, causing him to go flying into the sky and impact into the ship's mast, knocking it down into the water with him.

"What the shell?" exclaimed Tokir with wide round eyes, "Who did an attack like that?!"

Everyone stopped fighting and turned in the direction of the water shot that had been fired, it had come from someone standing over at the entrance to the Shrine of Lophela.

"Hey, it's Ruto!" Aviel said, pointing over to the zora princess.

Ruto was sure enough standing outside the shrine in a battle poise. Her body was giving off a brilliant light blue glow from the great power flowing through her, and numerous parts of her body were giving off a deeper blue glow.

"I won't allow you fiends to hurt my people, or my family!" Ruto shouted in anger.

"Ruto..." whispered Kesuta.

"It's the princess, cut her down!" the zola pirates shouted, all rushing right at her.

Ruto however waved her arms in a loop, conjuring water from the air around her, and then fired off a powerful blast forward, impacting into one zola and sending it flying. Another tried to pierce her with his spear, but she simply built up energy in her hand and fired off a burst of light from her hand.

The zola pirate fell to the ground... and the upper half of it's body fell many yards away.

"Oh... my.. goddess..." gasped Nemisa with a hand over her mouth, "Ruto's become so powerful...!"

"Yes, this energy I'm sensing from her... it's simply astonishing..." Korume said with a gasp, "It's almost as if she's truly inherited power from a goddess!"

"T-Then it's just like he warned us..." Tokir muttered to himself with sweat running down his head.

"This ain't good..." muttered a fellow pirate as they saw Ruto slowly walking toward them. Any zola that tried to attack her was quickly blasted away by her strength, winding up either severely wounded or worse, "We're getting schooled here!"

"No problem little ones, Momma will deal with her!" Big Momma Octo shouted, raising her tentacles into the air to crush Ruto, only for a stray beam of light to shoot through a loose strand of her bandanna, leaving a clean hole in it.

Big Momma Octo stood motionless at this, as a huge sweatdrop ran down her head, "O-Oh dear... oh my... I think I've grown ill all of a sudden, little Tokir..."

"Uh... yeah... m-maybe we should scaleback!" Tokir the Rimfire exclaimed, "Retreat!"

With that, Big Momma Octo and all the Zola hightailed it into the ocean, and the pirates all piling onto the ship. The giant octo then spun the ship about-face, and she started pushing it off over the horizon of the ocean quickly until they were out of sight.

"They're gone! We're saved!" exclaimed a relieved Zora.

"All thanks to Princess Ruto, as well as the Gerudo people and their king!" said another.

The people were cheering out wildly for the heroes of the day, with King Zora standing in awe at Ruto's amazing new strength, and how well Link and the Gerudo all fought to protect the people.

"Amazing..." gasped King Zora, "Those Gerudo are so strong... and they all fought to help our people..."

"You see Hauvir?" Oton chuckled, "They're our allies."

"Hm, yes..." King Zora muttered, before suddenly shouting out happily, "But did you all see that? That was my daughter who crushed those zola! I wish I had brought my Pictobox to take pictures!" he turned to one zora servant, "Go fetch us a master artist to draw Ruto in that battle poise! I want to display it in my throne room!"

"Yes, yes, Hauvir, now come on, let's get back to the cabana while your daughter continues her rite." Oton sighed, escorting the raving king back to his cabana so he could calm down.

"Whew, what a rush!" Ruto said triumphantly, looking down at her hand and clenching it, "I feel so much stronger now then ever before!"

"That was amazing Ruto!" Link said, running up to his fiance to embrace her, only to be repealed a bit backwards by her aura, "Uh, guess we can hug after your rite."

"Y-Yes..." Ruto said blushing, "Thank you Link..."

"Princess!" shouted Hemeron, now back to his male self and practically in tears as he ran up to Ruto, "You need to be careful as you are right now, you shouldn't have left the rite just yet!"

"Sorry Mystic Hemeron, but I was not about to let my people or my beloved family get hurt anymore!" Ruto said.

Kesuta ran up to see Ruto, in awe of how she looked in that moment, that she could barely get any words out, "Um, R-Ruto, I... um..." but she lost herself in her words while the others all went to congratulate the princess.

Ruto then spoke out to her servants, "Now with that done, let's get back to the rite! Prepare the Smooth Pearl so I can properly stabilize this power!"

The servants however, were all busy talking to each other worriedly, one was eventually bumped to the front by his comrades, who gulped and meekly spoke to Ruto, "Um... actually there's a... um... problem..."

"And just what is the problem, sweeeetie?" Hemeron asked.

"It's just that... um..." the servant muttered, "The... Smooth Pearl... is currently missing..."

There was silence in that moment, before everyone shouted out a collective "WHAAAT?!"

"What in Lophela's name are you talking about?!" Zopem shouted, grabbing the zora by his arms and shaking him, "What happened?!"

"It-it was during the pirate attack!" shouted the zora, "We were ambushed during the battle and they stole the pearl!"

Ruto's face was heavily paled from this news, and she put her hand to her head, shaking slightly, "N-No..."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Nabooru exclaimed.

"This is bad... really bad!" Hemeron said gulping, "If we don't get that pearl back... Ruto could... could..."

"Uuugh... Link.. I... won't..." Ruto moaned out, as the aura around faded, allowing Link to catch her and did his best to hold her up, everyone looked to see her reacting oddly; her body was shaking and she started making strange noises, "I... feel so... w... wo-up-woup... woup..."

That was when she shouted a loud "WOUP!" as her body's midsection suddenly swelled out ever-so-slightly, with a powerful glow forming within the area.

"Oh goddess Lophela no!" Hemeron exclaimed, "Without the Smooth Pearl to help her control her power, it's starting to get backed up, and making her physically swell!"

"Ruto!" Link shouted with tears in his eyes, as he saw the swelling start to increase, and it wasn't long before Link lost his grip of her and she fell back.

Zopem quickly grabbed Ruto by her arms and carried her into the rite pool. Submerged in the water, Ruto seemed to be in a blank daze. As everyone watched with concern, Ruto slowly looked over to a table displayed a platter of fish cuisine that had been prepared for later. She rose her hand up, firing a burst of water that collapsed the table and sent the food flying upwards and down to the side of the pool, where she started gobbling it up as fast as possible.

"WOUP WOUP WOUP!" Ruto shouted as she ate with no sense of manners whatsoever.

"What's going on?" Kesuta exclaimed, "What is she doing?"

"Her metabolism is being affected by her new power!" Hemeron said in a panic, "She's instinctively trying to sustain herself so she doesn't weaken and...!"

Ruto gulped down a significant portion of the food she had gathered, and it was then her body swelled up a little more, shocking everyone as she went back to eating.

"Without the Smooth Pearl, she'll keep eating, and swelling... if nothing is done then her power could... could... could..." Hemeron said sobbing.

"What? What will happen?" Nabooru shouted.

Hemeron simply spoke, "...could cause our Princess Ruto to explode."

"WHAT?" Link exclaimed, he ran over to Ruto who was still eating, "Ruto please, snap out of it!"

Ruto didn't even seem to hear him, she practically shoved Link out of the way with a burst of water and continued to eat, and every so often her body would swell up just a little more.

"No... Ruto..." Kesuta gasped.

"Damnit, we have to get the pearl back then!" Nabooru shouted, grabbing the zora servant who gave them the bad news, "Where's the pirate's hideout?!"

"I-It's just beyond the beach, out in the old marine base!" the zora said in panic.

"Marine base...?" Nabooru asked.

"Long ago, the royal army of Hyrule had a navel army base far out in the ocean to handle wars overseas. It was abandoned by the Hylians centuries ago, but the Zola pirates have apparently taken it over." Oton said shuffling in a hurry into the shrine.

"Can't your men handle this by simply swimming there?" Nemisa asked.

"We've tried to launch sneak attacks on the base in the past, but the waters around there are filled with Jelectrics; dangerous sea creatures that release powerful electric shocks that are too much for our people!" Oton said. He looked over to Ruto who swelled up a little more, "Oooh.. we can't let King Zora find out about this or he'll go into shock!"

"Well we gotta do something, we have to hurry and help Ruto!" said Aviel in tears.

"Don't worry, we're going to go after those damn pirates and get the Smooth Pearl back!" Link said, then looking to Oton, "Do you have a boat we can use?"

"A boat? Well yes, it would work for getting past the Jelectrics, but we're nowhere near the strength needed to launch a direct attack on the base in the short time we have!" Oton said.

"Then we'll handle it!" Nabooru said, wielding her scimitars, "Gerudo, prepare to sail off and battle against the fiends who did this to our beloved sister!"

The girls all shouted out together with their weapons drawn.

"I'll stay here and see what I can do for Princess Ruto!" Sarami said, running over to Ruto and going through her chu jelly potions to figure out a potential way to help her. She tried applying some cooling gel to Ruto's body as she was too distracting eating.

"I'll do what I can to help Sarami, I'll contact you using my song if anything comes up!" Saria said with her ocarina out.

"As a fellow mystic myself, I'll lead my assistance to whatever you need!" Koume said to Hemeron.

"Get me some of that food that was being made for the competition!" Sovan said to Oton, whipping out her spatula and knife, "I'll cook Ruto up a five-star feast to sustain her!"

"Good, we'll all head out then!" Nabooru said alongside Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Ifemi, and a few guards, as they along with Zopem all hurried out to where the boat was as Oton instructed.

Kesuta meanwhile, took a worried look at Ruto, and the pain in her eyes as she was suppressing the power inside her, constantly feeding her face, and swelling more and more, the beautiful robe she had been wearing was straining itself, and starting to tear apart.

The mystic looked downcast, thinking back to all the times she would get into petty squabbles with Ruto in the past, namely making fun of her weight...

"_Oh is that so, you'll be taste testing all the food they prepare? Just don't go too far with the judging or they might have to let out your queen's robes!"_

Kesuta grimaced at her own words, then looked back to see Link and Nabooru rushing off to the boat, before she nodded to herself and took off following after them, "Hey, wait up everyone!"

"Where's Kesuta going?" Saria asked seeing her running off.

Korume turned and looked to see Kesuta, she stared for a second and nodded, before going back to trying to cool down Ruto's body along with Sarami using her ice magic.

"...she's going to help save our dear Sister Ruto."

* * *

_**See? Told you.**_

_**Now our heroes are off to the pirates island to reclaim the Smooth Pearl and save Ruto! The question is, what will await them at that cutthroat island, and what will they have to do to save the zora princess...? Find out in Chapter 67 next week!**_

_**In case you're curious, the whole concept of Ruto's situation is loosely inspired by the zora queen's situation from Link Between Worlds. I also know in that game the green creatures are refered to as Zora, but I gave them the name 'Zola' to seperate them from the sleek blue ones in Ocarina of Time, and as a reference to their mistranslated name from LoZ1.**_

_**Thank you everyone for your continued support and comments! Feel free to leave likes, follows and comments at your leisure!**_


	67. The Jolly Swabbies

**_Hello folks, time for the next part in the Zora Coast arc. With Ruto's life on the line, our heroes travel to a pirate hideout to retrieve the Smooth Pearl, but what else do they find there...?_**

* * *

"We should be approaching the marine base soon." Zopem said, "It's on an isolated island not far from here."

Zopem along with Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Reirousa, Kesuta, Ifemi and some extra Gerudo soldiers, were sailing onboard a royal zora ship across the ocean. They were on their way to the marine base where a gang of zola pirates lived. Having stolen a valuable treasure of the Zora people called the Smooth Pearl, which was needed to help Ruto control her power that she obtained during her rite of passage.

Since the pearl was stolen in the middle of the rite, Ruto was in incredible danger, as without it to stabilize her power, she was starting to swell up, and could potentially lose her life from her backed up energy if they didn't get the pearl back in time.

Link stood at the front of the ship, his arms folded as he was glaring out into the open sea, with Ruto's fate weighing heavily on his mind. His thoughts drifted to that time once again in the dark future, where he saw the sad look in Ruto's eyes before they parted ways...

"Ruto please, hang in there..." whispered Link.

"You okay Link?" Nabooru asked, walking up him. Link turned to see Nabooru was still in her bikini, though now she was wearing a black tri-corner hat on her head, and a belt with a skull design on the front, as well as a pair of black boots.

"Y-Yeah, but where you did find those?" Link asked referring to her new clothes.

"Down in the lower deck of the ship. Zopem said they took them from some pirates a while back." she grinned playfully and adjusted her hat. She couldn't help but notice he was blushing a little at how she looked. "Heh, so do you like this on me?"

"It's... uh, nice." Link said looking away, "It actually reminds me of some Gerudo I met back in Termina that were pirates."

"Oh interesting!" Nabooru said in surprise, "Perhaps when this is over you could tell me more about it, and maybe after that you'd be interested to score some pirate booty...?" she spoke suggestively.

"..." Link paused and let out a sigh, looking back out to the sea.

Nabooru saw the look of pain in his eyes and sported a serious expression, "Don't worry, we'll take down those bastards and save Ruto."

"Thanks Nabooru..." Link spoke.

"Hey Ms. Aviel, do you see anything yet?" Zopem shouted out to the bird girl, who was appropriately in the crow's nest of the ship.

"Not yet!" Aviel shouted, using her goggles to scope out the waters ahead of them. She, along with the other girls was still clad in her swimsuits from the beach as well.

"Ugh... is it too late to turn back? I think I'm about to lose my lunch..." Reirousa asked, the muscular Gerudo was clinging to the mast pole of the ship with a queasy look on her face, as she suffered from motion sickness easily.

"Get over it Reirousa, we're not about to let down Ruto!" Nemisa said, practicing her martial arts to prepare for the attack on the pirates.

Kesuta meanwhile was sitting on a bench, nervously fidgeting as she looked out over at the sea.

"Hey Kesuta, you holdin' up alright yerself?" Togau asked walking up to her.

"Fine! I'm fine! Totally not scared of floating on a giant body of water or anything!" Kesuta said gripping at the bench.

"If that's the case then why'd you come along?" Togau asked, "I thought you held up pretty well fighting that water monster at Lake Hylia."

"...I guess that's because of exactly why I flew out over the lake... to save our people from Morpha." Kesuta said, "Back then I wasn't even thinking about being afraid, I didn't have time with them all in danger like that..." she sighed, "But all I can do right now is float on this giant piece of wood and worry about this situation.. and Ruto..."

Togau watched as tears started to form in Kesuta's eyes while she was looking to Link.

"I was in trouble back there, and without me asking to... Ruto saved me from that zola... even after I've teased her so much about her weight before..." Kesuta trembled.

"Well that's cause you're her family Kesuta." Togau said, "Those petty little squabbles ain't nothing compared to the bond we all have together!"

"Y-Yeah..." Kesuta said smiling softly, then looking up with determination, "That's why I need to do my part in saving her!"

"Atta girl, and when this is all over you and Ruto can kiss 'n make up!" Togau grinned.

Just then the boat hit a small wave which splashed some water onto the deck near Kesuta, causing her to freak out and cling to Togau,

"B-Back off you stupid water!" shouted the fire mystic as flames started to brew up around her.

"Guys, help!" Togau said, trying to pull away from Kesuta so as not to get burned.

* * *

The day soon turned to night as the group continued to sail along, and their worries about Ruto only worsened as the time past. Link decided he needed to check in on the situation back at the coast. He pulled out his ocarina and played Saria's Song to contact her.

"Link... Link this is Saria, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear Saria, how are things over there?" Link asked while the others crowded around to hear what was going on as well.

"Well I have good news, Ruto seems to be hanging on pretty well for now" Saria said, though with clear concern still in her voice, "Sovan's been cooking up some meals that are satisfying her, and Korume is using her ice magic to help contain Ruto's power. She's still swelling a little, but it's not as bad as earlier."

"I see... that's a relief at least." Link sighed.

"Ooohh sweetie!" shouted a familiar flamboyant voice, startling everyone, "Is that you, Gerudo King? I must say it's amazing that this precious little one can use magic like thiiis! Tell Zopem I said hi!"

"You stay away from Saria." Link said annoyed.

"So what of King Zora?" Zopem asked.

"Uh, looks like Mr. Oton is doing everything he can to keep King Zora from coming to see his daughter until she's saved by you all." Saria said.

"I've convinced the king that she needs to participate in this ritual undisturbed until tomorrow morning due to the pirate attack in order to give you all more time, but I can't guarantee Ruto will make it until then!" Mystic Hemeron said desperately.

"Do not concern yourself with Ruto, my love." they heard Korume said, "I'm doing everything possible to hold her power back."

"Good luck Korume!" Kesuta said.

"You too, my sister." Korume replied.

"Okay everyone, take care!" Link said, as he and Saria cut off the signal.

"Ugh, I know this is probably the least of our problems right now, but this whole circumstance could be bad for our alliance as well if King Zora finds out." Nabooru said.

"Don't worry none Lad Nabooru, we'll get that pearl in no time!" Togau said.

"Everyone, I see something!" Aviel then shouted out, getting the group's attention, "There a big building thing off in the distance, and there's a skull painted on it!"

"That must be the base, it's built over almost the entirety of the island to prevent trespassers." Zopem said, looking into the water to see some strange sparks of electricity, as bulbous looking sea creatures with tentacles were bobbing around releasing sparks into the water, "And those are the Jelectrics I mentioned before."

"I can see why you zoras couldn't do anything to swim through here." Nabooru said, leaning forward on the ship's edge to view the creatures for herself, "You wouldn't stand any chance against those things in the sea."

"Ruto... just hang on a little longer..." Link whispered, thinking about his future wife and the pained look she bore due to her power going berserk, "We're going to save you."

"It's too dangerous for us to disembark near the base," Zopem said peering out at the island, "But our informants have told us there's a small beach area on the side of the island. We'll land there and plan our attack."

* * *

The ship eventually docked at a pier beside a secluded beach, and the group piled out of it to go investigating. Nabooru had the backup guards watch over the ship until they all got back.

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Reirousa, Kesuta, Zopem and Ifemi all walked slowly down the path beside the beach, careful to keep an eye out for any pirates that might ambush them, but the shore was quiet.

Nabooru paused and sniffed the air, "Hmm... do you all smell something?"

"You mean besides the low tide?" Nemsia asked, waving her hand in front of her nose.

"Irk.." Reirousa groaned, clutching at her stomach, "Don't bring that up..."

"Yo guys, you all see that ahead?" Ifemi asked, pointing out what appeared to be a bonfire lit up in the distance from the tropical plants beside the shore.

"Hmm..." Aviel pulled up her goggles to get a good look, "It's hard to see since it's getting dark, but it looks like there's a bunch of zola over there."

"And that noise..." Togau said, her ears picking up some sounds coming from the distance, "Sounds like... music, and singing?"

The group slowly snuck up as close as they could to the fire without making noise, and listened out to what was going on. It was sure enough a group of zola all sitting around he bonfire, one was playing a small accordion as they were all singing.

_'Oooooooh, we scrub the whole deck, they give us all heck,_

_and then we'll scrub it again!_

_Fetch 'em the tools, they call us all fools,_

_The day we get our pay, who knows exactly when!"_

"_Yo-ho-ho and a barrel of chum,_

_Rotting fruit and a thimble of rum!_

_We're treated like dung but we've sure sung,_

_A jolly shanty with our Zola tongue!"_

The group could all hear laughter when the singing was over and they peeked out from the plants to see six Zola. They were all gathered around the bonfire either keeping warm or cooking some less-then-appealing food, and eating it without hesitation.

"Blarg, it tastes like crud!" laughed one of the Zola.

"Only crud? Lucky you! I think I'm gettin' sick from mine!" said another with a big laugh.

"I didn't even know we Zola could get diseases! Ya learn somethin' new everyday!" said a third one.

"Hey all, how about another watered down pint?" the Zola with the accordion said with a big grin, setting aside his instrument and lifting up a mug. He was a tall and lean one compared to the others. He wore sunglasses and his head gill went straight up from his forehead down to the back of his neck, he also wore a red vest.

"Alright! How generous of ya Jonas!" cheered the other zolas as one known as Jonas poured some rum into their own mugs.

"They seem like a... jolly bunch." Link whispered as a sweatdrop went down his head.

"Should we fight them? We got them outnumbered." Reirousa suggested.

"Hmm..." Nabooru pondered, then sported a grin, "Maybe instead we could use them to our advantage. Zopem, Ifemi, you two go back and watch over the ship for now."

"Right Lady Nabooru!" Ifemi said saluting.

"What? Nonsense, I came here to help Princess Ruto!" Zopem shouted in as soft of a voice as possible.

"You will eventually, but we need to formulate a plan of attack." Nabooru said, "If these guys see a zora like you they'll be suspicious about us. Just trust me on this."

"...fine, but be careful, all of you." Zopem said, slowly going off on his way along with Ifemi, who tried a little too had to get close to him, but he pushed her away.

After they left, Nabooru took a moment to clear her throat and stand up from the bushes, calling out to the pirates.

"Good evening boys! How are you all?" Nabooru called out to the pirates, waving to them, as the others all looked bewildered at their leader. She gestured to all of them to stand up as well, so they hesitantly did.

"Huh?" exclaimed a zola looking to them, "A bunch of humans?!"

"They must be intruders!" said another zola, bringing up his claws, "What're ya doin' at Admiral Krehaul's base?!"

"Yeah, this is a pirates island! You better leave or we'll gut you all like... uh, fish!"

"A pirate island you say...? Well that's good news for us then! You see, we're pirates as well!" Nabooru said tipping her tri-corner hat, "The name's Captain 'Devil's Grin' Nabooru!"

"We're... pirates?" Nemisa asked sweatdropping, looking at Nabooru in disbelief

"Course reckon we are!" Togau said, catching onto Nabooru's plan quickly, she put her hands to her hips and grinned widely, "Ya can call me 'Wild Child' Togau!" she then grabbed Link and pulled him close to her, "And this here's our cabin boy-toy Link!"

"Uh... hey." Link said with a small wave.

"You can call me Aviel the Hawkeye!" Aviel said, using her name the archery club back in their town gave her.

"Fine, I'm... umm, 'Shining Jewel' Nemisa." Nemisa said, folding her arms and looking somewhat uneasy about this.

"And you can call me Kesuta the Blaze!" the mystic said, doing a graceful spin.

'How long have these girls been planning to give themselves nicknames?' Link thought to himself.

Everyone then turned to Reirousa who just stood there until she realized they were all waiting for her to say something.

"Um, sup? I'm Reirousa.. the... uh..." she scratched her cheek for a second, "...just Reirousa."

"Huh... never heard of all of you." said a skeptic zola.

"Well, that's why we're all actually looking to join up with your gang!" Nabooru said grinning, "We may not be Zolas, but we're all strong warriors and would like to join your crew! We had a pretty good reputation out in Termina, and want to make a name for ourselves here in Hyrule!"

'Ugh, suddenly I regret mentioning that to her.' Link thought, now realizing that he gave Nabooru the idea to do this.

Jonas meanwhile sat back looking at the group, stroking his chin in thought.

"What do you think Jonas?" asked one zola to the tall one, "Maybe we should alert boss Takir about this?"

"... ...nah, don't worry about it." grinned Jonas, "Nice to meet you all! Name's 'Shark Bait' Jonas! Have a seat and we'll talk!"

"Alright, thanks for your hospitality!" nodded Nabooru, taking a seat down with Link and the others around the campfire.

"You sure about this Nabooru?" Link whispered to the Gerudo leader.

"Yep, I could smell from the air that they're all a bit tipsy from their drinking." Nabooru whispered back with a grin, "They'll be a lot easier to persuade this way."

The two sides proceeded to spend the next hour or so talking among each other. Nabooru told tales of their adventures, though they seemed to be edited versions of some of the accomplishments Link and the group had made over the past year. Jonas and his gang's stories however, were mostly about things they overheard as low-ranking swabbies for Admiral Krehaul's crew.

"Jees, you guys sound like you really have some fun adventures." Jonas said, "We don't really get to do much at all, other then cleaning."

"They hardly ever pay us, if at all." said one zola shurgging.

"We just gotta eat whatever leftovers they throw us." said another, "We're pretty estranged from the rest of the crew."

"Jees, that sounds rough." Kesuta frowned.

"You're treated as outcasts from your own people...?" Aviel asked sadly, thinking about the rebellion they were fighting against, "I guess we can kinda understand what that's like..."

"Guess we see eye-to-fisheye then." grinned Jonas, "Nothing to worry about though, we just laugh and sing it off!"

"Hahaha, yeah! We just smile and laugh to bury away bad thoughts like that!" laughed a zola, and the other fish people laughed as well.

"I dunno about that." Togau said somewhat distantly, confusing Jonas and the other zola, "Nothin' wrong with perkin' yerself up when yer down, but ya shouldn't have ta force yerselves." as she thought about the pain she had to go through back when she was turned into a Lynel, and what Link had told her.

Link smiled slightly and put his arm around Togau's shoulder, holding her close.

"..." Jonas just paused on that note.

"H-Hey comon, how about another shanty Jonas?" a zola asked to try and relieve the awkwardness.

"... yeah, ya know what? Sounds good!" Jonas snapped out of it and grinned, pulling out his accordion, "Wanna sing with us girls?"

Togau grinned a little and nodded, "Reckon course!" she puled out her fiddle, "Hey Link, let em hear your ocarina while yer at it!"

"Alright then!" Link nodded, putting his ocarina up to his mouth, "Why don't you dance for us too Nemisa?"

"Wha-?" Nemisa stammered, "Here and now?"

"Yeah! Let's see ya dance girly!" said a zola.

"Go for it, Shilling Fool!" Aviel cheered out to Nemisa.

"I said my nickname is Shining Jewel!" Nemisa shouted to her partner. She then sighed out and stood up, "Fine then, if it'll get this over with..."

The group then all proceeded to start singing a new pirate shanty song, sung by Jonas and the zola. Link accompanied the accordion with his ocarina while Togau played her fiddle. The others all joined in as the music played.

"_Adventures on the sea, is where we wanna be,_

_Instead we're the lower deck, cleaning the latrine!_

_Spending all our time, scrubbin' all the grime,_

_Then drinkin' it all down with a small squirt of lime!"_

Nemisa meanwhile got herself caught up in the beat and started dancing. She swayed her hips a bit before starting a more rhythmic toe tapping, doing some quick spins and moving her legs up and down rapidly.

"_Yo-hoo-hoo we're all sailin' the seas of blue,_

_Singing a dumb shanty under the captain's left shoe!_

_Will we score some cash or made to eat seven day old hash,_

_We don't know but ya can sign with us too!"_

Eventually the music came to an end, and everyone laughed out together.

"Yayayah! That was fun!" laughed Jonas, who looked to Link and Togau, "And you two play great music, you guys are alright!"

"I ain't into humans, but ye be a fine dancing wench, Ms. Shining Jewel!" a zola said to Nemisa.

"Ah.. um... thank you." Nemisa said, surprised at how pleasant the zola turned to be as she sat back down.

"I wish we could hand out some grub to you, but most of it is rotten to the core." said a zola.

"Uh that's cool, thanks anyway." Togau said sweatdropping, looking at one plate that had a half eaten fish thing with it's eye looking up at her. She could have sworn she saw it blink too.

"Well hello boys, you all hungry?" asked one familiar sounding burbling voice.

"Huh? Oh, it's Momma!" grinned Jonas looking out at the sea.

"M-Momma...?" Link asked sweatdropping, along with the other Gerudo.

"Uh oh." Aviel gulped.

Sure enough, emerging out from the ocean water was Big Momma Octo, the sea creature they had fought back at Zora Coast. She had some bandages over various parts of her body from her battle with Link and the others earlier.

"Oh heavens, you all look so famished!" Momma Octo said looking over Jonas and the Zola, "Well now that the others are all enjoying themselves over at the base, I thought I'd pop over here and give you some vitals! I know it's been a long time, you poor things!"

"Yayayah!" laughed Jonas, "Don't worry about it Momma, we've tough enough to handle this slop we've been given! Ya don't have to worry about us! Just get yerself back to the base before they see you're gone!"

"You sure, sweetie?" Momma Octo asked.

Jonas paused on that note, and thought about what Togau had told him a moment ago. He looked over at his crew, one of which was pulling on a piece of moldy food until it snapped and hit a zola sitting by him across the face.

"...actually, guess we could use a good bite or two." he admitted.

"I thought so!" smiled Momma Octo, pulling out a box of food from her head-wrap bandanna along with some cutlery, "I'll get to cooking for you then, dears!"

The zola all cheered out as she got to cooking them all up food. As she hacked up vegetables and meat to put on the fire, she took a glance over at Link and the others who were quickly working to sneak away.

"Oh, did you boys make some new friends since last time?" Momma Octo asked, "Good to meet you all, thanks for taking good care of Jonas an-"

That was when Momma cut herself off, now recognizing who Jonas' new friends were.

"Um..."

It was an awkward pause between Link, Nabooru, the Gerudo and Big Momma Octo. The Gerudo team were conflicted about whether to pull out their weapons or not in that moment.

"...something wrong Momma?" Jonas asked in confusion.

"Uh... nothing! Nothing at all!" Momma Octo said forcing a smile, "Would you all like to join us?" she asked Link and the group.

Nabooru nudged Link and nodded, and they all agreed. Big Momma Octo went ahead and eventually served everyone; Jonas and his gang immediately took to eating, while Link and his group cautiously took nibbles as they watched Momma Octo, who seemed just as uneasy.

"Wooow, this is delicious!" Aviel exclaimed brightly.

"Yeah I'm impressed, Sovan would love to try this for herself!" Kesuta said with wide eyes.

"Gesosososo! Glad you enjoy it!" Big Momma Octo laughed, "I have to cook for pretty much the whole crew. These boys here though are so low rank they only get the two week-old leftovers, so I like to pop by once in a while to give them what I can, though over the past months I've been so busy with work that I haven't been able to."

Link took another bite of the food he was given, it was indeed really good, but he wasn't sure of what to make of this situation. Big Momma Octo caused them a great deal of trouble back at Zora Coast, and she seemed to be associated well enough with one of the leaders, Takir the Rimfire. It made him wonder why she hadn't attacked them or said anything of who they actually were.

"Alright, now that we're full, let's get some training in boys!" Jonas said, pumping his fist up, "You guys want to come?" he asked Link and the others.

"Uh, no. We don't have our land legs yet, you know from being out at sea and all." Nabooru said.

"Yayayah, we knew that was like when we grew legs! Go ahead and relax then, and we'll talk about recruiting you all later!" snickered Jonas, going off with his crew-mates.

As soon as they were all long gone, Link, Nabooru and the other Gerudo immediately went into battle poses against Big Momma Octo, who also brought up her tentacles for battle.

"Hmph, how cheeky of you to invade Admiral Krehaul's island!" Momma said angerly, as a powerful aura formed around her, "I'll teach you all a lesson!"

"Hey Momma Octo, can I have seconds?" Aviel then asked, lifting up her plate.

"Oh, of course honey!" Momma Octo's face suddenly lit up and smiled gleefully as she served the bird girl, causing Link and everyone else to promptly fault over.

* * *

As Aviel happily ate the food Momma Octo prepared for her, the group decided to take the temporary truce to speak to her.

"So... uh... Big Momma Octo is it?" Nabooru spoke up, "I was wondering if you'd be willing to tell us why you're working with the zola pirates."

"Yeah, ya seem like a pleasant giant monster octopus." Togau said, "What're ya gettin' outta all this?"

"Um..." Momma Octo muttered, "W-Why do I need a reason? They're my boys, and I take care of them! You saw how Jonas and his gang needed their vitals, and I'm happy to serve em! Simple as that! Gesosososo!" she added a laugh.

"..." Kesuta just looked up at Big Momma Octo and frowned, "Honestly, that's a load of crap, lady."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY YOU LTITLE BRAT?!" Big Momma Octo shouted, towering over Kesuta.

"Shhhh! Watch your mouth Kesuta!" Nemisa shouted, "She could alert the guards!"

"I don't believe what you're saying is true." Kesuta said to Momma Octo, normally she'd be intimidated by the likes of someone like Zopem or the giant octo, but she held her ground, "Believe me, I know what it's like to act like this... to protect something you care about."

"H-Huh?" Momma Octo exclaimed, shocked that Kesuta caught on to it.

"A while back, me and my sister had to do something horrible to try and save our town, I thought it was my only choice, I even went so far as to try and force myself to hate my sister to do it..."

Kesuta grimaced as he thought back when she and Korume attempted to battle each other to the death at the Spirit Temple. When she had delivered the final blow and was about to finish off Korume.

"It was that day though, that I learned how precious life is... that my life, as well as Korume's mattered..." Kesuta said, now smiling warmly as she put her hands to her chest, "...and my husband taught me the value of depending on people to help you in your time of need..."

She recalled when Link barraged through her flame wall to protect Korume, then Nabooru, Aviel and Nemisa all protecting her, then when Kesuta tried to take her own life Link stopped her from doing it and embraced her...

"I-Is that so..." Big Momma Octo said, "W-Well you don't know me! Maybe I just like doing this!"

"Listen, please." Link then spoke up with a serious expression, "Princess Ruto is suffering right now, that pearl that the pirates stole during our battle at the coast is essential to her... we need to get it to save her life..."

A the group were speaking to Momma Octo, some shadowy figures came up, and stopped in their tracks as they overheard the conversation.

"What...? Well what do you care about her anyway?" Momma Octo asked, putting her tentacles on her sides, "It's not like she's one of your pretty human friends here! Who are you anyway?"

"I'm Link, the king of the Gerudo, and Princess Ruto is my future wife." Link simply said, "And we plan to ally together with the Zoras to help our tribes."

"W-What?" Momma Octo paused for a second in surprise, before she burst out laughing, "Gesososo! So that's what it's all about? You're going to marry her for royal matters then, for an alliance with the zoras? I feel sorry for her to be used like that!"

"Hey, you watch yer mouth you giant-" Reirousa was cut off by Link raising his hand.

"No, Ruto was my beloved friend since we were children, back when she gave me her mother's heirloom... to give to the man she chose as her husband." Link explained, "Back then I was a stupid little kid who didn't understand what she meant, though she was so serious about it herself..."

He thought back to the day she gave him the sapphire, then the day he met her again in the dark future as she told him about their upcoming marriage, then when he encountered her in a fountain room and the sad words she spoke... then when he returned to the past and how uplifted he felt when he saw her again.

Then the day came when they met at Lake Hylia and he accepted her marriage proposal, and all happy times the two of them had spent since then...

Link squeezed his knees as tears were starting to form, surprising Big Momma Octo, "I don't care whether the alliance works out or not, either way I intend to marry Ruto, and have children with her that I'll love for the rest of my life... just like I love her."

Big Momma Octo's eyes widened at Link's words, especially the tears she saw falling from his face.

"Ruto isn't just his future wife either," Kesuta said, "She's our beloved sister, and we won't urn our backs on her. Please, if you're suffering as well, tell us what your situation is, and maybe we can help each other."

"..." Big Momma Octo paused, standing there at a loss for words. Her tentacles fidgeted, she knew she should be attacking this group, or at least reporting them to the pirates, but she looked at the stare in both Link and Kesuta's eyes and thought to herself.

"...it's... my son..." Big Momma Octo muttered, "He was taken away from me by that horrible Admiral Krehaul... he told me if I didn't do everything he said, he would kill my little boy and make him into his next meal..."

"I see, so you've been blackmailed this whole time." Nabooru said narrowing her eyes.

"You gotta be kiddin' me..." Togau said in surprise, "What a creep!"

"Well that's all I needed to hear." Reirousa said, standing up, "We're gonna go bust into that base, kick their asses, and get back your kid and Ruto's pearl!"

"What?!" exclaimed Big Momma Octo, "You're out numbered, and the zola are too strong!"

"Heh, after what you saw back at Zora Coast, you don't think we can handle those giant sardines? We got this covered." grinned Nabooru.

"Yeah, just leave this to us." Link nodded.

"Y-You can't be serious..." Momma Octo started to sob.

"Alright everyone, it's time to head out and take on the pirates!" Nabooru said, but then turned towards the bushes nearby, "Speaking of which, you all can come out now."

That was when the bushes shifted, and out came Jonas and his gang.

"Yahaha! Guess the catfish is out of the bag!" laughed Jonas, "Well boys, we're all beat from the training right? Guess we gotta battle em now as well!"

"Hahaha, yeah! We're exhausted!" laughed one of Jonas' friends.

"We'll all probably drop dead in seconds!" laughed another.

"So just what do you intend to do, fight us?" Nabooru asked raising an eyebrow, "We have you outmatched in strength and numbers."

"Momma Octo, can you help us?" one of the zola asked.

"Well... I... I'm sorry, but can't take part in this!" Big Momma Octo said defensively.

"Oh come on, we don't really want to fight you guys! You seem like good zolas!" Aviel said, genuinely worried for them.

"You call us good? After all the crap our crew did to you?" Jonas asked, rubbing the back of his head "Ugh, to think you guys weren't pirates, but royalty working with the zoras... Man, this sucks."

"We're sorry about deceiving you, but we needed to be discreet to attack the base." Nabooru said.

"Yeah? Well if you wanna pass and stay that way, you'll have to get through us first." Jonas said, readying his zola claws.

"Wait," Link said stepping up, "How much of what we said to Momma Octo did you hear just now?"

"Almost all of it really." Jonas said, "I gotta say, I was surprised those rumors about a Hylian marrying the zora princess was true... and that you care about her that much..."

"If that's the case, then you understand we don't want to fight you. We just want to get back the pearl and save Momma Octo's son." Link said, "Just step aside and let us through."

"Sorry, but we can't..." Jonas said, "Even if we're all doomed to lose and die here, this life is all we got, and even if our crew treats us like trash, they're all we have. The zora will never allow us to be a part of their society either... You either need to kill us or we'll stop your rescue mission!"

"Boys..." Big Momma Octo whispered.

Jonas then lunged at Link and swiped his claws, forcing Link to step backwards and avoid the attack.

"Hey, don't do this!" Link shouted, only to be attacked again, forcing him to swing his sword to deflect another attack.

"What should we do...?" Aviel asked sadly with her crossbow out.

"...Sister Ruto's life is in danger... and we enevr turn our backs on our sisters, so we're going to fight." Nabooru said, "Gerudo, to arms!"

"Yayayayah! Time for us all to die then!" the rookie pirate zola 'Shark Bait' Jonas laughed out loud, along with his crew, as they all went into battle against Link and the Gerudo.

Momma Octo could do nothing but watch in worry for both sides.

As the battle broke out, a new mysterious figure was watching them all with a single eerie eye, before it turned and scurried off on all four of it's limbs.

* * *

In the head commander's room of the marine base, a shadowy figure was sitting at a chair. Since it had been so long since the original Hylian marine commander was there, the chair was in a satte of disrepair like the rest of the room. The floor itself was made of pure iron and a single long carpet stretched out from the door towards the desk. Littered through the room was various treasures and rupees from various corners of the world, and hanging over the room was a large fancy chandelier.

The figure took a long drag of a cigar in their mouth before blowing smoke out. It was then the door opened, and a short four-limbed creature with one red eye known as a Tektite scuttled in. It's eye gave off an eerie glow as it hissed a bit.

"Greetings Lampent, is something the matter?" the figure asked the Tektite.

"Admiral Krehaul... cod I possibly borrow your attention for a little betta?" muttered the Tektite named Lampent in a creepy high-pitched voice, "We have intruders outside the base. They appear to be a Zora and a group of Gerudo, as well as what looks like a Hylian mercenary with them. They're current-ly battling a small group of our swabbies, but they probably got no chance against those intruders."

"I see... how interesting." chuckled the shadowy figure, now known as the zola pirate leader Admiral Krehaul. He reached out, taking a flower from a vase on his desk with a gauntlet he wore and smelt the small plant lightly. The gauntlet he wore was metal, with spikes lining the backs of it and the knuckles. The fingertips had razor sharp metal claws at the end, and lining the entirety of the gauntlet was very tiny little holes.

"Somehow I have a feeling they're after this right here." Krehaul said, gesturing down at a beautiful round pearl on a small pillow on the desk, it had wavy colors of blue and purple on it, and it gave off a luminescent shine. This was the Smooth Pearl, the sacred treasure of the zora people, and was necessary to help Ruto maintain her power.

"Have our guards greet them at the side entrance. Tonight the Jelectrics will have a fine meal." spoke Admiral Krehaul.

"Shiii-hahaha, sounds brill-iant boss, I'll give the lot of them the o-fish-al word!" the zola said, scurrying off on all fours.

As Lampent skittered out of the room, Krehaul chuckled a little more. The pirate leader then reached out and took a picture that was on his desk, gazing at it. As he did, he dropped the flower out of his other hand, as strange purple spots seemed to form on it.

Before the flower could even hit the floor, it had been reduced to a pile of purple goo that splattered on the ground.

* * *

A group of zola guards stood at the back entrance to the marine base, all standing around bored of patrol work.

"Man, guarding this plaice is so boring!" a zola complained.

"No kidding, when I became a pirate I was hoping they'd be moray plundering." muttered one zola.

"Mind if we relieve some of that boredom then, boys?" spoke up a voice, as the zola saw Link, Nabooru and the others all before them, and they were all ready for battle.

"Intruders? Take them down!" shouted a zola, as they all charged forward with their weapons.

One came at Nabooru but she blocked them off with her scimitars, before flipping over him and slashing the zola across the back. Link fired off his Longshot at a wooden club one zola was carrying, and swung it in circles to knock out him and his allies. Kesuta brought out her flame whip and started swing it around, lashing and blasting the pirates with her flames. Zopem swung out his spear and decked a few pirates before jabbing a fourth one to skewer him. Togau threw out her ax, smacking one before it returned and hit another on the way back. Reirousa meanwhile simply swung hr hammer down and smashed it down, sending the rest flying.

With the zola all taken down, Togau snatched up the door keys from the head guard.

"Alright, let's get in there and find us Ruto's pearl and Momma Octo's kid!" Togau said, unlocking the door.

"Uh, hey Link, Lady Nabooru...? Somethin's been botherin' me.." Reirousa brought up, "Are... you sure what we did back there with that Jonas zola guy and his men was right...?"

Link and the group just paused for a second, before Nabooru spoke up, "Let's go everyone, we have a mission to complete."

Everyone just silently nodded and ran inside the marine base.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the beach, Big Momma Octo threw some plant debris onto the bonfire to keep it going. She let out a heavy sigh as she looked down.

"I just don't get it..." muttered the giant octopus, "Why did those Gerudo spare you all? For all they knew you boys could have reported them after you regained your energy."

"Beats me." shrugged Jonas. He and his gang were laying on the beach covered in bandages applied by Big Momma Octo, "I thought the stories that Ms/ Nabooru told us were just a pack of lies to get on our good side... but I dunno, maybe there was some truth to them..."

"You think they'll be alright?" asked one of the other zola.

"I hope so." another zola said, "Especially since they made that promise to Momma."

Momma Octo paused, looking down as she thought back to what the mystic Kesuta told her just before they all ran off for the base.

_'If your son is really is in their possession, then as long as you don't interfere, we'll promise to save him! I know it's hard to after we took down these guys, but just have faith in us!'_

"Heh, I wouldn't worry about them, they're all really tough, I think they got this!" Jonas laughed.

The giant sea creature took in what Jonas said and looked out at the base. She was worried about her child, yet for some reason when she saw the sharp look in Kesuta's eyes, she obliged with little hesitation. Could that had been trust she felt in them? It was a feeling she knew very little of during her time working with the Zola pirates, the exception being the young zolas that she was treating the injuries of at that very moment.

"Good luck, all of you..." whispered Big Momma Octo.

* * *

**_And that ends the chapter. I have to say I loved writing the little sea shanties, and it was just fun playing with the more jolly side of pirates opposed to just the swashbuckling part of it. Next time, the group take on the leaders of the zola pirates!_**

**_As always thank you all for your support, and leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure!_**


	68. A Swashbuckling Battle

_**Hello everyone, it's time for Chapter 68! After having infiltrated the marine base, it's time for Link and the group to confront the pirate masters!**_

* * *

"Holy carp, yer sayin' the guards at the side entrance have been taken out?!" shouted a zola pirate in their marine base hideout to his two scouts.

"Yeah, our crew is starting to flounder, and the intruders are on their way to the Admiral!" said one scout saluting to his superior.

"Grrr. I've haddock enough of this! Don't let any of em through!"

"Hey there boys!" called out a voice. The three zola froze up and looked over to see who it was calling out to them.

Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Reirousa, Kesuta and Zopem were all standing among a pile of unconscious zola guards all around them.

"So do you all just want to run away or do we have to do the obvious?" Nabooru asked with a smirk, tipping her tri-corner pirate hat and tapping her sword against her shoulder.

"Umm..." one of the zola muttered, "Can we have a moment to de-bait about this...?"

"I say we should just gut 'em for that pun alone!" Kesuta shouted, her hand flaring up with fire, which scared the three zola away. As they fled the confrontation, one bumped into something in their way and fell backwards.

"Hey, watch where yer goin'." said a deep menacing voice, which terrified the three zola and they all ran off in another direction. Link and the group all looked to see who it was in between them as the bosses' chambers.

It was a group of zola pirates, all much larger, buffer and tougher then the ones they fought earlier. They were all sporting malicious grins and wielding dangerous weapons.

Standing in front of them though was a shorter, hunched-over zola almost completely covered in green and brown seaweed, and holding a wooden staff covered in seashells and barnacles. He also seemed to have a bottle hung around his neck with something small and red inside of it.

"Just what are you all doing in here, blurb-blurb?" the short one demanded.

"Are you Admiral Krehaul?" Link inquired.

"Blurrb-blurbb-blub, I fish I was the admiral, but no... I'm merely the third-in-command of these pirates. I'm the brine mage 'Ijor the Trench-Dweller' ...now what's your business here?"

"We're here on behalf of King Zora and Princess Ruto for the Smooth Pearl." Link said, brandishing his sword, "Now hand it over and we'll show you all mercy!"

The zola all took a moment to look at each other, before bursting out laughing uncontrollably.

"Ha! They think they can mussel in on our turf?" said a zola pirate.

"Well they're all stuck between a rock and a hard plaice now!" snickered one pirate.

"I say we make him walk the plank-ton for challenging us!" suggested another.

"QUIT WITH THE FISH PUNS!" Nemisa shouted in annoyance.

"Enough, as the bodyguard of the royal zora family, I demand you step down and hand over the Smooth Pearl immediately!" Zopem shouted with his spear ready.

"Blurururb, you think you can take my men on?" Ijor asked, toying with the bottle around his neck. Kesuta's eyes widened as she noticed the small red thing inside the bottle, "You must be squid-ding me if you think you can win."

"Hey, that's Big Momma Octo's kid, isn't it?" Kesuta pointed out the little creature in the bottle, then ignited her fists with flames, "We'll be taking him back too!"

"Bluurb, so that octorok spilled her guts to you then? Guess we should have spilled her guts ourselves." Ijor simply smirked as he turned and shuffled away, snapping his fingers above his head, "Take them to school, boys."

With that, the zola pirates all shouted out and charged at Link and the group, but Aviel, Nemisa, Togau and Zopem all stepped out in front and blocked them off with their own weapons.

"You three go on ahead and take on the bosses!" Reirousa shouted, "We'll deal with these punks!"

"You sure?" Link asked, standing alongside Nabooru and Kesuta.

"Reckon course! Go get the pearl and save Ruto!" Togau said, blocking off a zola with her ax, before smacking him back and slicing him with it.

Link nodded as he and Nabooru darted around the back of the zolas while Kesuta used her broom to fly over their heads, and the three of them went after Ijor through the door.

* * *

Upon entering the next room, Link, Nabooru and Kesuta saw Ijor and the second in command of the pirates, Tokir the Rimfire both speaking to each other about the raid on the base.

"Blurb-urb, don't look now Rimfire, but we have company." Ijor muttered.

"Yarrharhar! So you fools actually had the carp-age to raid our base?!" laughed Tokir, thrusting his arms back as the cannons mounted on his back stuck out, "Well ya ain't gonna see Admiral Krehaul without goin' through us first!"

"Listen Link, conserve your strength for the boss, and let us handle these two." Nabooru said narrowing her eyes, gripping the handles of her swords.

"Yeah, I'm gonna roast that old fossil there if I have to!" Kesuta said glaring at Ijor with her fists flaring up.

"Gotcha." Link nodded, sitting himself down and taking a rest.

Nabooru then stepped up to Tokir and pulled her twin scimitars out, "I'm Lady Nabooru of the Gerudo, and your battle is with me, prepare yourself!"

"Yar, alright missy, but ye asked fer it!" Tokir said grinning.

Nabooru sprinted at Tokir with her swords and swung down at Tokir, who brought up his claws and deflected her swings. The Gerudo leader and the zola pirate then clashed against each other back and forth with their blades and claws respectively. Tokir swung his leg out at Nabooru, but she leaped up and kicked him across the face. Tokir then lunged forward with his arm and bashed into Nabooru, sending her backwards.

Tokir then ignited and fired off two cannonballs at Nabooru which she dodged to the side. Tokir fired off another pair of cannonballs and she quickly backflipped away, then managed to smack one toward him with her sword. Tokir was caught off guard and tripped over the ball, giving Nabooru a chance to rush forward and slash the pirate with her blades. He yelped out, but then grinned and fired a close range blast at Nabooru, sending her flying into the air.

"Gaah!" Nabooru shouted as she was launched away, but grabbed onto a pipe hanging overhead in the room.

"Are you okay Nabooru?" Link shouted, about ready to attack Tokir himself.

"I'm fine, I've had worse then that!" Nabooru called out grinning. Tokir fired off a few more rounds of cannonballs at Nabooru, who leaped off the pipes to dodge the first shots, then hopped across the next few pairs of cannonballs towards a very surprised Tokir. She brought down her sword and managed to slash off the mouth of one of Tokir's cannons.

"Wha-?!" How dare you!" Tokir shouted, swinging his fist and punching Nabooru as soon as she landed, she staggered back, but then charged forward. Tokir started firing more cannonballs from the cannon that was still intact. Nabooru flipped through the air to evade the shots being fired at her, then eyed one in particular at came right at her She brought up both her swords and charged forward, swinging them out and actually slashing the ball in half, then swinging out her blades and smacking the halves of the ball forward at Tokir. The zola tried to duck under them, but instead the two halves got stuck into the cannons.

"Hey! Damn you, wench!" Tokir shouted, he thrust his shoulders up and tried to fire the intact cannon, only for it to backfire due to being clogged up and it burst off of his shoulder instead, causing him to yelp, "Yeooow!"

Nabooru then charged at Tokir for another attack, the zola tried to give her a claw swipe, but she managed to slash him across the chest, causing him to shout out in pain. He snarled swung his claw backwards and slashed Nabooru across the side, but she managed to get in one final slash across his chest, dealing a mortal blow to the pirate. He staggered back and his features darkened as he fell to his knees.

"Yarrr... what a load... of pollocks..." Tokir the Rimfire muttered before falling to the ground lifelessly.

"Nice one Nabooru!" Link said with a grin.

"Heh, that went pretty well." Nabooru smirked, spinning her scimitars in her hands and sheathing them back in place. She then took a look around and saw both Kesuta and Ijor were missing, "Now where did those two go off to?"

"That mage managed to escape during the fight and I think Kesuta went after him." Link said, "Don't worry, she's got this. You go on and help the others fight those guards, I'll deal with the admiral."

"Alright then, good luck Link!" nodded Nabooru, running off out of the room as Link headed through the door to where the pirate leader was waiting...

* * *

During the time Nabooru was fighting Tokir, Kesuta went running to an outdoor area of the marine base that was still enclosed by the base's building structures. It appeared to be some kind of training ground for the Hylian marines back when the place was running as it was built to be.

"Grrr... I know I saw that guy going this way!" the fire mystic said looking left and right with fire in her eyes.

That was when she felt a strange chilling sensation, and she quickly leaped out of the way as a spray of water burst up from under where she had been originally standing, barely missing it.

"Blu-blurb-blurb..." laughed Ijor, emerging up from a puddle of water, peering at Kesuta from under the seaweed he wore on his head, "You're pretty quick; quick but stupid to come here, because I'll be ending your life now!"

Kesuta then heard the sound of water from behind, and turned to see the way back inside the base was now blocked off by a wall of flowing water.

'Crap, this guy really is a skilled water mage.' Kesuta thought to herself, regretting in that moment not trading places with one of the others, 'I'll have to be careful, salt water's one of me and sis' biggest weaknesses.' she ignited her hand and formed a flame whip to prepare for battle.

"Sure you don't want to just fly out of here like a little coward?" Ijor proposed pointing upwards to the sky.

"Not a chance, I'm taking back Momma Octo's kid!" she said, gesturing to the small octopus in the bottle Ijor had, remembering the promise she made, "We know you're using it to force her to work for you guys!"

"Well then just try and take it, blurb-blurb!" Ijor said, snapping his fingers as more water pools started to form around the area.

Kesuta managed to evade the first burst of water, then started dodging out of the way of the other spouts. She flipped through the air and got on her broom, dodging more of the spouts as they went off. She came at Ijor and lashed at him with her flame whip, but he brought up a stream of water to counter it. She then flew quickly to the side, formed fire in her hands, brought it up and sent a giant fireball down on Ijor. The zola was caught off guard by the attack as it impacted down on him.

Kesuta watched carefully, before a sudden shot of water flew out from the flames and knocked her to the ground. She forced herself up and saw the flames get washed away. Despite a direct attack, the mage seemed no worse for wear.

"B-But how?" Kesuta exclaimed.

"Blu-blurb-blurb, my seaweed robes are moist with ocean brine, making me practically immune to fire, blurb-blurb!" chuckled Ijor. He then snapped his fingers, and Kesuta could see another spout of water forming below her. She flipped backwards to avoid it, but managed to land down right where another one was formed. The water impacted and blasted her high into the air.

"Kyyaaa!" screamed Kesuta, then taking her broom in midair and swooping downwards, avoiding more water shots. Ijor prepared for another fire attack, but rather then using her flames, Kesuta instead did a diving attack with her broom and impacted directly into him.

"Graaah! You pest!" Ijor shouted as he rubbed his stomach, then sent more bursts of water at her.

"This is no good!" Kesuta snarled, dodging more water shots, "This guy's attacks are too strong, I don't think me and Korume could handle this guy even if we fused into Dualsera!"

It was then Kesuta got hit by another blast, sending her falling to the ground.

"Damnit!" Kesuta groaned, "I really can't afford to keep getting hit by those..."

"Blurb-blurb blurb-blurb!..." chuckled Ijor, "My brine powers keep growing, and someday I'll prove my might to that fool Admiral Krehaul, that bastard has no business being our leader! Then I can harness the power of that Smooth Pearl his men fetched for him and use it rule over all the zola!"

"Like hell you are!" snarled Kesuta, trying to force herself up, "We need that pearl to save Ruto!"

"Save? You won't be saving anyone girl, you can't even save yourself!" Ijor said, firing a water shot at her, which she quickly rolled out of the way of, "Now watch as I end you, blurb-blurb blurb-blurb!"

With that, Ijor fired a ball of water into the air. Kesuta looked up curiously at the attack, as it exploded in midair and became a cloud, and it started to rain down on the training yard. Kesuta cringed and fell over as salty rain water started to pour down on her.

"Argh... this is crazy!" Kesuta groaned, "My powers have been getting stronger, but they're absolutely useless against this guy! None of my fire attacks are going to work anymore, the most I can do is create-" she cut herself off as an idea came to her. She took a deep breath, then put her hand on the ground and started to carefully conjure intense fire around her.

"You idiot, that won't do you any good!" Ijor said slowly walking up to her, "Now I'll- huh?"

That was when he saw the rain water pouring down on the fire was starting to turn to steam. Kesuta soon generated enough fire around her that the steam completely engulfed her, clouding Ijor's vision.

"Huh...?!" Igor exclaimed, looking around for her, "Where'd she go?"

It was then Ijor felt a strange warmth and turned behind him to see the fire mystic was now looking much different. Her ponytail was now like a long flame, fire was now covering her chest and waist like fiery light armor. Her arms and legs were coated in flames, with long flaming whips at the end of each arm, and her eyes were a bright orange. She was now in her flaming mode from back when she battled her sister in the Spirit Temple.

"Wha-what the heck?!" Ijor exclaimed, "How are you doing that with my rain coming down?"

"I may not be very smart... and because of that I can take my pranks and words towards my family a bit too far... but one thing I do know is I love them with all my heart, and I'm going to save my sister Ruto!" Kesuta shouted to the zola.

She then went flying right at him. Despite the rain, the flames around her body were burning hotter and hotter, to the point where it was actually vaporizing the water into scalding steam. She then gave Ijor a series of rapid kicks with her flaming legs. He tried to use his staff to block them, but one kick came down and managed to break it in half.

"Argh!" Ijor exclaimed, before getting kicked across the face, the intense steam scalding his face.

"Ruto is my family, and if you mess with my family, my anger gets so hot you can never put it out!" Kesuta shouted, swinging out her two flame whips and smashed them both directly into Ijor.

The impact sent the brine mage flying back and down to the ground. Soon enough after that the rain cloud vaporized away due to the hot aura of Kesuta's fiery body. The bottle the child octorok had been stuck in had burst from the impact of the whip attack and the little one had gone flying into the air, but Kesuta simply caught it.

"Hey there, you okay little guy?" she smiled. The octorok child wasn't even affected by the fiery form of Kesuta, thanks to the control she had over her power. It squealed out, happy to be free and Kesuta giggled. It was a cute little child, and it made her think of the day that someday she'd start having cute children of her own with Link, and she could only hope Ruto would be happy when Link gave her children as well.

Ijor meanwhile slowly got himself up, gasping out as he narrowed his eyes at Kesuta, "Grrr... stupid bitch... I'LL SNUFF YOU OUT!"

The zola mage was about to strike her from behind with a water shot. But without even seeing him, Kesuta simply snapped her fingers and a pillar of flame burst out from under the zola, burning him intensely and causing him to scream out in horrific pain.

Kesuta's body soon changed back to her normal self and she walked out of the training grounds with Big Momma Octo's son, going back to meet up with the others and help them with the attack.

The flame pillar Kesuta made soon died down afterwards, revealing what remained of the brine zola mage Ijjor was a dry, smoldering burnt corpse.

* * *

As Nabooru ran off to join Aviel and the others against the guards, Link burst into the room of the Zola pirate leader; Admiral Krehaul. Link stood there and looked around, seeing the great amount of treasure and rupees littered all around the room. He looked at the other end of the room to see a shadowy figure sitting at a commander desk. He was gazing at a picture with one hand and tapping a gauntlet-clad finger on the desk with the other. He then looked up to Link and placed the picture down.

"So you're the Hylian mercenary I was told about?" spoke Admiral Krehaul with a smirk, "You don't look like much."

"I get that a lot." Link said, pulling out and aiming his Fairy Bow and an arrow at Krehaul, "But I'm no mercenary, you can call me Gerudo King Link, and I'm here for that pearl!"

Link gestured to the pearl on Krehaul's desk. The mysterious man looked down at it, before snatching it up and holding it.

"The Gerudo King? Well, can't say I was expecting that... so why is this pearl so important to you then?" Krehaul asked.

"I need it to help my fiance!" Link said, narrowing his eyes as he held his bow, "Just hand it over nice and easy!"

It was then Krehaul stood up and walked out from the shadows of the room, revealing what he looked like to Link. The Hylian's eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the sight of him.

"Wait, you're..."

Admiral Krehaul was a tall fish man whose body was muscular and scarred. His thin scales were a pale blue with black streaks. He wore an open long red coat that showed off his strong form, and on his head was a black feathered tri-corn hat with a picture of a fish head skull on it. He had a scar on his stern face that ran from his forehead down across his nose and to the opposite side of his chin. While on his right arm was an iron gauntlet with sharp claws.

As intimidating as the man came off as though, Link was more astonished by just what he actually was.

"You're... a zora?!" Link exclaimed, "What is a zora doing as the leader of a group of pirate zolas? I thought they were enemies!"

"I used to be part of the zora kingdom you spoke of years ago." Admiral Krehaul said, "I left after suffering a terrible tragedy, then joined with these pirates, and I was easily able to rise up the ranks to be their leader."

"And you're sending them out to attack your own people?" Link asked, "How can you do that?!"

"Just watch." Krehaul said, charging at Link with his claw, as the Hylian sung out his sword, the two started clashing against each other with their weapons. Kehaul manged to bash away Link's sword, but he blocked the prate's next attack with his shield. Link then thrust his shield forward to bash the pirate back, then slashed at him. But Krehaul blocked the sword with his gauntlet before punching Link away, knocking him into the desk in the room, and causing a picture on it to fall to the ground beside Link.

"Wait a second..." Link muttered, picking up the picture that had fallen to the ground, it was of a beautiful zora woman, with blue and purple scales, "This looks kind of familiar..."

"Keep your hands off her!" shouted Krehaul, swiping at Link with his gauntlet, who brought up his shield and blocked it off. He looked again at the picture Krehaul had, seeing the zora woman on it, remembering back when he saw someone just like this, back in the shrine.

"This looks like Ruto's mother, Louruta..." Link pointed out.

"Don't you dare speak her name so casually!" shouted Krehaul, bashing the shield out of the way and punching Link across the room with his gauntlet, then snatching up the picture.

"You... knew the queen?" Link asked, getting himself onto his feet.

"I always admired her since I was a young zora, her authoritative yet noble aura... her beauty, her kindness... she was my inspiration. I worked hard to strengthen myself, and eventually I became a royal guard for Queen Louruta, and vowed that I would protect her at all costs..." muttered Krehaul, "...until that damned cult showed up."

"That... cult?" Link was confused at what Krehaul was speaking about. He contemplated just what he meant by that, then realizing what Zopem mentioned to him about what happened when Ruto's mother was fatally injured...

"You're... you're Sir Titas, aren't you?!" Link asked, "You were the solider that was guarding the zora royal family the day the Order of Reyahm attacked them!"

"So you've heard of the old me." Krehaul scowled, putting the picture in his coat, "I vowed to protect the queen that day, but we were both attacked by an assassin who was working with the Order. It seemed because Louruta refused to help them that they were going to pick a new water goddess, and needed her to be killed so they could use Lophela's blessing for themselves."

Krehaul lowered his head with a sad look in his eyes, "I tried to save her, but I too was poisoned and fell unconscious. When I came out of my coma I learned she had eventually died from the poison herself..."

The zora clenched his fist and continued to speak, "I left after that, and changed my name since I had nothing else to go back to. That was when I met the zola pirates and joined them. Miraculously I survived the poisoning by the assassin that took Queen Louruta's life, and overtime I realized due to the desperate treatment the doctors had attempted on me that the poison remained in my system, and I could actually use it like so..."

Krehaul then clenched his fist, causing purple poisonous ooze to seep out from the small holes of the gauntlet and drip down onto the floor, "This is how I became so feared by the zola and rose to being their leader."

Link paused, somewhat saddened by Titas' guilt in failing to save the Zora queen. He had a faint memory of long ago, of a certain smiling woman closing a door on him for a second, but shook it off.

"I'm sorry that happened to you..." Link spoke sympathetically, "But please listen, Princess Ruto is suffering right now without the Smooth Pearl, I need to get it back to her before she loses herself to her suppressed power!"

"...Princess Ruto ...so her daughter, huh...?" muttered Krehaul, "The daughter she had with that man..."

In that moment, Krehaul thought back to his younger years as a guard, back when he was known as Titas. He would always be gazing at Queen Louruta and her beauty, then came the day he worked up the courage to speak to her on a personal manner. She greeted him pleasantly, but before he could say what he wanted to, a young portly zora man named Hauvir had come up and asked Louruta to dinner. The two went off together, and Titas was devastated.

Then came one day weeks later that Louruta announced Hauvir would become the Zora King and rule beside her, and Titas fell into heartbroken depression. Then the day came when Louruta revealed her child of whom she named Princess Ruto. All Titas could feel was bitterness towards the child she had with the buffoon she chose to marry.

On the day the Order of Reyahm attacked the zoras, he had been placed to protect the king, queen and princess, but in secret he had deliberately allowed the Order an opening in the hopes of them killing King Zora. But instead it was Louruta, taking the blunt of the poison attack to protect her husband. Titas attacked the assassin back out of rage, only to be poisoned himself. After waking up from a coma he found out Louruta died from the poison, and he disappeared shortly after that, taking on the name of Krehaul the pirate.

Back to reality, Krehaul then lifted up the pearl and stared at it, narrowing his eyes.

"If this is what's needed to help her... then this pearl... shall never be hers."

It was then Krehaul dropped the pearl in his mouth and swallowed it whole, looking to Link with a malicious sharp-toothed grin.

Link's eyes widened in complete shock at the brazen act of the pirate, he squeezed the handle of his sword and his teeth clenched, "What... what the hell? Do you realize what you just did?! Ruto will die without that!" he shouted at Krehaul.

"Hmph, as well she should." scowled Krehaul, pointing his gauntlet at Link, "The royal princess and her blessing by Lophela causing her to swell up to bursting is a perfect representation of the bloated regime of the zora."

"rrRRAAAHH!" Link shot right at Krehaul in fury and brought his sword down, but the zora blocked it with his gauntlet, before grabbing the blade with it and throwing Link aside. The pirate walked up to Link as poison started to seep out from it.

"The zora stake their pride as strength, but as proven by that attack by the Order, they are too weak to survive against outside forces. That's why I plan to establish a new regime where the zola will control our society! The only true strength comes from raw power, and while the zola are brutish and stupid, their strength is far superior to that of the zoras. Soon I plan to lead an all-out attack on the zora kingdom, and they will either surrender to be our slaves, or be killed on the spot for defiance. That will be the way of our people!" Krehaul shouted.

Link narrowed his eyes, hearing Krehaul speak of the use of pure power, of overthrowing the zora kingdom... It reminded him too much of a certain red-haired Gerudo man in black armor that he fought before...

"You're just like him..." muttered Link, "I won't let you ever do that!"

Krehaul swung down his poison claw at Link, who rolled out of the way and fired off arrows at the zora to keep his distance, but the pirate brought up his gauntlet to block them. The zora then fired shots of poison sludge at Link, who used his shield to block, then went running off. As Krehaul followed after him and brought up his claw for an attack, Link then suddenly turned and fired his Longshot, causing it to wrap around Krehaul's gauntlet. Link then summoned his strength and swung the Longshot out, taking Krehaul with it, and slamming the zora into a wall. Before Krehaul could even move, Link charged forward and slashed him across the back a few times, making the zora yell out, before the Gerudo King then bashed him in the back with his shield.

"Cough it up!" Link shouted, his eyes shifting between blue and pure white for a second, "Cough up that pearl now!"

"Get... off of me, you brat!" Krehail shouted, releasing a burst of poison that blasted Link backwards. The Hylian coughed out to avoid the poison getting too much into his system, and looked up just in time to see the pirate bash him backwards.

"Heh heh heh... the princess' fate will act as a symbol of just how weak those zora truly are. Unlike me, she can't contain her power on her own." Krehaul chuckled.

"Bastard..." Link gasped out, and looked up to see Krehaul lift up his arm into the air.

"Now behold, I'll show you just what my true power can do!" the zora shouted.

Krehaul then put his hand down on the steel floor, he seemed to focus, and then shouted out in pain, and Link saw poison start to seep out from his arm in great amounts, pouring out over the floor and within seconds, soon perfectly coated the ground. Link quickly jumped up onto the desk to avoid getting too close to the sludge. He took a handkerchief and wrapped it over his mouth to keep from breathing in too much of the toxic fumes.

"Let's see you evade this, boy." smirked Krehaul, not even affected by standing in the poison in the slightest. He then fired off poison shots at Link, who blocked them off with his shield before trying to fire some more arrows, but Krehaul smacked them away and started walking towards Link.

"Crap!" Link exclaimed, looking around for a possible evasive plan. He then looked up and eyed the chandelier hanging over the room and got an idea. Just as Krehaul approached Link and was about to slash him, Link fired his Longshot up at the chandelier, attaching to it. Link then jumped away from the zora's next attack and swung across the room on his Longshot.

"What th-" Krehaul said in surprise as Link swung around the room. He tried to swipe at Link with his claw, but the young man flew out of the way of it, then spinning around and swinging his sword, slashing the zora a few times. By swinging around, Link showed himself to be too evasive for Krehaul to attack.

"You little pest, you must die!" Krehaul shouted, then reached out quickly and grabbed the chain Link was swinging from, causing him to lose his momentum and fall towards the poison. But Link then quickly took Hotaig's Shield and jumped on top of it, using the slickness of the poison sludge to skid across the floor. He brought out his sword, surfing across the purple goop until he came to a stop, then turned to Krehaul.

"Damned brat..." Krehaul muttered, rubbing at the slash mark Link gave him, "You'll pay for what you've done with your life... and your princess will be destro-"

That was when Link fired the Longshot out and the pirate leader shifted his head to the left at the last moment, the pointed end just barely missing his head and impaling itself into the wall behind him.

"What?" Krehaul asked, breaking into a cold sweat at how close it came to hitting him.

"Time to end this." Link said narrowing his eyes, allowing himself to get pulled in by the Longshot.

"Agreed, I'll show you my true power boy, now DIE!" Krehaul shouted running at Link.

The zora tried to slash at Link one last time with his poison claw, while Link came right at him with the Hero's Sword. The two swung and there was a brutal impact, leaving Link on side of the room and Krehaul on the other side.

The two of them stood motionless, nether seeming to have been hit...

That was when Link flinched a bit, as he had been slashed across the arm.

"Heh... simple." smirked Krehaul, but that was when his eyes widened as a surge of pain went through his body, as he realized Link had delivered a much greater slash across his body. The zora groaned out in pain as reddish purple blood flew from his chest, before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Whew... I did it..." Link took a deep breath, pulling the Longshot out from the wall and pocketing it.

Link then took a look out at the room and saw as the poison seemed to naturally start to dissipate off of the floor after a short while. When Link was convinced it was safe to walk, he started slowly walking towards Admiral Krehaul, who was sprawled out on the ground.

"You..." muttered Krehaul, "How... did you... beat me...?"

"Because instead of power, I had something truly worth fighting for..." Link muttered, with his head lowered, and his features darkened by his hair, "Speaking of which, I need to get that pearl back..."

"Heh... it will take too long for this pearl to pass through my system." Krehaul chuckled dementedly, "By then, your precious spoiled princess will be no more..."

That's when Krehual heard words that chilled him to his bone.

"Well then... I'll just have to take it now."

Krehaul's eyes widened as Link slowly looked down at him. The zora could see Link's eyes were completely devoid of the bright blue pupils he once had, and now they were an angry blank white. He then saw the sword Link was holding, and it didn't take long to realize the mistake he made by swallowing the pearl...

The great zola pirate leader Admiral Krehaul, once the former knight of the royal zora army Sir Titas, didn't even have the chance to scream for mercy that night.

* * *

Back with Nabooru and the others, they stood triumphantly over the pile of defeated zola that had attacked them. Despite being some of the strongest of the pirate army, the Gerudo, as well as Zopem, had made short work of striking them all down.

"Heh, nice to unwind like that once in a while!" Reirousa grinned flexing her arm.

"Well that's done with, but what about Kesuta and Link...?" Nabooru asked sheathing her scimitars.

"I'm here!" Kesuta said running up to the group, "And I found us a little friend!"

Kesuta held up Big Momma Octo's child, who made little happy squealing sounds as it waved it's small tentacles

"Aww! How cute!" Aviel said with bright eyes, scooping up he little guy and hugging it.

"Nicely done Ms. Kesuta, with our end of the bargain done, that giant octorok will leave our people alone." Zopem nodded.

"So what about Link then?" Kesuta asked.

"Right here Kesuta." Link said, taking some deep breaths as he slowly walked up to the group, closing the doors of the marine captain's room behind him.

"You alright Link?" Nabooru asked curiously as she looked over the odd injuries on his body.

"Yeah... never been better." Link chuckled a little, as he held up the Smooth Pearl, "Because I managed to get it!"

"You did it... King Link, I can't thank you enough for what you've done, you've saved our princess!" sighed Zopem with relief, "So is the zola captain no more?"

Link paused and looked at Zopem, recalling what he had said before about Sir Titas being his role model back when he was a child.

"...yeah, the zola captain is done for." Link nodded, deciding it was for the best Zopem and the zora people didn't know about what became of Titas.

"Well with that done we can get back and save Princess Ruto!" Togau grinned.

"I'll go ahead and let everyone at Zora Coast know." Link said, using his ocarina to make contact with Saria and give her the good news.

"Oh thank goodness you found the pearl!" Saria said, "But you have to get back quick, Korume can't hold Ruto's power back much longer!"

"WOUP! WHOUP!" they could all hear a loud and deep feminine voice call out, which sounded very familiar to Link.

"Ruto! We gotta get back to the shrine now!" Link shouted, before starting to run off ahead of everyone. But it was then his body started to waver a bit, before he fell over on one knee, gasping out.

"Link, what's the matter?" Nemisa exclaimed with worry, running over to him. She was about to help him up when Nabooru stopped her.

"Wait Nemisa!" Nabooru shouted, she went over to Link herself and looked over the injuries on his body, mindful not to touch them, "Don't touch him, these cuts are infected with poison..."

"What?" exclaimed Togau, "When the heck did that happen?"

"Just took a few hits from that pirate leader, but never mind about me." Link groaned, forcing himself up to his feet, "I gotta go help Ru- grk!"

Link instead staggered and fell over to the ground, gasping out.

"No, Link!" Aviel exclaimed with tears in her eyes.

"You cant help anyone when you're in this condition!" Nabooru shouted, "Damnit, we need to do something for him! He needs medical attention!"

"But Dr. Sarami is back at the island!" Togau said, "He might not make the trip!"

"I could try flying him over the ocean, but it might be too dangerous when he's in this condition!" Kesuta said.

"Hey, what's going on here?" shouted a voice, as everyone turned towards the exit out of the base to see a group of zola in bandages, but they looked pretty familiar to the group.

"Oh, it's Jonas!" Aviel realized, recognizing the swabbie zola.

"Ready for round two then?" Reirousa asked, gripping her warhammer, but was stopped by Nabooru.

"I see you've all recovered pretty well." Nabooru simply said.

"Eh, more or less, thanks to Momma Octo." shrugged Jonas, walking over and kneeling down to Link, "What happened to this guy?"

"Not sure, he had just gone to fight that Admiral Krehaul creep! He won, but came back in this condition!" Togau said.

"Yayayayah! So he managed to take down our boss? Never would had dreamed someone could pull that off!" Jonas laughed.

"Yep, and me and Nabooru took down that seaweed man and the cannon guy." Kesuta said.

"I-I can't believe it..." one of the swabbie zola said with his jaw dropped.

One of Jonas' other companions knelt down and examined Link's injuries, "We've had to clean up the corpses of enemy pirates who've attacked the base in this condition before... he must have been poisoned by Admiral Krehaul himself!"

"Do you have any medical staff here?" Nemisa asked.

"Yeah, but none of them know how to treat this weird poison Krehaul uses!" the zola said.

"Well then what do you suggest we do?" Reirousa shouted, getting increasingly upset about Link's condition.

Jonas himself meanwhile paused, looking down at Link's cuts, "Hey, I overheard you say you have a doctor back on the mainland that could help him, is that right?"

"Yes, what of it?" Nabooru asked.

It was then Jonas pushed his zola friend out of the way and leaned down to put his mouth over one of Link's wounds, seeming to be sucking on it.

"Wha- what the hell ya think yer doing?' Togau asked.

"Trying to suck out the poison." Jonas said spitting out some of what he sucked out, "Hopefully it'll be enough until you guys can get him to treatment."

"But what about yourself?" Nemisa asked, "Couldn't that poison be dangerous for you too?"

"Yayayah, I'll be fine. The cruddy food we've been given to eat here is a lot more toxic then this!" chuckled Jonas, before sucking out the poison from another wound.

The group were hesitant to try and stop Jonas, but they allowed him to do so out of concern for Link.

After a while, Jonas stood himself up and sighed out, "I think that's about as much as I could do..." he groaned a little, as his zola companions all caught him.

"Hey, hang in there Jonas!" a zola shouted.

"Ugh, wha... what happened...?" Link then groaned, getting up and rubbing his head.

"He's awake!" Aviel exclaimed.

"Link, thank goodness you're better!" Nemisa said, she was about to hug him, but avoided it due to the injuries.

"Jonas, did you help me out there..?" Link asked, his mind still fuzzy from his fatigue to remember everything, as he put his hand up to one of his cuts.

"Eh, if you wanna call it that..." Jonas shrugged.

"Listen, we're thankful, but we're running short on time, we need to get a move on!" Nabooru said.

"Lady Nabooru, we have bad news!" shouted Ifemi running into the base along with her guards who were watching the ship, "Some of the pirates damaged our ship and sunk it!"

"We managed to kill them, but not before they sunk our ship by making holes in it from below, the cowards." one of the Gerudo guards said in annoyance.

"What?!" exclaimed Nabooru, "Damnit, we don't have time for this, Link needs medical attention, and Ruto needs the pearl!"

"No problem, I can get us there quick now!" Kesuta said, "Link, get on my broomstick, I'll fly us both to Ruto as fast as I can, then you can get properly healed by Dr. Sarami!"

"Alright." Link nodded, the looked to Jonas, "Listen, are you sure you don't need medical attention yourself?"

"Heh, don't worry about me..." Jonas gasped out with a grin, "Go on Mr. Hero, and save... your princess..."

"Jonas..." Link muttered, before nodding, "Okay!" climbing onto Kesuta's broom with her, as she rose up into the air, "We'll meet you all at Zora Coast then!" he took one last look to Jonas, "Just don't die on us, alright? And thank you!"

"Lady Nabooru, please make sure you give Big Momma Octo back her child on your way back!" Kesuta added.

"Very well, good luck to both of you!" Nabooru nodded, as they watched Kesuta and Link shooting off out of the marine base and across the ocean as fast as they could.

"Go for it Link! Go save Ruto!" Aviel called out holding the octorok child in the air, who squealed out as well.

"So much for being scared of the ocean." grinned Togau, recalling what Kesuta said about not even thinking about being afraid when someone she cared about was in danger.

"We better find a way to get back ourselves then." Nabooru said, "You boys positive you don't need any help?" she then asked Jonas.

"Nah, I'll be fine here with the boys." Jonas grinned, "You all get back safely, ya hear?"

"Heh okay, and thank you again for what you did for our king." nodded Nabooru with a smirk, "Everyone, let's see what we can do to salvage the ship!"

With that Nabooru and the Gerudo all ran out of the base, leaving Jonas and zola alone.

"Come on Jonas, let's see what we can do to get you healed up!" one of the zola said desperately.

"Yayayah!" Jonas laughed out loud, "That guy and his friends are something else to make me do something so stupid!"

"You always do stupid stuff Jonas!" grinned one of the zola, "But this time you did something really great to help our friends, and right now it's our turn to help you!"

"Yeah, after all now that the bosses are done for, I think we zola are gonna need a new captain!" said another one.

"Hey, I didn't ask for a job like that guys..." chuckled Jonas as his friends carried him off for treatment.

"...though if I were to become the new captain, I'd start off with one important rule."

"What's that Jonas?"

"No more fish puns."

* * *

_**And with that the chapter is over. With the Smooth Pearl recovered, it's a race to save Ruto from her fate. Can Link and Kesuta save her in time? Find out last week!**_

_**Thanks everyone for your support! Leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to!**_


	69. Transformation

_**It's time for chapter 69 now! It's a race to save Ruto from her fate, and it's all on Link and Kesuta to save her! How will he pull it off?**_

* * *

After their victory over the zola pirates and the recovery of the Smooth Pearl, Link and Kesuta arrived at Zora Coast that same night thanks to the speed of Kesuta's flying broom. Upon landing at the coast, the two took off straight for the Shrine of Lophela, where they saw Saria, Dr. Sarami, Korume, Sovan and the zora Mystic Hemeron, the latter of which now in the form of a female zora again, all standing outside and looking quite worried.

"Link...? Hey, Link's back!" Saria exclaimed, pointing him out as he rushed up to the group.

"My love, my sister, you both made it!" Korume said with relief, "Did you recover the pearl?"

"Yeah, we got it!" Link gasped out holding up the Smooth Pearl.

"Splendid sweetie, I could kiss you for this!" Heremon said happily, taking the pearl.

"Please don't." Link said flatly.

"I'll go get it set up for the princess immediately!" Heremon said, running back into the shrine with her fellow mystics to help Ruto.

"Link, just what happened to you?" Sarami exclaimed in panic as she looked over the cuts on his body, "Were you poisoned?!"

"Never mind... me, how's... Ruto doing...?" Link gasped out.

"She's not doing too well, but you arrived just in time!" Saria said, concerned for both Ruto and now Link as Sarami went to work examining him.

"Thank Aifet, I have just the medicine for this type of toxin." Sarami said, "And there isn't nearly as much poison as I would have expected from these cuts, so I should be able to treat this quickly."

Link silently thanked Jonas again for draining his wounds. Sarami worked on treating him of the remaining poison and his cuts, while Korume took to resting Link's head on her lap for comfort.

"Sorry to be a bother about this..." Link chuckled weakly.

"There there my love, rest yourself." Korume said with a small smile as she stroked her future husband's head lovingly, then glanced up to Kesuta. "Sister you did well, you saved both Ruto and Link."

"Y-Yeah, thanks sister." Kesuta said nodding.

* * *

After Sarami gave Link the proper treatment to rid his body of the poison, the group went into the shrine to meet with Ruto and the mystics. Upon entering though, Link and Kesuta's eyes widened in shock of what they saw.

Ruto was still in the ceremonial pool, only you probably would be forgiven for not realizing it right away. Her body had swollen so much that it was taking up almost the entirety of the pool. Her arms had even become so swollen into her body that she couldn't reach down to any of the food laying around the pool that Sovan had prepared. She had grown in height as well as width, looking almost fifteen feet tall at that point. Her torso was giving off a very bright glow, with a swift water aura spiraling around it. Some mystics tried to get close to Ruto to help her, but the aura actually repelled them backwards.

"Ruto..." Link whispered.

"Oh my goddess Aifet..." Kesuta gasped out in shock.

"WHOUP WHOUP!" shouted Ruto through her swollen face, not even seeming to notice that Link was back.

"King Link, we have a problem!" Heremon sobbed out.

"What's going on here? I thought the Smooth Pearl was supposed to help Ruto!" Link pointed out.

"That's the thing, we put the Smooth Pearl into the fountain, and it's magic is purifying the pool water, but it's not having any effect on the princess!" Heremon exclaimed in tears.

"I can feel it..." gasped Kesuta, "She surging with such great power right now, but it's getting really dangerous!"

"So why isn't the pearl working?!" Link shouted.

"It took me a while to figure out, but I think it's Ruto herself." sniffled Heremon, looking back at the zora princess, "She's supposed to be suppressing her power at this point, but she can't for whatever reason... something is holding her back!"

Link paused and looked up at Ruto, seeing her thrash around uncontrollably, making those strange loud sounds. Kesuta looked sadly up at her as well, gripping her broom tightly.

"The power and swelling is putting her into some kind of trance. She can't seem to hear us, and anyone who tries to do something for her just gets blasted away by her water power. I can't even come close using my ice magic..." Korume said sadly.

Link paused and clenched his fist, as he took a deep breath, and ran off towards Ruto.

"Link, wait! You shouldn't push yourself just after I treated you!" Sarami exclaimed.

Link just quickly ran at Ruto. Some spouts of water shot down at him, but he rolled and leaped around them. A few shots came at him from the sides, so he used Hotaig's Shield to block them off. Just as he was about to approach Ruto however he was knocked back by the watery aura surrounding her.

He shook off the force, and looked around for any means to make it easier to approach Ruto. It was then he saw a statue near the ceiling overlooking the shrine. He pulled out his Longshot and fired it, attaching to the statue and sending him flying upwards over Ruto. He dropped down at his fiance and landed right on top of her chest area. He slipped a bit on her wet scaly form as he ran right up to her face and threw himself forward, wrapping his arms around what remained of Ruto's neck so he could be right by her head.

"Ruto!" Link shouted, in the hopes of getting through to her, "It's me, Link! Please snap out it!"

"WHOUP! WHOUP!" Ruto shouted through her puffy cheeks, continuing to thrash her body around to try and get what she in that moment perceived as an annoying little pest off her body.

"Ruto, please remember who you are!" Link shouted with his eyes tearing up as she tried to launch him off her body, "You're the princess of the zoras, as well as my fiance, and I'm here to save you!"

Ruto fired high pressured water into the air that came down and impacted on Link, presumably in some attempt to drown the 'pest;' on her body. Link endured the impact but cringed from his wounds. He just kept holding Ruto around her neck, burying his face in her shoulder. Eventually tears started to come out from his eyes and fell onto Ruto's body.

"Please get a hold of yourself Ruto..." Link sobbed out, "I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU AGAIN!"

"Again...?" Korume whispered to herself in confusion.

It was then in that moment the water started to slowly stop, Ruto's motions started to slow down, and her eyes flickered for a second in that moment, as she seemed to be faintly processing the words the 'pest' spoke to her. Everything stood still for a brief time, and everyone held their breath wondering what was going to happen to Ruto...

It was then that Ruto's dazed expression started to fade away, as her eyes blinked a few times. Link didn't notice, due to him burying his face into her shoulder, sobbing in fear of the idea of losing her. The watery aura surrounding Ruto died down, and she started breathing slower. Even the powerful glow started to fade a bit.

"...L-Link...?"

The Gerudo King's eyes lit up, recognizing the voice of Ruto, albeit deeper and with more an echo to it. He turned to see her face, and saw her eyes were turned to him, with tears starting to pour down her cheeks.

"Link... what... happened...?" she muttered.

"Ruto... it's you..." Link said, he hugged her tightly, "I'm so glad you heard me!"

"He got through to her!" Heremon said gleefully.

"Oh thank goodness..." Saria sighed out.

"Link... what's... happened to me...?" Ruto whispered, her eyes looking down at her humongous form, "W-What have I become...?"

"Don't worry Ruto, doesn't matter what you've become. You're still my beloved fiance," Link said grinning, wiping the tears from his eyes, "And you're okay now, that's what matters."

"Fiance..." Ruto whispered, she paused on those words, looking back down at herself. After a short while she sighed and spoke to him again, "Link-darling... I don't think I can do it, not anymore..."

"Huh? Why not?" Link asked.

"Because... I'm trying to suppress my power right now... but I can't... I'm not able to shrink back down to my old self..." Ruto sniffled, "I think at this point... I may be stuck like this... forever."

"Ruto, don't think like that!" Link scolded her, "Hemeron said he'd do whatever he could to help yo-"

"I'm serious! How could I possibly be a wife to you like this?! I'm as big as a whale now!" Ruto said in protest, "I look absolutely ugly, you can barely hug me, I don't even think I can move around normally!" she wiggled around in the pool to emphasize this, "I'm nothing but a huge burden the way I am now!"

"That's not tru-" Link spoke, but Ruto continued before he could say anything else.

"Not to mention..." Ruto muttered sadly, "Even if I could possibly have children, I could never be a proper mother for them as I am now..."

Link's eyes widened at Ruto, recalling what she had told him just before the rite, about how insecure she was about the fear of having to neglect her children much like how her mother had to neglect her. He was so focused on it that he didn't see the watery aura was starting to reform in that moment.

'I wonder... if she thought something like this might happen?' Link thought to himself.

Ruto then spoke again, choking out each word as she did, "I'm sorry Link... but I'm afraid the way I am now, we may have to postpone our marriage... indefinitely..."

Link just stared at her, those words she spoke brought back painful memories from a long time ago, and he hung his head down. The whole room remained silent, before Link spoke to her...

"Ruto, just shut the hell up. That's not the way for you to think at all!"

Ruto's eyes widened from hearing that, before narrowing her eyes coldly, as pools of water started to form around her.

"Wha- h-how dare you speak like that to me! Now release me before I make you!" Ruto shouted.

It was then the watery aura around her body fully formed and surged out again, spouts of water started to shoot out everywhere as her waist started to glow again.

"Oh no, her emotions are causing her powers to start going out of control again!" Heremon said in a panic.

"Ruto stop!" Link shouted, gripping onto Ruto.

"Not until you let go and forget about me!" Ruto shouted back with tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Oh no, she's trying to drive Link away from her! We have to do something!" Saria exclaimed. She lashed out some vines from her Deku Staff to try and bind Ruto, but the water just blasted it backwards.

Kesuta meanwhile looked up at Ruto's form, she gulped a bit and took a deep breath, before getting on her broomstick and taking off into the air towards the zora princess.

"Sister wait! You won't stand a chance against Ruto at this point!" Korume shouted.

Kesuta just ignored her sister and flew high into the air, dodging water spouts that shot up from the floor, until one blast came up from below and smacked into her, sending the mystic flying into the air and landing down on Ruto's body.

"K-Kesuta?!" Link exclaimed, "Are you okay?!"

Kesuta just narrowed her eyes, scrambling up to Link's side and came face-to-face with Ruto.

"Ruto, please listen to him!" the fire mystic shouted.

"K-Kesuta?" Ruto exclaimed, snapping out of her rage due to the sudden concern about the mystic taking a direct water attack like that, "N-No, I-I don't want to listen to him, I said I can't marry Link like I am now, I look just dreadful, and I can never be a proper queen, or a mother like this!"

"Grrr... forget the whole queen thing, do you really think Link is that freaking shallow? You think he cares that much about what you look like that he'd leave you for this?! He accepted you even though the two of you are completely different species, he took you as his first wife even though all of us gorgeous girls were practically throwing ourselves at him for months! You two have a close bond together, and that counts more then anything!"

"Kesuta..." Ruto whispered with wide eyes.

"And don't you dare think we're gonna just let you call off your wedding, you're important to all the Gerudo! We told you before that you're family to us, and nothing that happens will ever change that! I and everyone love you Ruto!"

It was then in that moment Kesuta lunged forward and kissed Ruto right on her lips.

The zora princess' eyes widened, with a heavy red blush on her cheeks. Link knelt there with wide eyes of his own seeing two of his future wives kissing. The others all watching were just as shocked.

"O-Oh my..." Sarami gasped.

"I wasn't expecting that." Saria said with a wide stare.

"Kukuku..." Korume just giggled softly at how bold Kesuta was.

Kesuta then broke the kiss and panted out, staring into Ruto's eyes, as tears were running down her cheeks as well now. "Doesn't matter if you can change back or not... we'll never turn our backs on our sister... and me and Link will always love you..."

"She's right Ruto, do you remember that day you and I spoke together at the diner... on the day of the Festival of the Desert Goddess?" Link asked, now finally having an opportunity to speak to her.

"Huh...?" Ruto muttered, she closed her eyes and thought of that wonderful day, when Link battled Zopem to prove his worth to her bodyguard, when she and Link made love for the first time, when he bought her that lovely silver and sapphire necklace...

And it was then she finally remembered what he had said to her at the diner...

* * *

Flashback

"_Aaah...!" Ruto opened her mouth, motioning for Link to get a taste of the food he had ordered for himself. Before the meal arrived, she had a strict talk with him about taking his time eating so he could savor his meal, though he was pretty sure the main reason was so she could do this. He didn't really mind though, as he lifted a fork of his meal and fed it to her._

_"Mmm, very nice." Ruto swooned, "I've always wanted to do this with you!"_

_"I'm glad you're enjoying it." Link smiled, he didn't really get her desire to be fed by him, but she seemed to enjoy it so much he just went along with it._

_"Yes, but I need to be careful with the quality of the food here." Ruto said, cutting a piece of meat from her plate and eating it."If I get carried away I could end up as big as my daddy!" she half-joked._

_"Considering that overly vain attitude of yours, I doubt you'd let something that ever happen." teased Link, "But even if it did, I'd still love you the same." _

"_T-Thank you..." Ruto said with a light blush, then a second later realized what he said, "Hey, who are you calling overly vain?!" Link just laughed in response, causing her to huff out in annoyance. _

* * *

Snapping back to reality, Ruto's lip quivered, as tears were forming back in her eyes.

"You're my fiance Ruto, and I'll love you no matter what. And don't worry about the children, you and I will figure out a way to make it happen... and when it does, we'll all help you get a chance to be a fine mother for them." Link said smiling warmly, "I swear it."

With that, Link leaned forward and kissed Ruto himself. She practically melted at his warm lips touching her own cold wet ones, she closed her eyes and moaned out a little, as she felt a faint tingling sensation in a place deep down inside the pool. Her body fidgeted with desire for the blonde man laying on her. Link then broke the kiss and the two panted out a little, with a deep blush on both their faces. He reached up and ran a gentle hand across her cheek.

"I'll do whatever I can to help you, and even if you can never change back, I'll take you as my lovely wife just the same." Link repeated to assure her of his words.

"Link.." Ruto whispered, and in that moment her body started to give off a strange glow.

Nobody knew what to think of what was happening to Ruto at first, until Link and Kesuta realized they were starting to slip off her body. It turned out Ruto's body starting to shrink down. Link took Kesuta in his arms and the two slid down the zora princess' body until they landed to the ground in front of her. Link turned with Kesuta still held in his arms as they all watched Ruto's shape change.

Ruto's eyes were closed as she seemed to be focusing; her whole body was giving off a blue glow as the pool water gave off an illuminate shine by the power of the Smooth Pearl's energy going from the fountain and pouring into it. Ruto's body continued to shrink down more and more, and her body was changing in more ways then just becoming slim again...

When the glowing finally ended, Ruto landed to the ground on her toes, as everyone took in the sight of how she looked now;

Ruto now stood about a foot taller then she used to be before the rite, and her pale blue scales had taken on a much lighter and vibrant blue then before. There were also darker blue scales that lined the sides of her arms, legs, the back of her neck down to her waist.

Her head was always known for it's bulbous shape, thought now it was slimmed down quite a bit, with a new fish fin that extended out from the back of her head down to her waist From her forehead down to the end of the head fin was a stripe of shining light blue. She also had long thin fin extensions that hung down the sides of her head down to her chest with a light green and purple tint to the ends.

Her slim arms led down to her webbed fingers, and the fan-like fins on her wrists were now longer and wider then before with shades of light green and purple on the ends that waved gently in the air. Her front chest down to her loins was now colored white which contrasted with her blue skin.

Speaking of her chest, her breasts had grown quite larger then before, and bobbed up and down as she breathed delicately. Her waist was slim once again, but her hips had widened a little bit from before, with two long lovely fins hanging and waving at both sides of her waist. Her legs were long and shapely as usual, with delicate webbed toes.

She then opened her lovely eyes, which gave off a bright purple shine to them, as she sported a beautiful smile with her lips a deep luscious blue, which make her white pointy teeth all the more noticeable.

"Princess Ruto..." gasped Mystic Heremon, "She's taken in the goddess Lophela's gift to her... and evolved into a Zora Queen!"

"She looks amazing..." Saria said softly.

"Ruto..." Link whispered, awestruck by her new beauty. As attractive as he had come to find her since the day he realized his love for her, she was even more beautiful now, and he took in every bit of her.

"I can feel the power flowing through Ruto... she's become so strong." Korume gasped out.

"Yeah, but..." Kesuta said, somewhat uneasy, "Some say a gift from the divine ones can change a person. She's so beautiful and powerful, but is it still Ruto...?"

Ruto took that moment to look down at herself, then raising a hand up into the air and gazing at her hand without so much as a emotional reaction, before she then slowly pointed out her finger...

...and squirt Link right in the face.

"Ack! What th-" Link gagged and spit out the water.

"Ohohohoho! Gotcha Link-darling!" Ruto laughed out with her hand below her chin, "I can see you're all speechless to see me as I am now, but it's only natural you'd be! As strong and pretty as I've always been, it was fitting only the power of a goddess could take it a step further!"

Everyone there promptly faulted over.

"Yep, it's still Ruto." Saria said with relief.

"Link... Kesuta..." Ruto then said smiling, as water formed around her feet and carried her right over to the two of them, and she embraced them both in her arms, "Thank you so much... I was so scared of what would happen to me, and what you would think of me... but you both helped me work up the courage to accept myself and change into what I am now..."

Link nodded and hugged her back, along with Kesuta, "All we did was offer our support Ruto, you did magnificently, just as I think you'll do magnificently as the zora queen and the mother of our children."

"Just remember something Pri- I mean, Queen Ruto, we're all here for you." Kesuta said, "And someday our future children will play and work together as true sisters!"

"Yes, thank you both..." Ruto whispered blissfully.

Everyone watched on as the three held the hug. Mystic Heremon was sobbing out of happiness and pride for Ruto passing her rite, and Saria, Korume, Sarami and Sovan all looked on with satisfied smiles, they couldn't wait for Nabooru and the others to get back so they could find out the good news themselves...

"So it's come to be... my daughter has received Lophela's gift." a new older voice spoke up, as everyone turned to see King Zora waddling in alongside Ambassador Oton.

"Oh, Daddy!" gasped out Ruto, looking to the side sheepishly, "Um, how long have you been there...?"

"We were watching since King Link first arrived. I tried to keep Hauvir at his cabana, but he insisted on coming after you. The guards had to do everything possible to hold him back when he saw what had happened to you thanks to the pearl being missing." said Oton.

"I was terrified of what would had happened to you Ruto, that I could had lost you, but you saw through it, just like your mother did all that time ago," King Zora said, he then looked down to Link standing beside her, "And you Gerudo King Link, you proved yourself today by recovering the Smooth Pearl from those pirates and saving my daughter for the second time in her life. I can never forget what you've done for us."

"Pleasure's all mine, your highness." Link said, bowing his head to King Zora, "We're not quite ready for marriage or children just yet, but I assure you that I'll see to Ruto's happiness, and help her with her duties as the Zora Queen, including helping her bear fine healthy children who will someday rule over the future generations of your people."

"Very good." nodded King Zora with a smile, "When Lady Nabooru returns, we should gather again for the next alliance meeting. Though I'm pretty certain at this point I've made up my mind on where I stand about it. Have a good time, all of you."

With that, King Zora turned slowly sound, making slight 'maweep' sounds as he shifted himself forward, causing everyone to do their best to hold in their laughter.

"I hope Lady Nabooru and everyone get back soon, we're all going to have to celebrate this!" Saria said.

"Good, because I'm starving!" Ruto said eagerly.

"Even after all that food Sovan prepared for you?" Kesuta exclaimed.

"Just hope they all didn't get held up for too long." Link said.

* * *

"Urp... I don't feel so good..." Reirousa groaned out.

"Oh suck it up Reirousa, we're almost to shore." Nemisa sighed.

Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Reirousa, Ifemi, Zopem and their backup guards were all sitting on top of Big Momma Octo, who was swimming across the ocean towards Zora Coast. While everyone else was just fine, Reirousa and her motion sickness was making it hard for her to hang onto the giant octo's bandanna.

"Hey, no heaving on my head or you'll have to be held by one of my tentacles missy!" Momma scolded Reirousa.

"I'll shut up." Rerousa groaned.

"Thanks again for helping us get back to the shoreline Big Momma Octo, we didn't think the pirates would be able to sink our ship during our attack on the base." Nabooru said.

"Gesosososo! I should be thanking you and your mystic for saving my little pudding!" Momma Octo laughed, as her octo child was riding in Aviel's lap. The bird girl heard a squealing sound and looked down to the octorok in her arms.

"Hey Momma? I think Lil' Octo is hungry!" Aviel shouted out to her.

"Oh, that sounds like a good idea, are you kids all hungry too? Momma knows this great undersea restaurant that serves a delicious kelp burger!" the giant octo said.

"Urp..." Reirousa muttered hearing the mention of food.

"Eh... no thanks, I doubt we could hold our breath for that long." Nabooru said sweatdropping.

"Oh you sure? It's delicious with extra algae and a side of chum!" Momma said.

"URK...!" Reirousa groaned out.

"I think I know the place she's talking about, it's especially good with fried roe." Zopem said.

"What's roe?" Reirousa asked with her face a pale green.

"They're fish eggs." Zopem answered.

Reirousa's cheeks bulged out as she tried her hardest to hold herself back, but...

"BLAAARRGGHHH!"

"Oh you little brat! Momma will give you a spanking for that!" Momma Octo shouted in a fit.

"Stop with that at once Ms. Reirousa!" Zopem shouted trying to keep his balance.

"Yer the one who egged it on!" Togau shouted the zora.

"GWWAAAARGHHH!" Reirousa spewed out again at another mention of eggs.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter for this week, still one chapter to go for this story arc! Next time everyone celebrates their victory, while Ruto and Kesuta get more of an understanding of each other...**_

_**As always leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to, your feedback is always encouraged!**_


	70. Party at Zora Coast

_**Time for chapter 70! With Ruto safe and the zola pirates dealt with, it's time to party at the beach!**_

* * *

"...and so darlings, I present you all with the soon-to-be leader of the zora, Queen Ruto!"

It was the day just after Link and his friend's quest to recover the Smooth Pearl and Ruto's transformation into the Zora Queen. Mystic Heremon made the announcement to the zora people as they stood just outside the Shrine of Lophela the next morning, and Ruto was met with great applause from the people of Zora Coast. By her side was Link, Nabooru, Zopem and King Hauvir Zora, the latter of which had tears of pride flowing down his face at his daughter's accomplishment.

Not too long after Link, Kesuta and Ruto rested from their trials and tribulations, Nabooru and the others arrived on shore with the aide of Big Momma Octo. The people were initially and understandably hostile to the giant octorok at first due to her working with the zola pirates, but after Zopem clarified what her situation had been with the zola blackmailing her, the people were somewhat accepting of her apologizes.

Ruto stepped up and smiled to the crowd before speaking out, "Thank you all so much for your support! I have great plans in mind for the future of the Zora, one of which being an official alliance with our new friends the Gerudo, as well as my marriage to their king Link! I presume there's no objections to my stance?" she asked with a smirk.

Ruto was met with great cheering, the zora having accepted Link and the Gerudo thanks to their deeds and accomplishment the other day in defeating the Zola pirates and saving their future queen. King Zora went ahead and officially declared a weekend-long celebration to honor the success of Ruto's ceremony, and the alliance with the Gerudo.

The next few days were devoted entirely to partying, feasting and fun at Zora Coast. The normally refined and prideful zora people just let loose and enjoyed themselves, and the Gerudo got along quite well with them as a result.

* * *

"Whoo!" Link shouted, coming up from the ocean and throwing his head back, allowing the water to fly off him. He had chose not to wear his Zora Master Tunic at the moment, and was just clad in his swim trunks, showing off his lean, somewhat muscular body.

"Hey Link, enjoying the water?" Aviel called out, along with Nemisa, Saria, Togau and Reirousa also in the water, the latter of which was being introduced to playing with Togau's beach ball.

"Sure am! I'm feeling refreshed from the other day!" Link nodded.

"Glad to hear, after what you did for Ruto I think you really deserve to relax and have some real fun! Wanna play with us?" Aviel grinned, then turned and shouted out, "Hey, hit the ball over to us Reirousa!"

"Uh, okay...?" Reirousa muttered looking down at it

"Just be careful, Nemisa nailed us pretty hard with it last time at the lake!" Togau said.

"Hey, I don't do that!" Nemisa shouted in protest

"Huh?" Saria asked in confusion, "But it looks so soft."

"Just duck and cover when she shoots it." Aviel assured her..

"Don't sweat it, I'll just give it a little tap." Reirousa said, then threw the ball up and hit it lightly with her fist.

The ball wound up flying through the air at almost light speed and smacked right into Togau. Reirousa watched as it ricocheted off the rancher and into the side of Nemisa's head, then it bounced and smacked Aviel right in the face. Saria herself was following Aviel's advice and was ducking in the water. She peeked out to see if the coast was clear, only for the ball to come right down and bean her on the head.

When it was over, the four of them were all laying in the water in a daze, with Reirousa standing there blankly. The beach ball itself just floated in the water.

"Uh, did I win?" Reirousa asked, only to be answered with the four splashing her in unison, "Gack, what'd I do?!" she exclaimed before Nemisa punched the beach ball right into her face.

"You big lummox!" Nemisa shouted.

Link chuckled to see the five of them enjoying themselves, then looked out at the beach to see Sarami, Kesuta, Korume, Sovan and Ifemi all hanging out on the sand, sitting on beach towels, "How about you girls, you doing alright?!" he called out to them.

"Just fine Link-sweetie!" Sarami called out waving, "You all have fun, okay?"

Link nodded and went off to join the others, while Ifemi herself sat with her elbows resting on her bent knees, staring out at the young Gerudo King.

"Mmm... Link's looking even hotter then before." Ifemi said with a grin, "His skin's getting bronzed by the desert sun, his hair's growing out, and he's been working out big time, he's got a killer bod!"

"I take it you didn't have much luck with the zoras?" Sovan asked.

"Not really. I don't know if it'd even work out for me right now anyway cause of the banishment." Ifemi said with a pout, "Maybe I'll just ask Nemisa if I can borrow King Link for a night..."

Ifemi looked back out at Link as he turned to grab the beach ball hurled at him by Togau and quickly tossed it back, giving Ifemi a good look at his firm rear end.

"...or a week or a month or a marriage or something." Ifemi continued, licking her lips a little.

Sarami at that moment glanced over at the eager look in Ifemi's eyes, then looked out at the ocean to Link, seeing him laughing as he brought up his arm to block a splash of water Aviel got him with. She smiled softly as her legs fidgeted and crossed a bit...

"I wish I could join him in the water, looks pretty fun." Kesuta moped with her cheeks puffed out, "But after the fight I had with that brine mage, I know my powers aren't anywhere near strong enough to resist the sea water."

"Honestly sister, I'm surprised that you were able to win against someone like that." Korume said, "Maybe your powers are developing more then you thought."

"You really think so?" Kesuta asked with her eyes lit up.

"...or perhaps you just got lucky and you could have ended up a drowned soggy twig instead..." Korume giggled darkly.

"Hey!" shouted Kesuta, igniting her body with flames.

"...but regardless, you stood up to that mage and helped save Ruto and the Big Octo's child." Korume continued, "I'm proud of you for that, dear sister."

Kesuta's flames died down and she smiled lightly with a blush, "Keeheehee... it's no big deal or nothing, I'm just glad Ruto's okay now."

"My, my, I rarely ever see you so humbled." Korume giggled, "I think Link's finally sanding off that massive ego of yours."

"You just don't know when to quit do you?!" shouted Kesuta, flaring up again.

"Hey, you're getting embers on my towel!" Sovan exclaimed, using a bottle of water to try and put out the small flames.

* * *

"So.. why am I wearing this?"

Link later found himself standing at the sandy beach, with Togau working on tying a blindfold over his eyes that completely obscured his vision.

"It's for somethin' fun, now hold still!" Togau said with a big grin.

"I haven't worn a blindfold since that one night I spent with Korume... I really don't think we should be doing something like that in public." Link said with a light blush.

"It's not what you think you perverted moron. It's just a fun little game the zoras play here." Nemisa said with amusement, handing Link a large wooden mallet.

"Basically you're gonna go track down a hydromelon on the beach and whack it with that hammer to split it open!" Aviel said, "We'll all be directing you on where to move and where to swing!"

"Huh, alright then." Link nodded, but that was when Togau and Nemisa grabbed him by his arms, and quickly spun him in circles, "Woooaaahh!"

Everyone watched as Link spun like a tornado around the beach, before coming to a slow stop and wobbled around dizzy.

"Do you think we overdid it?" Nemisa asked curiously.

"Probably!" laughed Togau, "Alight let's start then!"

"Someone stop the beach, I wanna get off..." Link said staggering around.

When Link recovered, he started moving around with his hammer in the air, the girls all shouting directions for him to go, but his dizziness and total lack of visibility made it impossible for him to have any idea where he was going...

"Move left Link!"

"Too far, go a little more right!"

"Now go forward!"

"Wait Link, go left!"

"Right!"

"No, go left!"

"Yeah, that's right!"

"No left!"

"I said left!"

"You said right!"

"Wait, was it my right or your right?!"

"Do a triple backflip!"

"You're not even playing the game Korume!"

…and it didn't help the girls started getting so frantic in giving the directions. Nemisa and Togau started arguing over which way for him to go, eventually breaking out into random squabbling, while Aviel started waving her arms around randomly shouting gibberish to join them in it. This meant Link started walking around in all directions, not aware of where he was going at all.

"Hey! Watch where you're walking!" he heard a gruff zora say.

"Sorry!" Link called out, when his foot bumped into something.

"Yo, what are you doing dude?!" shouted another tourist.

"My bad!" Link said, before stepping on something soft.

"Oooh, are you into this sort of thing, hot stuff...?" he heard a suggestive woman's voice ask.

"Girls, which way do I go?!" Link shouted to his three friends, backing up so he wouldn't bump into or step on anyone else.

"Go left!" Nemisa shouted over to Link.

"No right, right!" Aviel said.

"Wait, do ya mean his right or our right?!" Togau asked.

"Left then!" Aviel shouted.

"Which left?!" Togau asked in frustration.

"Left is right!" Nemisa shouted.

"That's it Link! Now turn around and swing down!" Aviel said.

"Wait, is that- Link, hang on!" Nemisa exclaimed.

But it was too late, as Link was already fed up with all the yelling, and swung his hammer down right in front of him, bashing it against an incredibly hard surface. He pulled up his blindfold, but rather then a split melon, he instead saw a large muscular Gerudo woman sitting on a towel, facing away from him, seeming to be eating something.

"Reirousa?" Link asked in confusion.

"Huh? Link?" Reirousa asked, looking behind her, with traces of hydromelon pieces around her mouth, she was holding the very melon Link was supposed to whack and was eating it.

"Oh jees, did I hit you? I'm sorry!" Link said desperately.

"Hit me? Was that the tap I felt just a second ago?" Reirousa asked. Her bulky body was so strong she apparently barely felt it. Link then looked down at the hammer and saw it had mostly shattered from impacting against Reirousa's back.

"Darn it Reirousa!" Aviel shouted in frustration, "You ate our hydromelon! Link was supposed to split it for us!"

"Huh, really?" Reirousa asked rubbing the back of her head, "I just saw you girls all arguing about something while Link was dancing. I saw the melon and got hungry all of a sudden, sorry about that."

Nemisa just groaned out and smacked her own forehead while Togau just laughed wholeheartedly.

"So what do we do now then?" Link sighed, "That hydromelon sounded good."

"Hmmm..." Aviel folded her arms and tilted her head left and right in thought, "Oh, I got a idea!"

* * *

"So how much does it have to be shaved?" a zora chef asked at a local outdoor restaurant on the beach.

"Keep going! Make sure it's good and thin!" Aviel said.

Link, Aviel, Nemsia, Togau and Reirousa were all sitting at a table at the restaurant, as Aviel was practically hovering over the zora, looking over what he was making with a large bowl of ice.

"No, no, you're doing it wrong! Make it look more like... uh... what snow is like!" Aviel pointed out.

"Oh, I see now!" the zora said with lit up eyes, going to work on the ice.

"Okay, now take that juice, add some sugar and pour it on!" Aviel instructed.

Eventually their little project was finished, and the zora went over to Link and the group's table and handed him each a bowl of the ice with a reddish-pink juice on them.

"Shaved ice? Heh, why am I not surprised Aviel would get the chef to make this?" Nemisa chuckled, looking to Aviel indulging in her bowl already.

"Alright! Let's dig in!" Link grinned, taking a small bite.

Reirousa took a small bite of hers and her eyes lit up in surprise, "H-Hey, this tastes like hydromelon!" she then started eating it faster.

"Uh, I wouldn't do that if I were yo-" Nemisa started, but was cut off by Reirousa's blank stare.

"GRAAAH! WHAT THE HELL?" Reirousa shouted, throwing back and clutching her head.

"Aaaand she got brain freeze!" Togau laughed out, "It's getting' ta be a rite of passage with all of us!"

"Huh, so this stuff actually sells?" the zora chef asked.

"Yup, even Sister Ruto likes it! Add this to the menu and the tourists will love it in the warm seasons! You can mix it with just about any kind of fruit juice too!" Aviel grinned.

"I see! Well thanks for the advice. I was going to be in the cooking competition for Princess Ruto but I was told to donate my food stock by order of the royal family." the zora sighed.

"Well don't you worry about it, King Zora has already said you boys will be compensated for your loses." Ambassador Oton said shuffling up to the restaurant stand with his cane, "What you did was important for the new Queen Ruto and they both thank you greatly for it."

"Hey Ambassador Oton, how's Ruto doing?" Link asked as Reirousa rolled by on the ground clutching her head in agony.

"She's doing just fine, getting fitted into her new queen's gown as we speak." Oton chuckled at the eager look in Link's eyes, "As for the competition though, we're not going to need it after all. Lady Nabooru recommended someone that suited the role perfectly!"

"Nabooru said that?" Link asked curiously, wondering who it was.

"She didn't get Sovan to do it did she?" Nemisa asked.

"Better not be, the diner wouldn't be the same without her!" Aviel said.

"No, no, someone a little more local." Oton said smiling.

Reirousa meanwhile was laying on the floor with her eyes turned to spirals and foam rising from her mouth from her brain freeze.

"Someone want to clean up the oaf down here?" Nemisa asked.

* * *

Meeting up with Kesuta and Korume on the way over, Oton led Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria, Togau, Reirousa, the twins to the royal cabana near the end of the beach, which was enclosed by a tall wooden fence. Upon arriving in an outdoor dinning yard, they were greeted by Nabooru and Sarami sitting at a long wooden table.

"Hi Nabooru, Dr Sarami, how's Ruto doing?" Link asked.

"Just fine, she's recovered quite well, and I couldn't find any serious physical side effects from what happened to her." Sarami said.

"I'll just warn you in advance that she's been itching to take you into bed tonight to break her new body in!" grinned Nabooru with a wink.

"Heh... looking forward to it." Link chuckled, "So I heard you got someone to help Ruto with her diet...?"

"Yep, take a look!" grinned Nabooru as she gestured over some distance away, where they saw a familiar indvidual going to work on the remaining food supply that had been meant for the cooking competition.

"Geeesosososo! Hello little ones, good to see you all!" laughed Big Momma Octo, she was using all eight of her tentacles to work on various parts of the cooking process; one tentacle was cutting vegetables, one was stirring a pot, one was kneading bread dough, that sort of thing.

"You got Momma Octo to handle it?" Link exclaimed, "And you're sure we can trust her?"

"Yes, the two of them had a chat on the way back to the coast, and Ms. Momma Octo decided to swear loyalty to the zora royal family when she returned. Nabooru vouched for her, pointing out she was only aiding the zola because they had kidnapped her child." Oton nodded.

"And I have you fiery little one to thank for saving him! I could kiss you for that!" she said to Kesuta, puckering her snout at her.

"I'll pass." Kesuta said throwing her hands up immediately, "So where's Ruto?"

"Right here everyone!" called out a voice that they all recognized as Ruto.

"Hello sweeties! Take a look at your our new queen's lovely wardrobe!" called out Mystic Heremon.

Ruto now wore a bluish-green gown that wrapped around her curvy figure down to her waist. The right side of the gown trailed all the way down to her knee, while the left side stopped just before her thigh, showing off her leg. She wore a silk cape that was done in the style of her father's, but made from light purple silk. She had glamorous bracelets on both arms, as well as a leg bracelet around her exposed thigh. She wore a dazzling tiara on her forehead, while the fin extensions hanging form her head had been wrapped near the bottom in white and blue ribbons. But what really caught Link's eye the most was the sapphire and silver necklace she wore around her neck, the very same one he bought her during the Desert Goddess Festival.

"She looks gorgeous!" gasped Nemisa.

"Dang, ya lookin' just like a real queen now Ruto!" Togau grinned.

"Naturally I would!" Ruto smirked with her nose stuck up in the air, she then delicately strolled down the cabana steps, the fin extensions on her head swaying left and right as she walked down, and went right up to Link, whose mouth was still hanging open. She grinned lightly and pushed his chin back up to close his mouth, "You enjoying yourself here at the beach, my darling?"

"Y-Yes!" Link said snapping out of his trance and looking her over, "Ruto, look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you... my dear husband." Ruto said a light blush, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "Now I hope you all haven't eaten anything too heavy today, because I'm inviting you all to feast with me!"

"Oh yes! Prepare yourselves, cause Momma has a huge platter to fill up all of you scrawny little things!" the giant octorok laughed.

"I-Is that so...?" Kesuta asked nervously, as the smells coming from the cooking were enticing her.

Ruto smiled and took Kesuta by her hands, "Come on sister, you earned it."

"O-Okay..."

Soon the group were seated around a long wooden table as the zora servants handed out the various foods Momma Octo prepared. It was multiple different trays of seafood, as well as a few beef, cucco and fried potato dishes.

"Wow, this is a lot!" Link said with wide eyes, then looked to Ruto, "I don't think even I could finis-"

He was cut off seeing the amount of food in front of Ruto's part of the table. While he and his friends were given platters to pick and choose their fill, she had been given her own personal portions, and there was multiple plates of food around her, even one plate with a giant grilled fish that looked bigger then Ruto herself was.

"Well I don't know if it's enough to make up for what I've done." Big Momma Octo said wiping her brow, "But hopefully this will help you with your new diet, Queen Ruto!"

"Hey, hang on a second, how is she supposed to eat all of that?" Nemisa exclaimed.

"It's okay, her metabolism requires it! Until her powers are properly stabilized this will be her mandatory diet for a while." said Mystic Heremon.

"Dang, and here I thought Link was a big eater." Togau said with wide eyes.

"Hmm... I'm still not quite sure if I can eat all of this..." Ruto spoke hesitantly, she took a small portion of one dish with a fork and delicately tasted it.

Everyone paused and watched as she ate it slowly, before her eyes widened, an brought a hand to her mouth.

"Ruto?" Kesuta asked, worried it might had been poisoned or something.

"This is... delicious!" Ruto said cheerfully, as she went to town on the meal before her.

Everyone stood there blankly as they saw Ruto eat plate and plate within minutes, then go right for the next one without even stopping. The giant grilled fish was practically swallowed whole by her before she took a drink of water and went back to eating the next dish.

"I don't know if I could eat at this point..." Korume muttered with an uneasy look in her eyes.

"Hey, if anything I'm gonna take it as a challenge! Time ta chow down!" Togau cheered out, lifting up a fork and knife. She had changed herself into her Lynel form so she could have a bigger appetite and eat more of the platter.

"That's cheating Togau!" Aviel protested with her mouth half full.

The others realizing Ruto wasn't going to stop to talk or anything, just went ahead and ate from their own platters.

Within about an hour, everyone had just about finished, and looked with astonishment to see Ruto's part of the table was now picked completely clean, and the zora girl was delicately dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. Despite the absurd amount of food she had eaten, her figure didn't look the slightest bit different.

"H-How did you even do that Ruto...?" Nemisa said with her jaw dropped.

"I was a bit surprised myself, but my escalated appetite is just a temporary side effect from being infused with my powers." Ruto said with a smirk, then let out a loud and long belch before covering her mouth, "Oh, excuse me!"

"Link, can you believe this?" Nemisa asked, only to see Link stroking his chin with a grin.

"Looks like I got some competition in eating." Link grinned, "Not complaining though, I love my fellow gluttons."

Nemisa was a little bewildered at how casually Link took it at first, but then shrugged and smiled, knowing that this wasn't anything weird as far as their family was concerned after all.

"Her mother went through the same thing when she completed her rite." Heremon said, "And she was such a prim and proper dear as the queen!"

"Lucky her..." Sarami muttered with a pout, as she was still trying her hardest to diet, but kept giving into temptations like the food plate before her.

"So just to keep up with everyone, does this mean Ruto's the official queen now?" Aviel asked.

"Not right away, there's still some legal procedures to jump through with the Hylian Parliament first." Ruto said, "Lots of paperwork and all that, it's definitely not as simple of a bunch of hoops to jump through as me and the boys did over at the Zora Grand Prix!"

"Yes, I could understand. Me and Halei just finished sending out the paperwork for Link to be recognized as the Gerudo King a month ago." Nabooru said, "We should be getting confirmation from them shortly."

"I don't get all the legal mumbo jumbo, but I'm just glad we're making progress." Link said, biting into a cream-covered roll for dessert, "I'm looking forward to the meeting, Darunia's already given us his full support as well."

"And I'll be representing the Kokiri." Saria said, "Even Lady Impa's said she'll put in a word for us."

"I hope our alliance will make things go easier for you then. The Gerudo deserve to make themselves heard to those blowhards!" Ruto said.

"Well thank you for everything you've done for us, Princ- I mean, Queen Ruto." Nabooru said.

"Anything for my family." Ruto nodded. It was then the new zora queen took a small glance at Kesuta, who quickly looked back down at the remains of the food on her plate she was picking at, and Ruto just smiled a little at the fire mystic.

* * *

The day continued to pass, as Link and everyone had a fine day at Zora Coast, they played in the water, they all watched the beautiful sunset, had a bonfire later that night, and eventually everything wound down. The group soon all went ahead to the guest cabanas to wash up and get to bed for the night.

Link himself had just returned from his shower, wearing a bathrobe and with a towel hanging off his shoulder, going down the wooden walkway to his room.

"Oh Darling...!" Ruto called out, getting Link's attention, he turned to see the zora queen strolling up to him, "Did you have a fun time today?"

"Course, it was a blast." Link grinned, "Heremon told me you just finished your dinner while we were out. Is Big Momma Octo working out for you as your new personal chef?"

"She's wonderful, and such a dear!" Ruto said cheerfully, "This whole process is only temporary, but I'm going to enjoy eating like this with you and Togau for a while!"

"That's great. So I was just wondering..." Link trailed off suggestively, "If you've already digested your meal, are you ready for a little fun before bed...?"

"Oh yes of course! I can't wait to see how you take to me with my new look!" Ruto put a hand to her hip and giggled, bringing a hand up and stroking her new head fin which hung down like a ponytail. She then paused a little and glanced behind herself, "Oh Kesuta, you can come out dear!"

"Um.. keeheehee..." Kesuta laughed sheepishly, coming out from between two cabanas, and walking up to the two, "I was just going to see if Link might had been interested in a night with me and sis or something, but if you got him for tonight that's oka-"

That was when Ruto took Kesuta's hands, surprising the mystic and causing her to blush red.

"I have a better idea, how about you join us tonight instead?" Ruto asked with a knowing smile, "Do you mind Link?"

"Eeehh?" Kesuta exclaimed.

"Not at all." Link grinned, as Ruto pulled Kesuta over and Link brought his arms over the two of them, guiding them both into his cabana room.

* * *

"Uh, you two sure about letting me join in...?" Kesuta asked embarrassed as the three walked into Link's cabana. She saw the bed was indeed big enough for the three of them. She then took a glance over at the zora queen. The moonlight was shining through the window, and it reflected off Ruto's wet scaly form, making certain spots of her body illuminate beautifully.

"Of course Kesuta, you've had experience sharing our husband with Korume, right?" Ruto pointed out, "Nemisa even told me how she shared him with Togau back at the hot springs, so he's well-equipped for the two of us!"

"Yeah, but..." Kesuta said looking away, "It was one thing with my twin identical sister... but you're a lot more beautiful now then you used to be, you're almost like a water goddess yourself... I... dunno if I can really compare..."

"Don't say that Kesuta, you're gorgeous in your own ways." Link smiled, kissing her on the cheek.

"Yes, you better listen to him! Don't forget, you're going to become a beautiful queen yourself, you'll get all those lovely perks that come with it, and you and I will be equals!" Ruto giggled, referring to the words Kesuta said to Nemisa a while back about the royal life.

"Y-Yeah..." Kesuta said with a light smile, as Link and Ruto both led her to the bed.

The three of them all got on top of the soft bed, sitting up on their knees. Despite their encouraging words, Kesuta still seemed a bit awkward about what they were about to do.

"So uh, how do you want to start with thi-" Kesuta started, but was cut off by Ruto taking Kesuta by the shoulder and pulling her into a mouth-to-mouth kiss. The fire mystic Gerudo's eyes became the size of dinner plates from how much passion Ruto put into it.

"W-Wow." Link said with his jaw dropped as Ruto broke the kiss with Kesuta and licked her lips.

"That's for yesterday." giggled Ruto, "But I think there's a certain someone who needs to kiss the both of us now, right?"

"Yeah." grinned Link, as he pulled the stunned Kesuta into a kiss. The fire mystic got back her senses, enjoying the warmth of Link's lips and kissed him back. When they broke the kiss for air, it gave Ruto a chance to kiss Link as well. Soon enough the three of them started making out with each other as they fell back against the bed...

And the three of them shared a lovely night together, under the luminous moon shining over the coastline.

* * *

Some time had past, and Link was laying back on the bed with his arms folded behind his head, with Ruto and Kesuta on opposite sides of him. Ruto trailed her finger along his chest, while Kesuta was holding him close to her.

"So did you girls enjoy it?" Link asked.

"Amazing as ever Link." Ruto said laying her head against him, "You weren't too bad yourself Kesuta, we're going to have to do this together more often, maybe even get your sister involved if she wants."

"Thank you..." Kesuta grinned, hugging Link closely.

"I'm really happy to see you two get along. Still don't know what it is that made you squabble so much to begin with." Link said.

"Not really sure myself." Kesuta said, "Sometimes I just can't hep myself, like it just came naturally."

"Naturally, huh...?" Link pondered. He took a look to Kesuta and Ruto and thought about it for a while, "Hey, you don't think it's because..."

"Because...?" Ruto asked raising an eyebrow.

"Kesuta's a fire elemental, and you're a water manipulator..." Link said, "You don't think it's because the two of you react with each other like fire is to water...?"

There was a moment of silence, before the two of Link's fiances faulted over, groaning out loud at how bad Link's observation was, while the Hylian just burst out laughing at their reaction.

"Oh come on, it's cute!" Link said in his defense.

"That's it darling, you are SO dead!" Ruto said, grabbing a pillow and whacking him with it.

"Ack!" Link said, defending himself from the pillow assault, until Ruto accidentally whacked Kesuta as well. The two of them sat there as Kesuta twitched a bit with the pillow on her face.

"Okay, it's on now!" Kesuta said, pulling away the pillow and sporting a sadistic grin, as she took the pillow and started whacking Ruto with it. The two girls started laughing and giggling as they started having a pillow fight.

'Really glad to see them get along.' Link thought to himself again, only to get whacked in the face with both pillows. The girls both grinned smugly, before Link grabbed a pillow of his own, "Okay then, you both asked for it!"

The three of them then engaged in a fun and wild battle with soft pillowy weapons of doom, accompanied by much laughing and screaming. Even as intimate as they could get, Link and his fiances would still always find time to just have regular stupid fun like this.

It eventually ended with all three of them laying back on the bed worn out, and their pillows discarded.

"So uh, who won that?" Kesuta asked.

"I dunno, I lost count at some point." Ruto said, "Who won Link?"

"Um, I didn't even know we were supposed to keep score?" Link asked curiously.

As the other two thought about that, Kesuta turned over to look at Ruto, and took in her new form again.

"You know, back when I was training to enhance my powers and take on my fiery form, I was a bit nervous about what I would become." Kesuta said to the two of them, "I was told about the risks of using my elemental power to transform, if I didn't do it right my body could have become pure fire and been snuffed out of existence, or the possibility of me becoming a fire spirit monster and losing my mentality... Then I saw what you were going through, when you started swelling up and didn't recognize any of us... it was like all my old fears of what could happen to me were happening to you..."

Link was a little surprised at hearing this about Kesuta, as Ruto just stared at Kesuta, who kept talking.

"What I'm saying is I was really worried for you Ruto." Kesuta said sadly, "I didn't want to lose you, not just for Link's sake, but for me and everyone. You're our beloved sister."

"...thank you Kesuta." Ruto smiled warmly.

"Love can really drive you to do things you never thought were possible. I know that feeling more then most." Link nodded.

In that moment he thought back to a time in the dark future, where he stood before a certain woman. He took a breath and told her something with all his courage, and she replied by sported a somewhat sad smile and nodded, before bringing up a blue ocarina to her lips and starting to play it...

But then Link was pulled out of those thoughts by Ruto tickling at his pointy ear as Kesuta running her hand across his bare chest.

"Well then, why not prove that by showing your love to your goddess of water again?" Ruto grinned, now reaching up and kissing him.

"As well as your love for your mystic sorceress of fiery arcane!" Kesuta rhymed, as she kissed at his neck.

"Sounds good." Link nodded, pulling the two girls against him, their contrasting feelings of warmth and coolness was quite a sensation.

It didn't take long before the three of them then fell back onto the bed, and got right back to their business from earlier...

* * *

_**That ends this week's chapter, but there's still one more for this arc before we move on. **_

_**I found in reading 'harem' genre stories how often the lead girls are very disconnected from each other. Often they're little more then just rivals or enemies for the main character's affection, sometimes even in the stories where it does end in a 'marry them all' situation. One thing I knew I wanted to do going into this story was have the girls bond together with themselves as much as Link, which was why there was such an emphasis on Kesuta and Ruto in this story. The girls aren't just a concubine for Link, they're all a family that love each other as much as their mutual husband.  
**_

_**Next time Link and Ruto discuss what's been going on in Hyrule, and we finally get to meet the ones behind the Gerudo Banishment Law, and just what could possibly be in store for Link and his people in the future...**_

_**As always, leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure, your feedback is always encouraged and supported!**_


	71. The Hylian Parliament

_**Hello everyone, it's time for Chapter 71, and things are about to get more intense!**_

* * *

"Come on Link, wake up already!" Aviel said. 

"Don't wanna." Link said.

"You heard my man. Leave us alone, Birdbrain." Kesuta muttered, hugging Link and snuggling against him.

"No way! You two aren't gonna waste today!" Aviel protested, grabbing both of them by the legs and yanking on them.

"Leggo my leg you little twerp!" Kesuta said, wiggling her leg to try and break free of her.

It was the morning of the last day at Zora Coast to celebrate Ruto becoming the new queen of the zora, as well as the alliance between the zora and the gerudo. Ruto had already gotten herself up to go prepare for her breakfast, while Aviel had been tasked with dragging Link and Kesuta out of bed to join everyone.

"Okay, that's it!" Aviel said with gleaming eyes as she turned her arms into bird wings by the use of her Roc's Wing, then jumped on the two and started tickling them all over with her feathers.

"Keeehehehehehehe!" Damnit you little- keeehehehehe!" Kesuta giggled like crazy from the sensation.

"Ahahahaha, Aviel, quit it!" Link shouted in tears as he was laughing too hard.

"No way, submit to my will!" Aviel laughed out as she made no effort to stop.

Just when Link and Kesuta thought they had enough, the tickling mysteriously stopped, and they both looked up to see Aviel's upper body wrapped up in green vines.

"Would you three hurry up already? Ruto wants you all over to eat as soon as possible!" said a small voice behind Aviel.

"Saria?" Link exclaimed, before he and Kesuta were bound by vines as well, as it turned out Saria was using her Deku Staff to tie them all up so sh could get them out of bed.

"Hey, no fair!" Kesuta shouted.

"Now come on already!" Saria said in a bossy fit, as she led the three of them out of the cabana to the dining yard.

"Yes master." Link said annoyed as he yawned and allowed Saria to guide him out.

"She's lucky I don't set these vines on fire." Kesuta pouted following him.

"I need to get me one of those staffs." Aviel said.

* * *

After they all arrived, Link and everyone sat the same dining table they were at for lunch yesterday, as Big Momma Octo, along with Sovan, handed out the omelets, sausage and hash browns they had prepared.

"There you go everyone, eat up!" grinned Sovan, spinning her spatula in her hand.

"Gladly!" Togau said, already gobbling down her food.

"I'd like to say to everyone, thank you for all your hard work on this outing." Nabooru said, "It's because we banded together that Sister Ruto is well and our alliance with the Zora is secure!"

"At this rate, we'll be meeting with the Hylian Parliament in no time!" Saria said smiling, as she took a piece of sausage she had seasoned and put it on Link's plate so he could try out the combination. He took a bite and his eyes dazzled at the taste, making Saria giggle at his enthusiasm.

"You know, there was some tough times, but I really enjoyed this trip." Aviel said, "Any chance we can come back out here again soon?"

"Well what do you think Ruto?" Nabooru asked with a smirk, "I know King Zora made this exception just for the alliance, but you think we can take a trip out here again sometime?"

"Oh of course!" giggled Ruto, looking up from her large meal, "Zopem, Luva and everyone will be delighted to see you all again!"

Soon enough, everyone finished their meals except for Ruto. As the others got up to head to the beach one last time, Link decided to stay behind to sit with the zora queen.

"What did you want darling?" Ruto asked after swallowing her food, "Why don't you go off with the girls and have some more fun before you go back to the desert?"

"Nah, I'm fine here for now. Besides, I thought there's something you'd enjoy doing." Link chuckled, taking Ruto's fork from her and using it to lift up a portion of breaded fish to her.

Ruto's eyes lit up in happiness, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, and he started feeding her what was on her plate. On occasion when the two ate together in the past she'd try to get him to feed her, though even now he never really understood what she liked about it. Regardless, it made her happy, so he went along with it. As he pulled the fork away from her youth, her tongue slowly wrapped a little around it to savor the lingering flavor on it, and Link blushed at seeing just how into it she was.

'I wonder if it just tastes better to her this way...?' Link thought as he cut a piece of sausage and took a small bite himself.

"Darling, keep going." she said with her eyes closed and her mouth open, and he quickly went back to feeding her.

Eventually Ruto's breakfast came to an end and she cleaned off her face, taking a drink of water and sighed out, rubbing her slim stomach. Link still couldn't for the life of him fugue out how she could pack so much food away now without any difficulty, but seeing the content look on her face was all he needed to know.

"That was marvelous, thank you for the royal treatment Link." she said blissfully, leaning against him.

"So how's your new power from the rite feeling?" Link asked as he held her.

"It seems to be holding up quite well." Ruto said, raising her hand and gazing at some water forming around it, then firing a shot into the air over the fence. "Too bad I didn't have this level of power back during that one incident we were in."

"You mean back at Lake Hylia with Morpha?" Link asked.

"Well yes I suppose, but I mean that other incident in particular. You remember it don't you? When you, me and Chief Darunia got caught up in that enormous battle?" she said.

"Oh right, now I know what you mean!" Link said, "Yeah, it was a trying time... I don't think I can ever forget what happened..."

It was then Ruto saw the sad look in his eyes, she paused for a few seconds in confusion, before she realized what was wrong and gasped out.

"Oh right! I'm sorry Link... I forgot how hard of a time it was for you in particular!" she said desperately trying to comfort him.

"No, no, it's okay. It's taken a while, but time healed a bit of it. You and Darunia were a big help to me during that time, as well as all the others... especially her..." Link smiled with a reminiscent look in his eyes..

"Hmph, that girl was sweet, but I think at times she was a little TOO much help to you!" Ruto said folding her arms and looking away pouting, "She was far too clingy with you for some reason!"

"Oh like you're one to talk." grinned Link, "I still remember the way you were checking out that one knight while we were there!"

"W-Well he reminded me of you in some ways, except older. That's all!" Ruto said blushing, "Besides, as I recall you were also looking a lot at that other lady as well!"

"Ah yeah, she reminded me a lot of Princess Zelda." grinned Link, "She was even skilled in the use of the rapier too. Lady Impa told me about how Zelda's still using hers after all this time."

He paused on that note, holding Ruto closely as ran his hand along her new head fin, taking that moment to gaze up at the morning sun starting to rise up over the fence.

"Speaking of which, is what Nabooru told me true, about how Princess Zelda's married to the Prince of Fargent now?" Link asked.

Ruto took a small glance over at Link and saw the stare in his eyes as he looked out at the sky. She frowned a little and spoke up.

"Yes that's right, me and Daddy attended the wedding. Zelda mentioned she wanted to invite you to it as well, but the Hylian Parliament weren't too eager to allow just anyone to attend it because of everything going on as of recently." Ruto said.

"I see..." Link whispered, "Have you seen her since then...?"

"Indeed I have." nodded Ruto smiling lightly, "She seems to be doing just fine. I've known Zelda since we were children, so I admit I was pretty concerned for her as far as this marriage went since it was arranged for her."

"Yeah, I know how you feel about arranged marriages. You mentioned you turned down all those suitors for my sake." Link said.

"Mm-hmm, I've always thought that a woman should be allowed to follow her heart, regardless of their rank or duty or whatever." Ruto nodded, "But from the way Zelda spoke to me, she seems pretty happy with her marriage to the prince. And I think you'll be quite happy to see her again when you finally come for the Parliament meeting."

"Glad to hear that, I'm looking forward to it." Link nodded, "So do you know at all what he's like? The prince I mean?"

"He didn't speak much during the wedding, I think he was trying to maintain an air of professionalism, but he seems like a kind, good-looking man. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't hold a blue candle to you in my eyes Link-darling, but he does seem to be seeing to Zelda's happiness and well-being." Ruto said.

"...I see." nodded Link.

"Oh that reminds me! Zelda's nanny Lady Impa wanted me to tell you... " Ruto paused for a second, sporting a stern expression and folding her arms, before speaking in a stern, deeper voice, "'Hello, young hero! I trust you're keeping up with your training!'"

"Heh, were you trying to mimic her just now? That's not a bad impression." Link snickered in amusement.

"Now she probably wouldn't want me to tell you this right away, buuut I can't help myself." Ruto said with a mischievous grin, "From what I heard and saw, Lady Impa is with child now!"

Link's eyes widened as he felt his heart jump, "O-Oh, is that so...? Good for her!"

"Hee hee, no need to play innocent with me Link-darling, Lady Nabooru already told me all about you meeting with Impa over at the Goron City hot springs." smirked Ruto, "I'm aware she's the last of the Sheikah, and I think it's rather sweet of you to give her a child!"

"Well I did get something out of it too." Link grinned a little, rubbing the back of his head as he thought about that night, "I'm glad to hear it worked out, she really wanted to be a mother, and that child will be essential to the future of her people."

"Indeed," Ruto said a small smile, poking at Link's nose, "And when the day comes that you and I have children, I hope we can build a great future for them as well."

"Yeah," Link smiled and put his hand over Ruto's, to which she squeezed it lightly, "I hope so too."

"Hey Link, Ruto!" called out a voice, it was Kesuta walking up to them, "Still hanging around here, huh? Did you two wanna go shopping with me and sis?"

"Sounds great! I've been wanting to get some nice clothes to fit my new body!" Ruto said smiling, finishing the last of her breakfast and getting up before looking to Link, "Come along, our loyal pack mule!"

"Okay, okay." Link said rolling his eyes, when a thought occurred to him, "Hang on Kesuta, I thought you said you spent all your souvenir money on day one."

"It's okay, I helped myself to a bit of the treasure over at the pirate's hideout!" grinned Kesuta, holding up a bag of rupees.

"Oh you fiery little devil!" giggled Ruto, hooking her arm around Kesuta's, "Get a move on Link, judging from the size of this pouch, you're going to have a lot of carry!"

"Hooboy." Link sighed as he followed obediently after them.

* * *

Late that very night, far off from the joyous celebration at Zora Coast, stood the great Hyrule Castle, the home of the royal Hyrulian family, overlooking the normally bustling marketplace of Hyrule Market Town. Due to it being so late though, very few people were out.

Inside the castle itself, most of the servants were working on final cleaning and preparations before settling in the night, but there was one room in particular that was quite busy.

Far down the great halls of the castle, was one large circular room with a round table in the center, and surrounded by multiple chairs. Hung from the ceilings were tall, long tapestries embroidered with Hyrulian text and symbols depicting various tribes throughout Hyrule, each tapestry was hanging over a specific seat in the room.

Among them included a tapestry with the Triforce and a crown embedded on it for the Hyrulian King. Beside it was once the seat for the queen, but now belonged to Princess Zelda, and beside that was a tapestry labeled with ancient Sheikah markings and the symbol of shadows on it, and was reserved for the Sheikah tribe, and belonged to the last of their people, Lady Impa.

"So we're at an agreement then?" spoke a voice.

"For once, yes. Go on ahead, boys." said another.

Seven individuals sat at the table under their own tapestries, as two servants were at work hanging up a new red tapestry before they unraveled it, causing it to come down and reveal itself to have the Goron symbol of Death Mountain.

"So it is with this day that the Gorons have secured a seat at our table." spoke one voice, then gestured to a servant, "Please notify Chieftain Darunia that his request has been met, and he may meet with us as soon as possible to discuss what he intends to do with his place here."

The servant bowed and ran off to relay the message, passing by someone who he bowed to as well on his way out. The seven individuals stared at each other from across the round table as they waited for the new person to speak to them.

"Please excuse my intrusion, but I have message for you all." spoke up the new person. It was Princess Zelda's nanny, Lady Impa. She was currently wearing a dark purple maiden's gown, a great contrast from her usual Sheikah stealth jumpsuit that she usually wore.

"Ah Lady Impa, I see you're still on business despite your condition?" asked a silky feminine voice from the round table.

Impa paused and looked down, seeing the pregnant bump of her stomach. She placed a hand on it and rubbed it lightly, "I have devoted myself to the royal family for as long as I deem necessary, and I'll give my temporary leave of absence when I feel it's needed, thank you. Now as for my report, I have a message delivered from the Zora people. It would seem that Princess Ruto has officially completed her rite of passage and will be recognized as the new Zora Queen soon."

"That's good news, I admit I was worried about her when I heard what the circumstances were regarding the ceremonial rite." an older woman's voice spoke from the round table.

"I'll be looking forward to speaking with her then. She seems so much more refined then that bumbling king of theirs." said a man's voice as he was putting on some gloves, "The queen was a fine ruler but after her passing her husband wasn't a particularly good replacement. Hopefully their daughter fares better."

Impa narrowed her eyes, but then smirked as she continued, "Another matter with the zoras is that their representatives have met with and spoke to Lady Nabooru and the Gerudo people, and have agreed to an alliance with them."

The Parliament's eyes widened in shock from this news. They all seemed to look somewhat uneasy, one in particular furthered his brow, leaning forward on the table.

"Y-You gotta be kidding me, them too?" one man stammered.

"How on earth did that happen?!" shouted the feminine voice, "The zora and gerudo are practically opposites!"

"This has to a trick of some kind!" said another member of the table.

"..."

"Settle down, all of you, or he'll yell at us again!" exclaimed a particular tall man.

Impa chuckled under her breath. She had been eager for the moment she could drop this news on the Hylian Parliament, and it was just the reaction she had hoped for. She had already mentioned the Goron's alliance with the Gerudo shortly after her trip to Death Mountain, but they weren't as bothered as they were now to see more tribes were stepping up on behalf of the desert people.

"I see..." muttered one man facing away from Impa, "Very well, thank you for your hard work Lady Impa. You are dismissed."

Impa nodded and turned to leave, though her walking was starting to be a little less graceful as before thanks to the ever-increasing weight from her child.

Once Impa was gone, the Parliament all sat without a word to say. There was a heavy silence among them, and the only sound was coming from some torches crackling above the table.

"This is indeed growing troublesome..." muttered one of the members of the parliament, "The Gerudo have been quickly gathering allies, and the longer we wait, the more support they'll get. I've even heard rumors the forest folk known as the Kokiri are in talk with the Gerudo about an alliance with them."

"To think I always thought their existence was just a myth." said another one, "But apparently they just came out of hiding some time after the capture of Ganondorf."

"To be fair, it's because of our delayed response to these matters that we're in this mess to begin with." said the older woman, "We ignored the requests for assistance from the Zoras to deal with the water demon Morpha at Lake Hylia, and then there was that ghost monster that the Gorons had spoke about in Death Mountain. Chief Darunia mentioned that the situation has already been dealt with."

"Are you getting too old, or do you forget we have our reasons?" said a member of the table, "Your mystics said that Morpha would be out of control that day, so we had no choice but to move the patrol knights our of there. It would had been disastrous for our reputation if it was believed the knights stood no chance against that thing!"

"And yet the Gerudo seemed to have handled the situation just fine, as well as the situation at Death Mountain." the older woman retorted, "Don't forget it's because of our failure to respond to the crisis with the Gorons that we had to push to give them a seat in the Parliament to keep business with them."

"Hmph, I didn't even consider the idea the Gerudo would had aided them in that matter." said one member, "We still aren't even sure how they got past the border without detection."

"Well isn't this simple then? We know enough information from our sources that the Gerudo have trespassed on Hylian soil, shouldn't that be enough to have them all arrested?" asked another of the people at the table, who was in the middle of polishing a gold rupee, "I say we just place arrests and throw them all into Arbiter's Grounds along with that new king of theirs, yogogogo!" he added with a laugh.

"Unfortunately that's not possible!" one of the men said, slamming a small hammer he was holding to the table. The man sat up straight and tapped the hammer in his hand. He was an exceptionally tall Hylian clad in a black muumuu with a white stripe going straight down the middle. His shoulders were covered in bronze pads with a chain connected to both that lead down to a golden scale-shaped necklace. He also wore a powered wig, and he seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face..

This was Judge Isambard, the head of judicial law and order of Hyrule, and seat number five in the Hylian Parliament. Once a run-of-the-mill knight of the guard, he quickly gained a knowledge of all the crimes in Hyrule from experience and eventually started campaigns for new policies, until he finally got into his position.

"As pointed out by Princess Zelda in the last meeting, the law states that a Gerudo can only be detained for trespassing if a Hylian knight or citizen witnesses and properly reports it! We weren't counting on the citizens being so uncooperative with our policies!" Isambard said.

"Grumph, then I say we just storm Gerudo Valley and crush those desert rats..." grumbled one man who wore heavy bronze armor and a centenarian helmet. His eyes were shadowed by his helmet, and he had a large spear strapped to his back, "Power is all they understand as demonstrated by their former leader Ganondorf, so we'll demonstrate it just as we did in the war eight years ago!"

This was Captain Andreas of Hylian Military Services, and sixth seat of the Parliament. He had a reputation of being a merciless but skilled leader on the battlefield, and survived horrific battles that were deemed impossible to come out of. He took the position he was in after the death of Captain Gereminus during the war against the Gerudo at the hands of Reirousa's friend Hiraemo.

"Ooh, I love when you try to flex your authority like that, as pointless as it is. It's so entertaining, loohuhuhu!" giggled the silky feminine voice, it belonged to a beautiful mature woman clad in a skin-tight red dress that showed off her curves. She wore a small hat with a fishnet that hung over her eyes and nose. Her lips were a crimson red and she sported a white pearly smile as she drank from her martini glass, "Just get it through your hard head how the people of Hyrule will react to something like that, it would lead to revolts against us!"

This was Countess Roesia of Hylian Public Relations, and held seat number three of the Parliament. She once had a husband who was part of the counsel, but people often criticized his attitude to neighboring tribes. During that time he fell into a whirlwind romance and marriage with Roesia, but shortly after that he reportedly died of poisoning by an assassin. With her new estate and her charisma among the nobles, Roesia quickly rose up in fame and claimed her late husband's position.

"Speaking of pointless, why do we even have you on the Parliament, Countess?" spoke another man, "You're supposed to be addressing to the people about their recent protesting in regards to those slaves who were freed last year!"

The man was clad in green regal clothing and pure white gloves, along with a monocle on his eye. He took a glass of water and drank from it, before noticing a small stain from the glass and throwing away his gloves. He then gestured to a servant for a new pair to put on.

This was Marquess Haralden, head of Hylian Foreign Affairs and seat two in the Parliament. About eight years ago he was known as Sir Haralden, and was one of the most imperative people in the creation of the Gerudo Banishment Law. Before his promotion to the Parliament he took direct part in many inquires into Gerudo deportation. But despite his skill, he was still tricked by Togau who was covering for Malon back at Lon Lon Ranch back when she was a child.

Putting on a fresh pair of gloves, Haralden continued, "Damn servants don't know how to keep a glass clean, I should have them put to death for possible contamination."

"So you were saying before you started ranting about the big bad germs?" Roesia asked with a smirk.

"Yes, I was saying that my officer Lieutenant Ernoldus is supposed to be recognized as the one who brought down the slavers known as the Wyvern Keepers. There's been an uncomfortable amount of doubt in the people's minds after one of the former slaves admitted the Gerudo had freed them, and the people have been questioning the law in regrades to the Gerudo's banishment!"

"You think you have it tough Haralden? It's thanks to the Gerudo taking out the slavers that it's been affecting our connections to the black market!" said another man. He had a very round figure with skinny arms and legs. His mustache was crooked into a v shape on both sides. He wore a sparkling gold suit with a long skinny top hat on his bald head. He was busy rubbing down a gold rupee before him, before taking a moment to admire it's shine.

This was Duke Geronim of Wealth and Finances, and position number four in the Parliament. He pulled the land of Hyrule out of a crippling debt with a foreign land after the war with the Gerudo, and secured his position in the Parliament. Though there were rumors the papers were manipulated and forged, no one could actually prove it.

"Our connections allowed us to monitor the black market and take a fair amount of revenue from their profits, but after the Wyvern Keepers were brought down it's put us in a bind." Geronim muttered.

"Just that can't be the only problem." spoke Haralden, "Not even you can mess up our country's finances that badly."

"No worse then the way you handle our immigration by the sounds of the Gerudo managing to slip through your sterilized hands." Duke Geromin said, "There's also the matter of the numerous noblemen who have been paying us donations are reporting that a number of their... shall I say 'horses' have been abducted in the night, along with some of their possessions and wealth in the process."

"Really, 'horses', huh? I assume these 'horses' weren't from Lon Lon Ranch but obtained through the Wyvern Keepers?" Marquess Haralden asked.

"...I'm not saying another word on that matter." Geronim muttered, "But the fact that they're all being targeted like this leads me to wonder how they're being tracked down like this, eh Haralden?" the round man asked.

"Wait, what's this about?" asked the old woman.

"It's... in regards to the actions of my subordinate Lieutenant Ernoldus, he mentioned he had a list of the 'horses' given to him and he destroyed it so as not to get the noblemen in trouble." Haralden sighed, "Seems a certain group may still have a copy of the list. Unfortunately, trying to expose them for that would be problematic since we shouldn't know about the list's existence."

"As I said before, we're in a bit of finical bind at the moment due to all this. We may need to raise taxes with the people of Hyrule Town to cover those losses, not that I'm complaining, yogogogo!" Geronim laughed.

"You do that and the people will retaliate more then they are already you idiot!" snapped the older woman, who sat at her chair, her body height was short the table would had almost obscured her, if not for the tall purple bishop hat she wore. She also wore a matching purple cloak with religious markings lining it, as well as a necklace decorated with small replicas of the three Spiritual Stones decorating it.

This was Minister Odleh of Religious and Supernatural Affairs, seat number seven in the Parliament, and one of the top mystics of the royal family. It was said she was one of the main mystics who aided the royal family in thwarting Ganondorf's attempted attack on the castle and getting him captured nine years ago. Such a great success earned her a place among the Parliament.

"I do agree as far as the Wyvern Keeper's defeat though, it was due to them that we were able to keep better track over the powerful and dangerous black market items they were procuring and selling. We're still not sure who helped the slavers rebuild all those years ago after the death of Monsieur Adulph exposed and dismantled them, but it had given us the opportunity to have more eyes into their affairs." Odleh said.

"I still can't believe we actually were allowing the black market and slaver organizations to go on without my notice, that vastly unjust!" shouted Judge Isambard, banging his hammer on the table.

"Ugh, it's exactly because of that we didn't mention it." Countess Roesia said covering her ears, "Now quit smacking the table, you're giving me a headache!"

"If it's not his hammer causing your headache, it's your indulgence in those drinks of yours." muttered Marquess Haralden.

"You say that again and I'll have Duke Geronim wipe a booger on your clothes..." said Roesia coldly.

"Hey! My hygiene is perfect!" Geronim interjected as he was picking his nose.

It wasn't long until each of the Parliament started interjecting on what to do about the various situations going on. The six of them all were trying to force their perspective on the others, all the while one of the members was siting still and calm with their arms folded. The sole person clenched their teeth, having enough of this.

"Enough, this is getting us all nowhere like usual!" finally shouted the man, standing himself up, and making the others immediately stop talking and sit back down.

The sole person sitting up was the final member of the Parliament. He was a tall bulky man, clad in a white suit and a red tie, with a rose decorating his suit. His hair was done into a short black pompadour. He had a thin mustache and flat goatee that decorated his face.

In front of him was a set of wooden titles from a game called mahjong, and he was arranging them in a double stack, with three-to-four identical pieces together. He then took a tile and placed it down, before saying the word, "Pung." indicating he completed a match.

This was Governor Balterius, seat number one and leader of the Hylian Parliament. His authority placed him only second to the king himself as the ruler of Hyrule. Not much was known about him by the people, or even the Parliament themselves, though his strength and authority made him the most powerful in rank of the seven.

"We'll worry about the legal loopholes of the Gerudo's punishment later, don't forget what our priority is as the Hylian Parliament, helping the king to protect the people at all costs." Balterius spoke, "And dealing with the Gerudo is one of them, you all know why that must be."

There was an awkward pause as all the members contemplated what he said.

"Ugh... he's right..." muttered General Andreas.

"The one thing I think we can all agree on..." spoke Duke Geronim.

Minister Odleh meanwhile stared down with a grim and pained look in her eyes, "Yes, we can't allow what he did to be for nothing..."

"Exactly." Governor Balterius sat back down and put the tips of his fingers together, leaning forward on them, "There's also a matter that we became aware of about a month ago, in regards to the meeting with Lady Nabooru of Gerudo Town about a peace treaty. It would seem the rumors circulating about them are true, they have selected a new king, and he wishes to be a part of this meeting as well when the time comes."

"Oh wow, a new king, how fascinating!" Countess Roesia giggled, "Is he a handsome one?"

"What does that have to do with anything, you damn gold digger?" Duke Geronim asked sweatdropping.

Marquess Haralden spoke up, "We've received numerous requests from Lady Nabooru for an audience with us, but I've been making a point to turn them down. Lately however with the pressure coming from the people, the Gorons and Zoras, I'm afraid we may have no choice but to allow them here to talk. I will admit they did good to go through all the legal work to be approved."

"So just who is this new king?" Andreas asked, tapping his finger against his arm.

"He's the one I spoke to you all about before, the one who was reported to have worked with the Gerudo in taking down Morpha, the Wyvern Keepers, the phantom monster in Death Mountain, and if what I've been told is correct, he may have had an involvement in Ganondorf's arrest."

Balterius placed a tile between two more, completing the part of the wall he had made.

"The young Hylian man known as Link."

The others all sat in silence, each of them narrowing their eyes coldly in their own ways at the mention of his name.

"That boy again..." Judge Isambard muttered.

"I have no official source on this, but I've heard rumors myself that he may even be connected to the king's daughter, Princess Zelda." Countess Roesia said, dabbing at an olive sticking out from a toothpick in her martini glass, "And that's how he was able to get the previous Gerudo king arrested."

"If that's the case, we may have an opportunity to out the princess as a traitor to the kingdom by her connection to the Gerudo King!" Duke Geronim exclaimed, "That would get her out of the way of our work!"

"Don't be so eager you simpleton, don't forget we'd need actual proof to do something that extreme, the people wouldn't stand for the princess they all love being seen like that!" Minister Odleh shouted, "Especially now with her marriage to the prince of Fargent!"

"That's right, we worked hard to secure relations with the land of Fargent through their marriage, trying to dethrone the princess now would just cause gave trouble for us!" Marquess Haralden pointed out.

"An unfortunate coincidence..." Captain Andreas muttered.

"Yes, to deal with this new Gerudo King, we may have no choice..." Balterius said, placing a tile with eight blue dots on it onto the middle of two other different tiles, "Chow." he spoke.

"Chow? Chow what? I already ate!" Geronim said rubbing his stomach.

"Can you translate that without your stupid tile game Governor?!" Haralden asked.

Balterius narrowed his eyes, "Quite simply, we may have to deal with them... without honor."

The others paused for a while, before they all nodded, some of them reaching down and holding some sort of object on their person.

Governor Balterius continued, "So it is agreed among us then, we shall allow the Gerudo to come to Hyrule Castle for a peace treaty meeting, so that we may properly meet Lady Nabooru, and the new Gerudo King Link..."

He reached out at one tile and picked it up, gazing at the symbol on it.

"When the right time to play our hand comes, they shall understand what happens when you defy the Hylian Parliament."

With that, he placed the tile on the row in front of him, completing it with fourteen tiles, before looking up to the other six members of the Parliament.

"Game."

* * *

**_And that ends the chapter, and now Link and Nabooru finally have a chance to meet with Hyrule, but as we can see, it might not go as well as they may have hoped. What is it the Parliament have in store for them? You'll just have to wait and see!_**

**_Next time, we focus on another of Link's potential marriage candidates, as she has a new crisis to deal with, something not even a genius doctor like her can handle alone._**

**_As always, leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure, your feedback si always encouraged!_**


	72. A Difficult Choice

**_Chapter 72 is here! Now we go into a new arc that focuses on a certain mature lady who's backstory has been a long time coming._**

**_In regards to some concerns I got in comments, no the story won't be going to become a political drama or anything. The Hylian Parliament is just one aspect of the story no different then the group battling pirates or exploring ruins, it's not going to turn into that one infamous scene from Attack of The Clones, I assure you._**

* * *

_Flashback - Fourteen years ago_

"What am I supposed to do...?"

A lone Gerudo woman was curled up outside, hugging her knees and doing what she could to hide out from a massive storm of rain and lightning. She was currently under an abandoned, torn-up canopy not too far away from Kakariko Village. She had tried to reach out to the villagers for shelter but she was turned down every time. With little choice, she left to the back of town near where the graveyard was.

A crash of lightning went off, startling the woman, as the rain started to pour down heavier. A small hole in the canopy started to open up more, and water dripped down on the Gerudo woman's head, forcing her to scoot back a bit. She hugged her legs in some effort to stay warm and dry.

"I hate this... I never should have listened to them... I thought I was going to be happy... I thought I was going to have everything, but now I have... nothing..."

This was Sarami, at the age of twenty three years old, shortly after she had been exiled from Gerudo Valley. At the age of eighteen she was selected as a candidate to be the Gerudo King Ganondorf's childbearer. After encouragement from her parents she accepted the position and spent the next years of her life training to become a proper mother, and eventually she laid with King Ganondorf and became pregnant.

However despite doing everything expected of her, after giving birth to the child, it tragically died from unforeseen complications. That was devastating enough for Sarami, who had grown to love the daughter growing inside her for nine months, but things only got worse for her after that...

Ganondorf was furious over what happened, deemed Sarami a weakling and failure for not being able to produce a strong heir, and had her banished from Gerudo Valley as punishment. She spent the past months going from place to place trying to find somewhere to belong, but she was unable to hold a job for very long. She had tried to find a good man to marry, but found herself too afraid to commit or copulate due to the fear of having and losing another daughter.

Now she was hungry and alone, she was so out of practice as a warrior and thief that she couldn't even reliably fight or steal to get by. She was at rock bottom, without anything or anyone to turn to...

"I've had it..." whispered Sarami as she reached to her belt and pulled out a knife she used for self-defense. She brought the knife up, her hands shaking with nervousness, and quickly jammed it into her abdomen. Her features darkened as she stabbed and stabbed and stabbed at herself. She cringed with each stab, and the pain was blinding. She eventually lost control of herself and fell to the ground, and soon could feel her conscious start to fade.

"Good bye Nabooru... I'm sorry for everything... that you went through for..." she whispered, tenind ig to be her final words.

As she laid there with her stab wounds bleeding, an old woman holding an umbrella came walking by. She had just been leaving the graveyard and was on her way back to her house, when she noticed the wounded Gerudo laying on the ground. She paused, and slowly walked up, staring down at her.

"Foolish child..." Sarami could hear an old voice whisper, before she completely blanked out.

_End flashback_

* * *

"Hmm... 101.5 degrees. Yes, you certainly have a fever Aviel."

"Oh boogers..."

It had been three months since Link, Nabooru and the others had visited with the Zoras, and it was a pleasant day in Gerudo Town, the sun was shining, with a cool breeze countering the usual heat of the desert, making it a rather perfect to go out and seize the day.

However for Aviel, she was stuck in the medical clinic on this beautiful day having woken up feeling very under the weather, so Link and Nemisa had taken her to Dr. Sarami for treatment.

"It's nothing too serious, but I would recommend you take it easy for a day or two Aviel." Sarami said smiling.

"But it's so nice out today!" Aviel protested.

"You heard her Aviel, how can you enjoy yourself or protect our king if you're sick?" Nemisa asked.

"Aw, but me and Saria were going to take Ilite out to-!" Aviel was then cut off by Sarami leaning towards her with her glasses giving off an unreadable gleam.

"Listen Aviel, are you aware of the potential side effects of allowing a fever to thrive?" Sarami asked, "It can cause inflammations, make you more vulnerable to worse infectious diseases, and if your temperature goes high enough it can lead to permanent brain damage in the-"

"Okay okay!" shouted Aviel in tears as she waved her bird wings around, "I'll be good, honest!"

"Poor Aviel." Link sweatdropped at how traumatic Sarami could make her in the interest of her health.

"Fu-fu-fufufu... such a good girl." smiled Sarami then warmly, handing her a bottle of chu jelly capsules, "Just take one of these now and two more when you go to bed tonight, okay?"

"T-Thanks Dr. Sarami..." Aviel sniffled, "Link, since I'm sick, can you give her a 'thank you' hug for me...?"

Sarami giggled, "Oh, don't worry about it, I'm just happy to do this for yo-"

She was then cut off in that moment by Link embracing her and holding her softly.

"Eeeehhh?!" exclaimed Sarami with a heavy red blush on her face.

"Thanks Sarami, you've always been there for all of us." Link said with a gentle tone soothing to her.

Sarami paused at the feeling of being held by Link. His body had strengthened over his time living in their town, yet he held her so comfortably... in that moment, her arms slowly moved up, about to embrace him herself, but she flinched as an old memory went through her mind, and brought her arms back down.

"Thank you Link..." Sarami said pulling herself away, "I... have to get to seeing my other patients. You three have a good day, and let me know if Aviel's condition gets any worse, okay?"

"Uh, sure." Link nodded, as they watched Sarami walk off out of the room towards her private office.

"Alright Aviel, let's get you back home so you can get some rest." Nemisa said, she turned to Link and looked at him curiously, "Something wrong Link?"

"She just... seemed like she was shaking." Link said, looking off in the direction Sarami went off to.

"I hope she didn't catch my fever..." Aviel said worriedly.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, now let's get moving." Nemisa said snapping her fingers, leading Aviel away, with a reluctant Link following after.

* * *

As Link, Aviel and Nemisa went down the hall of the clinic, they overheard a whistling sound, then accompanied by a strange high-pitched tone coming from one of the patient rooms. Out of curiosity, they all peeked into the room.

"No, no, put your lips closer together and then blow!"

It was there they saw Saria, and sitting beside her was Link's young asthmatic friend, Ilite, blowing on what looked like a wooden ocarina. Saria's guardian fairy Faete was flying around her friend's head as well.

"Ah.. right! Okay!" Ilite nodded, putting the ocarina to her lips and blowing more to make a high note on it. It was then the two looked over and greeted Link and his bodyguards.

"Hi Saria, hi Ilite!" Aviel said happily, "Did you guys still wanna go out to-"

Nemisa bonked Aviel upside the head, "You're sick, you moron! And keep away from these two so you don't get them sick too!" she sighed and spoke to the two, "Sorry, Aviel won't be able to play today, she's got a fever."

"Oh, it's okay! Saria's just been teaching me how to use the gift she brought me!" Ilite said happily, holding up the instrument.

"Hey, that's a good ocarina." Link said taking a look at it, "Did you make her this one like you did mine Saria?"

"Yep! Since her asthma has been clearing up more, I thought Ilite might like something to do when she's staying in the clinic." Saria nodded, "I'm going to teach her my song so she can call me when she wants to, like you can!"

"Impressive!" Nemisa said with wide eyes, surprised at what Saria's song was capable of.

"I'll catch up with you guys later." Saria said, "I'm going to help the nurses with the other kids for a little while longer."

"Alright, see you later then Saria." Link said, giving Saria a warm kiss on the lips, which she returned.

Aviel was beamed with happiness at seeing the two childhood friends in love, after all the time she spent with Saria, helping encourage her to confess to Link, and now seeing the two were together as lovers.

"Wow..." Ilite said, leaning on her knees smiling brightly, "I'm so happy the two of you got together! I kinda thought there was something between you back in Ms. Fareafu's classroom!"

"Heh, even Ilite figured us out." Link grinned, rubbing the back of his head.

"Everyone did Link, it just took the two of us a while to admit it to ourselves." Saria said smiling.

"Way too much of a while!" Faete said in a huff, making everyone laugh out together.

* * *

Meanwhile with Dr. Sarami, she went into one room with a seventeen year old Gerudo girl sitting at a chair. The woman was rubbing her hands over her belly which was pretty round.

"Well hello Sister Oolagi!" the doctor said smiling, "How are you feeling today?"

"Ugh, I feel like shit, total shit! My body aches, I'm always stuck on the toilet, my breasts are leaking, and my belly and butt won't stop growing!" Oolagi said in a fit, reaching down and squeezing her soft rear end.

"Oh don't worry, these are typical symptoms of someone expecting a wonderful baby!" Sarami said, patting her stomach, "You just have another two months to go!"

"Two more months of this?! You gotta be kidding!" groaned Oolagi throwing her head back, "I thought having a kid would be fun, but I'm done with this!" she then reached out her hand, "Can you get me one of those jelly things you hand out to everyone?"

"My chu jelly capsules? Which one?" Sarami asked in confusion.

"You know, one of those black colored ones you give the other girls, the ones that can make a pregnancy go away!" Oolagi said, "I changed my mind on having this kid after all!"

Sarami's eyes widened in shock at Oolagi's words. She stared down at the woman's pregnant belly. She squeezed on the clipboard she was holding, as some dark thoughts went through her mind in that moment...

"Uh, doctor? You alright there?" Oolagi asked curiously, snapping Sarami back to reality, "Can I have one of those capsule things?"

"...no." Sarami muttered with her glasses gleamed, before looking up at the woman with a furious look in her eyes, "Absolutely not! Those capsules only work when you take one within three days of conception! Trying to take one at your stage of pregnancy can be risky to both you and your child! I can't believe you would even think of such a terrible thing!"

"Doctor... I-" whispered Oolagi, but was cut off by Sarami.

"You made the choice to have this child, if you didn't want her you should have thought of that before you get knocked up, you stupid bitch!" Sarami shouted angerly.

There was a pause between the two. Oolagi was in complete shock, she had never seen the kind doctor speak like that before. Sarami herself saw the look of horror in her patient's eyes and looked downcast, realizing how badly she snapped.

"I- I'm sorry Dr. Sarami..." Oolagi said with small tears in her eyes, finding herself hugging her belly protectively all of a sudden.

"It... it's okay, I'm sorry too." Sarami said sadly, "L-Let's just get back to the examination, okay...?"

After Sarami finished the examination, she gave Oolagi some medicine to treat her pain and saw her off. After Sarami was convinced the patient was gone, she then let out a heavy sigh.

"It's been a long time since I've spoken in that tone..." Sarami said, taking a moment to drink a cup of herbal tea. Her mind wandered, thinking back to long ago...

* * *

_Flashback - Fifteen years ago_

A twenty-two year old Sarami was sitting on a bed resting. She had just a while ago succeeded in giving birth to the child that King Ganondorf had impregnated her with and carried for nine whole months. She sat there in anticipation, as she had grown to love the child that she had been carrying for so long, and couldn't wait to get the chance to breast feed her.

She lifted up one of her breasts, which had grown so large it was almost spilling out of her hand. She had somewhat normal breasts when she was younger, but her child-bearer diet, along with her pregnancy caused them to grow absolutely humongous, "I didn't think they'd get this huge, but least my baby's got a lot of milk to drink!" she said with a giggle.

It was then she looked up to a nurse walking up to her with a sad look in her eyes.

"So where is she? Where's my child?" Sarami asked anxiously.

"Sarami... I'm sorry..." the nurse said, "But, your child... didn't make it..."

Sarami sat there with a look of shock on her face. Her body couldn't move, like it was completely froze up.

"No..." Sarami whispered, gripping at her bed sheets, "No, you're lying! Let me see her! Let me see my baby!"

"I'm so sorry Sarami, but she died of birth complications..." the nurse said with an apologetic look in her eyes, "It happens from time to time, and there was nothing we could do to save her..."

"No..." Sarami spoke softly, then yelled out in tears, "NOOOOOOOO!"

_End Flashback_

* * *

Back in the present day, Sarami snapped out of her thoughts. She wiped a tear from her face and looked down at her tea, seeing she accidentally tipped it over and spilled it out on the floor. She hastily cleaned up it up, and let out another long sigh.

"Doctor, your next patient is here to see you!" she heard a nurse call out.

"Oh, very well." Sarami spoke out, tuning to the nurse and smiling pleasantly, back to her usual self, before going off on her way.

Her next few patients went a lot better then with Oolagi. One had a minor cut from fighting a pack of Leevers, another just needed to have her arm fracture examined, and when Sarami checked on Ilite the doctor was delighted to see her and Saria getting along so well.

Sarami absolutely loved having Saria around the clinic; her knowledge of plants made her quite a big help in preparing specialized medicine for the patients. Even the tea she had drank a while ago was made from herbs Saria brought over from Kokiri Forest. Plus Saria's small stature made her look just like a little girl, and she loved being around children, even if Saria wasn't actually one.

In the time since Saria moved into Gerudo Town, Sarami took her time to examine her and make sure she could handle living in the desert climate compared to the forest. She was astonished and fascinated of the kind of being Saria was, Kokiri being more in line of being a plant then a human like the Hylians and Gerudo were, yet despite this she adapted quite well to the desert.

Sarami had to admit she was somewhat jealous of Saria being so young looking despite being over four-hundred years old; as the doctor herself now the age of thirty-seven, and the constant stress of her job made her more vulnerable to developing age marks.

On the other hand, she pitied Saria for not being able to have children with Link. Saria insisted she didn't mind, as she said she'd be happy just helping his future wives with their own children.

"Link..." Sarami whispered, as she thought about the women he had selected for his wives; Nemisa, Togau, Kesuta, Korume, Saria, Princess Ruto, they were all young and beautiful women, he even desired to marry her old friend Nabooru...

There was no doubt in Sarami's mind, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, over the time she knew her young king she had fallen in love with him. She was in complete bliss when Link hugged her earlier, she wanted to be held more by him, to kiss her, to make passionate love to her, and to impregnate her with a beautiful daughter they could raise together...

She put a hand to her stomach and sighed out. While she had a perfectly healthy, fertile body for bearing children, she could never bring herself to do so because of what happened to her all those years ago, when her daughter died shortly after her birth. Being exiled by Ganondorf meant little compared to the pain of losing her child. She thought back to Oolagi asking for black chu jelly to undo her pregnancy, and wondered if a part of her anger towards her was partially due to Oolagi not appreciating what she had, something she herself couldn't have...

Sarami felt at her stomach some more and grabbed at a small bit of fat from it. While she was doing her best to lose weight, she kept giving into her cravings to help her deal with the stress of the job, and it showed. Link assured her she was a beautiful woman no matter how old or heavy she got, but she wondered just how long he could stand saying that. Would he still say the same thing when she was old, wrinkled and fat?

She then shook her head to clear those thoughts, now wasn't the time to be feeling sorry for herself, she had one other patient to see that day.

* * *

"Hello Sister Gonaeti, how are you today?" Sarami said smiling to her next paitent, "And how is little Rimel here?"

"Honestly... I'm not too sure." sighed Sarami's last patient; a young woman named Gonaeti, stroking her round belly, she was in her fifth month of pregnancy and was in for her check up, "I've been having some bad cramps lately."

"Well cramps aren't too uncommon with pregnancy, but let's see what we can do to help you." Sarami said.

Sarami started asking Gonaeti questions about the pain she was dealing with, taking a sample of blood to examine, and giving her a physical examination. It seemed nothing was too odd at first, until Sarami's hand came close to Gonaeti's chest and she felt something that threw her off.

"...doctor?" Gonaeti asked.

"How... long has this lump been here...?" Sarami asked, trying to hide her increasing worry.

"Uh, I'm not sure." Gonaeti said, "Is there a problem?"

Sarami gulped a bit, and with permission, starting doing some more extensive testing of the strange anomaly on Gonaeti's chest area.

* * *

After seeing the mother-to-be off on her way, Sarami left the rest of her work to the nurses and spent the next hours of the day carefully examining the blood samples and diagrams she had made for Gonaeti, consulting all her books to get an accurate answer.

Sarami had originally planned to get back to work on researching a potential cure for the power tonic the Ebony Sisterhood rebellion was using to power up their forces. Even with the aide of the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts books, she was still straggling to get down exactly what was needed to counteract it. If she didn't make it right, it could potentially be more lethal to the victim then the tonic itself.

But instead she focused on the more immediate situation of Gonaeti, and those hours she spent became an all-nighter. Just when it seemed like she was about to pass out from exhaustion, she discovered what the problem was, her body trembled as she realized exactly what was wrong with Gonaeti...

"No... it can't be..." Sarami whispered, as tears started to form in her eyes.

* * *

"A... lung tumor...?"

Gonaeti spoke the next morning as Sarami had called her back into her clinic immediately, the doctor was trying to suppress her yawning from how exhausted she was researching what the situation was.

"Yes, it's growing inside you right now, and is the reason for your cramps and that lump." Sarami said, "It's a very rare condition that can occur from pregnancy, though genetics can have a hand in it's severity as well."

"Y-You're kidding me..." whispered Gonaeti, running her hand along her baby bump.

"If it's not treated within the next couple of months, it can complicate your bodily system, and can potentially be fatal by the time you have your child." Sarami said.

"No... then what can I do?!" exclaimed Gonaeti in a panic.

"With the state the tumor is in, I can perform..." Sarami gulped, "An emergency operation to remove the tumor, but to do it properly..." the doctor squeezed her knees as she spoke. She didn't seem to want to say the next thing...

"Doctor...?" Gonaeti asked with worry.

"...I'd have to forcefully remove the source of the tumor."

Gonaeti's eyes widened in horror as Sarami continued.

"Basically, to save your life, I would have to terminate your pregnancy."

"W-What?!" gasped Gonaeti, "Then there's nothing that be done for my child?!"

Sarami shook her head, "Not necessarily, if you do go through with the pregnancy, your child should be just fine, but your own chances of survival are very minimal."

"O-Oh..." Gonaeti said softly, putting a hand to her stomach.

"I'm so sorry." Sarami said frowning, "I wish there was another option... but..."

She then looked up to see tears filling in Gonaeti's eyes, as she broke down crying uncontrollably. Sarami looked downcast herself, before moving forward and embracing Gonaeti in her arms. Gonaeti accepted the hug and just cried into her shoulder for what seemed like forever.

Eventually Gonaeti calmed down a bit, taking some deep breaths. Sarami gave her a cup of water to hydrate herself, and the two just sat there, neither saying anything for a long time. Sarami just felt wracked with guilt over not being able to do anything for her, but she had spent all night trying to find a possible cure, only to come up empty.

"Gonaeti... I'm not going to expect you make a decision just yet." Sarami said, "You have a whole month before the tumor becomes completely untreatable, so give it some time to decide, okay?"

"Y-yeah... I.. just... need to think about this..." Gonaeti said, getting herself up and giving Sarami another soft hug, which she returned back. In that moment, Sarami could feel a small movement from the inside of Gonaeti's stomach and she bit her lower lip, "Thank you doctor, for everything you've done."

"I'll have you come back in a week for a follow up." Sarami said, handing her some medicine to help with her condition, "I know this is a hard decision, so please, take your time."

"Okay doctor..." Gonaeti said, walking out of the room.

Sarami clenched her wrist as Gonaeti left, she fell backwards in her chair and sighed out. She looked up at the ceiling as tears started to fall from her own eyes.

"What am I going to do...?" Sarami whispered.

"Dr. Sarami?" spoke up a voice, startling her, she turned to see Link, Aviel and Nemisa all standing there, Aviel herself now had a facemask on over her mouth.

"Oh, hello everyone!" Sarami said, putting back on a kind smile.

"We're just here for Aviel's follow up." Link said.

"Mmph mmph." Aviel said glumly with her mask on.

"Any chance we can get more of these masks? Last night was very peaceful and quiet." Nemisa said with a smirk, which made Aviel glare at her with annoyance.

"Good day everyone, so how are you doing today, Aviel?" Sarami asked.

Aviel pulled down her mask and smiled, "Feeling a little better compared to yesterday, that jelly you make really does the trick! You could probably cure anything, can't ya?"

"...y-yes.. of course..." Sarami said, looking away.

"Sarami, something the matter?" Link asked.

"Um... it's uh, nothing..." Sarami said, trying to force a smile.

"Come now Doctor, I know what it's like to cover one's feelings more then most, why don't you tell us?" Nemisa said.

"W-Well, i-it's kind of a doctor and patient confidentiality thing and... um..." Sarami was feeling very conflicted in that moment to speak, until Link put his hand on top of hers, making her jump a bit.

"Come on, if it'll help then we're willing to listen, you know you can trust us." Link said with a gentle smile that made Sarami's heart melt.

"Well.. the thing is..." she took a breath and told them the situation with Gonaeti.

"What?!" exclaimed the three of them.

"That's terrible!" Nemisa exclaimed, "So the only way to save her is to take the life of her child?"

"The poor woman..." Aviel said sadly.

"She's very torn about it, I want to help her, but I'm not sure what to recommend she should do..." Sarami sniffled as she rubbed her arm, "I devoted my life to keeping our people happy and healthy, and bear healthy children... but how can I do that if saving one means losing the life of another...?"

"That sounds hard..." Link whispered, "But do you really need to make that recommendation though? I don't think you should be putting that kind of pressure on yourself."

"But, she's really having such a hard time with it... I just want to do something to help ease her burden..." Sarami muttered.

"As much as I hate to say it..." Nemisa said after some thinking, "Perhaps it would be better if she has the tumor removed."

"But, that would kill her baby!" Aviel said, "She can't just do that!"

"Well what is she supposed to do then, have the child and then die?" Nemisa asked, folding her arms and looking away.

"I... I didn't say that!" Aviel shouted, "I just don't think the child deserves it...!"

"Well neither does the mother!" Nemisa shouted back.

"Okay you two, just calm down a bit, this is a hospital." Link said, lowering his hands to get them to quiet down.

"Ugh, I'm sorry Link..." Aviel said sadly, "This just sucks big time!"

"Tell me about it..." Nemisa sighed, she looked to Link and spoke, "Well then, what do you think would be best for her?"

"I'm... not sure myself," Link sighed, "I don't think either of their lives are worth sacrificing..."

Sarami looked to Link and smiled softly at the compassion in his voice as he said those words.

"Hm, that reminds me..." Nemisa said, "You said something like that back when Kesuta and Korume were trying to fight each other to the death to please who we thought was the Goddess Aifet, right?"

"Yeah, and it turned out to be Twinrova deceiving them." Link nodded.

"Those witches were just dreadful, tricking their mother Koleima into killing her sister like that." Sarami said narrowing her eyes, "Them being Ganondorf's surrogate mothers, it's no wonder he turned out the way he did."

Nemisa continued, "Well I was just going to ask you Link... Hypothetically, if it wasn't Twinrova, and actually the Goddess Aifet, would you have allowed Korume to die, or would you have refused , since doing that would had caused the goddess to bring her wrath onto the Gerudo people?"

Link paused and stared down, contemplating what had happened back then, and what his thoughts were now on the matter. He gulped a bit nervously as he thought to himself.

"Nemisa, that's mean!" Aifet said in protest, "Don't put that kind of pressure on Link!"

Nemisa felt a little awkward as she saw the look in both Link and Aviel's eyes, and sighed a bit, "F-forgive me Link, I was just speaking hypothe-..."

"No, no, I see you point Nemisa." Link said, he leaned back looked in deep thought, "What I would do... ...is that I would just stick to my beliefs, and I would had kept fighting against the goddess Aifet. Even if I had the feeling it was impossible, I would keep trying to find that third option, and never give up doing it. Kesuta and Korume are both important to me after all, and I wouldn't turn my back on either of them, or give up just because of what I was led to believe."

Sarami's eyes widened as she heard Link's words, and went into deep thought.

"That does sound like you my husband." smiled Nemisa, giving him a kiss, "That compassion is one of the things I love about you."

"That's Link for you!" Aviel nodded with a big grin, then put her finger to her head in thought, "But still, what should Sister Gonaeti do then...?"

'That's right...' Sarami thought to herself, taking into account what Link said. She remembered how angerly she reacted to Oolagi's attitude and how it affected her personally, and she found herself feeling the same with Gonaeti but in a different sense, 'I was focusing too much on how I would feel about the situation, rather then how a doctor should.'

Sarami took a deep breath and spoke out to the group, "I'm.. going to keep trying." the others turned to see her adjusting her glasses, "You're right Link, I'm not going to give up on either Gonaeti or her child. I'm going to find a solution to save them both, just like you saved Kesuta and Korume!"

"That's the spirit!" Link nodded with a grin.

"Alright! Time to go out and enjoy the day then!" Aviel said brightly, turning and was about to leave the clinic when Nemisa grabbed the bird girl by her top.

"Why Aviel, did you forget? I do believe you're here for your check-up with Dr. Sarami." Nemisa said with a dark grin.

"Oh my yes." Sarami giggled darkly, her glasses giving an unreadable gleam as she held up a tongue depressor with one hand, "Open wide Aviel, I need to test and make sure you hadn't been exerting yourself last night."

Aviel looked helplessly to Link, who just folded his arms behind his head and whistled innocently with his eyes averted.

"Oh boogers again." Aviel pouted as she was dragged off.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. I'll mention that I'm not going to dwell too much into the morality of abortion or anything like that for this arc. Like I said, this series isn't a political or social commentary drama or anything. This is mostly a tense situation that serves to kick-start Sarami's new character arc, and the focus will still be on her, her goals in life, and of course her relationship with Link.**_

_**With that said, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, leave a like, follow, or comment if you choose! Chapter 73 should be up next week!**_


	73. Return to Kakariko Village

_**Chapter 73 time! Whew, can't believe it's been just over a year since started this story! Thanks everyone for your support!**_

* * *

The next day after the situation with Gonaeti's pregnancy, Link and Nemisa were out in town for a walk. Aviel herself was still sick so she was restring at the palace. As the two of them went on their way, many of the Gerudo women greeted their king and he politely returned the greetings. Some were all too eager to give him a hug or a simple kiss on the cheek. One particular busty Gerudo gave him a big hug that buried his face into her cleavage.

"Look at you," grinned Nemisa in amusement at the exasperated look on Link's face after that last greeting, "I still remember you used to be so nervous about greeting your people, but now it's just a second nature to you, my love."

"Heh, I think that's because I'm not seeing them as just my people, I'm seeing them as my friends and acquaintances." chuckled Link.

"Yes, honestly I wish more leaders were like you and Lady Nabooru." Nemisa nodded, taking Link's hand and squeezing it.

She then noticed Link's gaze kept going towards one direction, and she saw he was looking in the distance at Sarami's medical clinic.

"You still worried about Dr. Sarami?" Nemisa asked, getting the hint.

"Yeah, especially after what she told us about the other day with that patient of her's." Link said, "She's putting a lot of pressure on herself because of it."

"How about we go check in on her then?" Nemisa proposed, and the two headed off to the clinic.

* * *

After being refereed by the receptionist, they went into Sarami's personal study, where she was laying back on her chair looking exhausted. There were numerous books laying around her desk and some notes everywhere.

Sarami stretched her arms upwards and yawned out, "Oh Link-sweetie, Nemisa, it's so good to see you two... I was just looking through a few books..."

"Just a few...?" Nemisa asked, looking over at the stacks of books around them.

"So what are these for?" Link asked, taking a book to look at.

"I asked Nabs if I could borrow some of the ancient literature that you all collected at the Hall of Knowledge to see if I could find anything that could help Gonaeti with her condition." sighed Sarami, taking off her glasses to clean them, "I ended up pulling another all-nighter and barely found anything."

"Hey come on, don't push yourself like that." Link said worriedly, as he put his hands on Sarami's shoulders and started rubbing them down, "Need me to relieve some of that tension?"

"Ooh!" the doctor blushed lightly and moaned out a little from his hand movements, "T-Thank you, I suppose I have been working myself too hard... but I can't stop worrying for Gonaeti and her child, and I'm running out of options..."

"If there's nothing in these books, do you have any other idea of where to go for help?" Nemisa asked.

"Well..." Sarami pondered on that, as she looked to an old book on her desk called 'Beginner's Guide to Alchemy Arts Vol 1'. The doctor stared at it and thought to herself.

"I suppose I could go ask my mentor Granny Truttlo..." Sarami answered.

"Granny?" Link's eyes lit up, "You mean the lady that runs the Kakariko Potion shop?"

"Yes, if anyone in Hyrule would know what to do, it would be her." Sarami nodded.

"Well okay, but how do we get out of Kakariko Village?" Link pondered, "That place is under protection by the Hyrule knights, even the road from Death Mountain requires getting past a guard gate, so we can't just use the warp point at Goron City..."

"Well... there is one way." Nemisa said as an idea occurred to her.

* * *

"Aaaand we're here, Kakariko Village! Everyone off!"

Link, Sarami, Nemisa and a few other Gerudo all stepped off a carriage being driven by another Gerudo wearing a leather helmet with goggles as well as a blue scarf. It was night by the time they all arrived there, and very few people in the village were out for the evening. The carriage was typically used by single Gerudo girls to go husband-hunting or just to conceive children and it just so happened to be the night she did her trip.

"You were right Nemisa, there's no guards anywhere tonight." Link said looking around. He was clad in his green tunic again so as not to attract attention. Nemisa and Sarami had also swapped their Gerudo outfits for traveler's clothing.

"Kakariko... this place brings back a lot of painful memories..." Nemisa whispered with a sigh, recalling this where she was reunited with Jayde after her enslavement, and learned the horrible truth about him.

"Are you sure about coming along with us Nemisa?" Sarami asked with concern, "You told us before about what happened to you."

"No... no, it's fine." Nemisa shook her head, "I've put that behind me. Besides, I've sworn to protect my king and husband, as well as you Dr. Sarami."

"Atta girl." Link grinned, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "Let's get going then."

"Aww.. the king is so sweet with his fiances!" squealed one of the Gerudo who came with them.

"Does he do that with you too, Dr. Sarami?" asked one of the others.

"Ehhh.. heh heh..." Sarami blushed heavily, "We're not really together or anything... I'm much too old for him..."

"Aw, but I think you two would be cute together!" said one of the girls.

"Yeha, go ask him out while you're out here!" said another Gerudo.

"U-Um..." Sarami stammered.

"Would you girls just go find husbands of your own already?" Nemisa shouted in annoyance.

"Kyaa! Nemisa's angry again!" exclaimed one of the girls as they all ran off.

"Fufufu, I suppose some things never change." Sarami giggled as the three walked through town, which only aggravated Nemisa more.

As they went down the road, a few villagers saw Sarami and Nemisa as Gerudo, but didn't pay them much mind as it was typical for them to show up on nights like this. The people rarely bothered to report or harass them for being there these days as long as they didn't make trouble for the village.

At one point the group walked past a restaurant and Nemisa stopped and stared at it. It was the sushi restaurant she had reunited with Jayde at all that time ago, and in that moment, thought about a certain waitress that the manipulative slave trader had taken away that night... But she knew she couldn't think about that anymore, and continued along with Link and Sarami.

Soon enough they arrived at the Kakariko Potion Shop near the back of town. Sarami stood there and stared the door; she hadn't been there, or seen her mentor Granny Truttlo since she left all that time ago...

* * *

_Flashback - fourteen years ago_

"Ugh... what happened...?"

A twenty-three year old Sarami put a hand to her head, realizing she was laying back on a soft, warm bed, a huge contrast from the cold muddy dirt she was on when she collapsed. She looked down at her stomach and saw with surprise the stab wounds she inflicted on herself were bandaged up. She flinched a bit from the pain, but took that moment to look around and see she was in some kind of house. There was a shelf containing multiple books lining the walls, as well as bottles full of liquids.

"Where am I...?" Sarami asked herself, she was about to get up to check, but the pain shot through her again and she fell back against the bed, "Yeowch!"

"Oh, you're awake. You recovered quicker then I thought you would." said an old voice. She turned to see an older woman shuffling into the room. She had a long pointed nose, pale skin and a pointy chin. Her hair was balding a bit, and she wore a red and yellow-striped poncho. By her side was some kind of small yellow cat-like animal with black stripes.

"Uh... who are you? What do you want with me?!" Sarami said, instinctively grabbing at where she usually kept her knife only to see it was gone.

"I took that thing away so you wouldn't hurt yourself with it any more." the old woman said, "Now lay back and let me take another look at you."

"But-" Sarami was cut of by the old woman showing a surprising amount of strength, pushing her back down to lay on the bed. The old woman started undressing Sarami's wounds, making her flinch, "Yeow! Watch it you old hag! That really hu-"

The old woman just shot Sarami a look to shut her up, and went back to looking over the wounds. The cat jumped up onto the bed and sat down to watch.

"So foolish of you to do this, if you were trying to kill yourself, you would be better off plunging that knife into your chest rather then your stomach." the old woman said.

Sarami was a bit baffled about someone giving her the best methods on how to kill herself, but spoke up, "Um sorry... who are you exactly?"

"My name is Truttlo, I run the Kakariko Potion Shop here, most folks just call me Granny these days though." she said, then gestured to her cat, "And this is my little one Chester."

"Oh hi there little cutie!" Sarami said about to pet the cat, until it hissed and swiped it's claw at her. She instinctively jerked her hand back, and looked away from it, "H-He doesn't like other people does he?"

"Heh heh heh, he just needs to take some getting used to you." chuckled Granny as she saw to Sarami's wounds, "And as for you, you're healing pretty well."

"Thanks, uh... so you're a doctor then?" Sarami asked tilting her head, "I don't get it, why did you save me?"

"Do I need a reason to?" Granny Truttlo asked raising an eyebrow.

"W-Well it's just... I'm a Gerudo; a warrior and a thief... ...I suppose." Sarami said somewhat distantly, "Why would you help someone like me after I tried to kill myself like that?"

"Like I answered a second ago, I'm a doctor." Granny said as the cat went back to her side, "Now lay back down and get some more rest..."

Sarami nodded and got herself comfortable, she found her injuries didn't feel as bad as before Granny treated them, she yawned out a bit and drifted off back to sleep...

* * *

Time went on, and eventually Sarami's wounds healed. She was rather impressed at how skilled of a doctor Granny was, and how nice she was to someone like her.

One day Granny was examining Sarami's wounds, she glanced up to see the Gerudo was petting Chester lightly, the cat purring lightly as it nuzzled her hand.

"Chester's taken to you quite nicely it seems." Granny said with a small smile.

"He's so precious, sometimes I wake up and he's sleeping right next to me!" Sarami giggled as Chester rubbed his head harder against Sarami's hand to make her scratch the right spot behind his ear.

"He's a better judge of character then you thought." Granny chuckled, "Well I think you're fine now, you can go ahead and get yourself up, but take it easy."

"Thank you..." Sarami whispered in a somewhat sad tone, as she moved her hand down and tickled Chester's chin.

Granny looked at her curiously, "What's the matter?"

"I still don't understand why you treated me... you know the reputation my people have right? We're little more then thieves and killers... for all you knew I could have hurt you as soon as I was well enough..."

Granny's expression softened and she smiled lightly, patting Sarami's hand.

"Well you see, I know a gentleman who works over at the Lakeside Laboratory over at Lake Hylia, he was my mentor." Granny said, "And he once told me 'a true doctor doesn't pick and choose their patients, if someone's sick or injured, then you should take care of them without regrets'."

"Even if someone tried to hurt you?" Sarami asked.

"That's correct. If anything, knowing I made you well enough to do that would make me proud of my work on you!" Granny chucked.

"That's kind of odd... but you really are a kind person." Sarami said with a gentle smile.

"Besides, you say you're part of a group of thieves and killers, but you seem nothing like that." Granny said looking to Chester, "So what are you going to do now? You mentioned before you were exiled from Gerudo Valley by the king for some reason."

"I'm not sure," Sarami sighed, "I have trouble holding a job, and people don't like Gerudo very much for obvious reasons..."

"Hm, well in that case, how about you work for me at my shop here?" Granny said, "I could use a young whippersnapper around here to do some light lifting and errands around town."

"Oh, I don't want to make any more trouble for you..." Sarami said.

"Heh heh heh, no trouble at all. If it makes you feel better, you can consider it payment for your treatment." Granny said.

"Oh.. I'll take that then, thank you!" Sarami said smiling.

_End flashback_

* * *

"So this doctor is the one who taught you what you know?" Nemisa asked Saarmi.

"Yes, she's known here in Kakariko Village as a miracle doctor." Sarami nodded, "If anyone can help me with Gonaeti's condition, it would be her."

Sarami paused hesitantly, took a deep breath and reached out to knock on the potion shop door. There was silence as she, Link and Nemisa all waited, until they heard an unknown voice call out from inside.

"Just a minute! Just a minute!"

It was then the door opened, and Link took the lead, peering through the door...

"Hi, we're here to see Gra-"

Only to see a large fully-grown tiger staring right at the three of them. Everyone stood still as the tiger just sat there, licking it's chops.

"Uh..." Link said sweatdropping, wondering if he should pull out his sword or not.

That's when the tiger looked at Sarami, who stared back. After a brief second, the tiger then suddenly lunged at the doctor.

"SARAMI!" Link and Nemisa both shouted, about to attack the tiger, but instead stopped when they saw what the tiger was actually doing.

The tiger was affectionately nuzzling Sarami and licking her, and the doctor was giggling as she had her hands up, rubbing the tiger's fur.

"It's so good to see you again Chester! You've grown so big and strong!" Sarami said cheerfully.

"This thing's a Chester?!" Nemisa said with her jaw dropped.

'Oh right, I forgot the doctor here owned a pet tiger.' Link thought, recalling his time in the dark future when the tiger was about the same size as it was now.

"Chester! Get down off her! Down!" said a young voice, followed by the clapping of hands, as a young woman came out to great everyone, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Don't worry, Chester's totally harmless! I usually have him in the back room when guests arrive, but I was cleaning a few things..."

"Oh no it's okay," Sarami said, "Me and Chester go way back."

"Really? So does that mean you know Granny Truttlo? Well come on in!" the girl said, ushering the three inside the shop.

* * *

"Oh, so you're Granny's gerudo apprentice she mentioned!" the girl said as the four of them sat around a table after she had given them some tea, "My name is Ehia, I've been an apprentice of her myself since five years ago!"

"A pleasure to meet you, Ehia. This is Nemisa, and this fine young man is..." she paused a bit looking at Link, contemplating about the idea of introducing the king to someone in Kakariko Village, before just saying, "This is our friend Link, he's from the forest."

"Pleased to meet you." Link said nodding his head.

"Link...?" Ehia said in deep thought, when her eyes widened, "Oh, I know you!"

"Did Granny mention me too...?" Link asked, confused of the idea that Granny would have mentioned him, considering he only knew her from back when he was a kid, as he took a sip of his tea.

"Yes, you're the new Gerudo King! I didn't think I'd actually get to meet you in person!" Ehia said, causing Link and Nemisa to both spew their tea into the air like fountains.

"What?!" Nemisa gasped out, slamming her palm on the table, "Where the hell did you hear about that?!"

"It's pretty big news in Hyrule Market Town." Ehia said, "Someone in Hyrule Castle overheard the Hylian Parliament talk about it and leaked it to journalists, and they started spreading the word out to everyone!"

"Ugh... wasn't expecting that." Nemisa said slapping her forehead.

"I don't know if this is a good thing or bad thing in regards to our meeting with the Parliament." Link groaned.

"Oh I'm sure things will be fine, Nabs isn't going to allow anything to get in the way of what you two have done to get us this far!" Sarami said cheerfully as Chester was laying his head on her leg.

"That giant beast is acting just like a cat..." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"Better then him trying to eat us." Link said with a sweatdrop as well.

Sarami then cleared her throat and looked directly to Ehia, "Listen, the reason we came here is to speak with Granny, where is she at this time?"

Ehia paused and looked down a little awkwardly, her hands squeezed the tea cup she was holding, confusing everyone.

"She... she left the village a while ago..." Ehia said.

"Huh?!" Sarami gasped, "What do you mean?! How long?!"

"She met with some people and went off with them, leaving the shop to me, and saying she'd return someday..." she gulped a bit, "But two years have passed and she hasn't returned."

Sarami looked down at Chester, who was now laying on the floor with a sad look in his eyes.

"That's strange. Wonder where she'd go that would take that long?" Link pondered to himself as he thought about the travels he went on during his seven year joruney.

"I hate to suggest this, but are you sure she's even alive?" Nemisa asked worriedly.

That was when Sarami loudly slammed her hand down on the table and glared at Nemisa with an unreadable expression in her glasses, "Don't even say something like that Nemisa!"

Chester quickly got up and growled angerly at Nemisa with fury in his eyes and his back hair and tail standing on end.

"Sorry, sorry! That just blurted out!" Nemisa exclaimed defensively.

"Well actually, I did just recently get a letter from her in the mail," Ehia took out a letter from a drawer and handed it to the group, "And it's definitely Granny's handwriting, so I know she's alright."

"Probably should have mentioned that sooner." Link pointed out, now looking over to Nemisa putting Chester in a headlock as he was biting at her head.

Sarami went and read over the letter, but nothing seemed to be too off about it. All it said was about how Granny was on an important trip and she'd be fine, apologized again for leaving the shop to Ehia, and asked that she continue to care for Chester in her absence as well.

"Granny taught me enough that I've gotten a pretty good reputation around here as the replacement village doctor, and I've been taking on extra staff to help keep it going, but I still worry for her." Ehia said, "Especially after what happened to her a while back..."

Everyone looked in confusion at Ehia's words, and that was when she realized what she had just blurted out.

"What are you talking abo-?"

Sarami was cut off by the loud banging of the door, and Ehia got up to answer it. As soon as she got the door open, as a group of four travelers, along with some Kakariko villagers came in carrying three men with them. Just from looking at the three, it was clear they had all been badly injured.

"Don't worry, Dr. Ehia is great at treatment, she was trained by the miracle doctor Granny Truttlo!" one of the villagers assured the travelers as they brought the injured men in.

"What's going on here? What happened to them?" Ehia asked.

"Please doctor, you have to help our friends!" shouted one of the travelers, "We were going through Hyrule Field and suddenly we got ambushed by Lizafos!"

"Oh no, that's terrible!" Ehia said, gesturing over to some patient beds, "Get them onto the beds over here, but take it easy with them!"

With the three patients laying on the beds, Ehia checked over their injuries, "These wounds are really bad, how did this happen?"

"The monsters waited until we were resting, and they just ambushed and overwhelmed us!" sighed one of the travelers.

"We fought and eventually struck them down, but our friends here took the worst of it." said a lady warrior.

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm kinda short-handed tonight, so I'll need time." Ehia said.

"Excuse me!" spoke up a voice, everyone turned to see Dr. Sarami standing alongside Link, Nemisa and Chester, "May I lend a hand to you Dr. Ehia?"

"Okay, that'd help a lot!" Ehia nodded.

"Hey wait a minute!" said one of the travelers, pointing his finger out at Sarami, "Isn't she a Gerudo?"

"Hey, you're right." said another, "What are they doing here?"

"We have our reasons, but please let me see to the injured!" Sarami said, she approached one of the injured men, but one of the travelers stepped out in front of her.

"Hang on, how exactly can we trust you with our friend?" the traveler said accusingly, "How do we know you're not going to poison him or something?!"

"Hey, how dare you say that!" Nemisa shouted, "She just wants to help!"

"Hmph, after what we've been told about them and what happened with the war, I wouldn't trust em to bring home the groceries without gutting someone open on the way back!" grumbled another traveler.

"And they served that demon king Ganondorf, how can anyone trust loathsome people like that?!" nodded the other one.

Sarami gulped a bit and looked down, recalling her teenage years as a thief, and her serving Ganondorf. Even as late as when she was working for Granny she'd occasionally get in trouble and wind up getting the people angry and mistrusting with her...

"Hey now, that's a bit harsh buddy! They aren't all like that!" said one of the villagers to the travelers in Sarami's defense, but they still continued.

"They shouldn't even be here because of that banishment law! If you ask me, we outta report these Gerudo to the knights, get them all arrested and beheaded!" said one of the travelers.

"Why I outta, you want to start something?!" Nemisa shouted, going into a fighting position alongside a growling Chester, who saw Nemisa defending his old friend and the two were now willing to fight together.

But that was when Link put a hand to his fiance's shoulder to make her calm down.

"Just a second." Link said walking up to the traveler, "Listen, she's a fine doctor, one that I would trust my life to, just please let her help your friends."

"Why should we? Our friends are suffering, and we don't want her making them any worse!" the traveler shouted angerly with small tears in his eyes, "How can we possibly trust that fatass bitc-"

That was when Link simply brought up his fist and decked the traveler, sending him tumbling across the floor. The traveler sat up in shock as he rubbed his cheek.

"Hey, don't that in here!" Ehia scolded Link, too busy to get involved at that moment.

"Listen you, your friends are suffering, do you want them to succumb to their injuries instead?!" Link exclaimed in fury.

"I..." the traveler stammered in shock, before looking over to his friends in pain, before hanging his head down, "N-no..."

Sarami walked up to the traveler and knelled down to him, "Please," she spoke, looking to him eye-to-eye, "Let me help save them. My people must have caused you some pain in the past, but please trust me, if not for yourself, but for the sake of your friends."

The traveler paused as Sarami stared at him, not even flinching or blinking, before he nodded slightly. With that, Sarami stood up and went over to the patients, with Link and Nemisa joining her to help her in any way she could. Eventually the villagers and travelers joined in helping them with whatever Sarami and Ehia needed.

Ehia looked up from the patient she was working on and smiled warmly, seeing how much resolve to treat people Sarami had and the compassionate words she spoke,

'She really is Granny's student.'

* * *

Some time later, Sarami stood up and wiped her brow "There, that's about all I can do. They just need rest at this point."

"Nice work Sarami." grinned Link as he handed her some water to drink.

"Wow, she patched up the two of them in the time it took me to take care of one!" Ehia said in astonishment.

"So, got something to say boys?" Nemisa asked with a smirk, looking over to the travelers, even Chester was grinning smugly.

The travelers all looked a bit down, seeming to be kind of mortified about how they acted earlier, until one of them got down on his hands and knees and bowed his head down.

"Thank you so much..." he sobbed, "...for saving our friends!"

"Please forgive us for how we treated you before." the lady warrior of the group said, kneeling down herself.

The other two looked to each other before bowing and thanking Sarami as well.

"You're a great person... and totally not fat!" said the third one.

"Yeah, in fact you're smoking hot as hell!" said the fourth, only to be bonked by the lady traveler.

"Thank her, don't hit on her!" she shouted.

"Oh it's nothing!" Sarami said, blushing at their compliments, "I just did what's expected of me as a doctor!"

"Come on Sarami, you did more then expected of just a normal doctor." Link grinned, "Plus you are pretty smoking hot."

"O-Oh my Link..." Sarami said blushing and averted her gaze from him.

Nemisa meanwhile just chuckled lightly at the doctor's reaction, recalling how shy she herself was around Link before, and had a feeling some day Sarami might very well be a part of her marriage to her beloved king...

* * *

Early the next morning, Link, Sarami and Nemisa were all standing at the carriage back to Gerudo Town, with Ehia and Chester both seeing her off.

"Thank you all again for helping last night, I'm sorry Granny wasn't here to help you with your own situation!" Ehia bowed her head.

"It's fine, I was happy to help you, plus I loved seeing Chester again!" Sarami said smiling, she looked over at Nemisa who was kneeling down to the tiger, and holding out her hand.

"Paw." Nemisa instructed, prompting Chester to then put his paw up onto her hand, "I did it Link!" she said enthusiastically.

Link chuckled before looking to Sarami, "We better leave now before the guards arrive."

"Well I wish you all the best of luck." Ehia said with a bow at the waist, as Chester started sobbing about Sarami and her friends leaving, "And if you do see Granny again, tell her she needs to return to Kakariko Village so everyone can be assured she's safe!"

"I will." nodded Sarami. She gave Chester one last goodbye hug and the three boarded the carriage, and it went off on it's way, with the young doctor and the tiger both waving to it.

Sarami sighed sadly, "What a set back, I can't believe Granny's been gone for so long."

"I wonder just where she could have gone...?" Link said with his arms folded, looking out the carriage window.

"Maybe it has something to do with that thing that happened to her?" Nemsia asked, recalling what Ehia said last night just before the travelers came in.

"I don't know, I wish we could have found out about it, but Ehia kept dodging the question for some reason..." Sarami said.

"Don't worry, we'll figure out what to do." Link said, putting an arm around Sarami to comfort her.

"Thank you..." Sarami whispered with a blush.

As the three of them all sat back to relax, they saw the Gerudo girls who had gone with them last night lazing around the carriage compartment, all of them looking completely zoned out.

"No luck finding any men last night I take it?" Nemisa asked them.

"Is it that obvious...?" groaned one of the girls.

"My close friends make similar faces when they come back from here rejected." Nemisa explained with a smirk.

"Graahh! That's it!" exclaimed one of the girls in a fit, "King Link, you need to give us babies then!"

"What? Just like that?!" Link exclaimed.

"Come on, we can do it on the way back!" said another Gerudo removing her top.

"You're not going to do that in here!" Nemisa shouted.

"Fu-fufufu, you certainly have a way with everyone Link." Sarami giggled as Nemisa was trying to protect him.

"Hey, settle down in there!" the carriage driver shouted, as her transport wobbled back and forth from the banter going on inside.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, with Granny gone missing, Sarami is back to square one in helping Gonaeti. Next time, the group go to handle a tense situation and meet an expected encounter, but what challenges will they confront? Find out next week!**_

_**Like always, leave a like, follow or comments if you desire, your support is always appreciated!**_


	74. Call of The Wolfos

_**Time for Chapter 74, while Sarami still searching for a way to help her friend Gonaeti, a new crisis is about to unfold!**_

* * *

Link looked around cautiously, he was once again in a familiar yet at the same time unfamiliar place; he was back in the strange field he kept coming to in his dreams. It was a type of grassy plain that seemed to stretch out as far as he could see. There was a large towering object in the distance, but couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

"This dream again... just where the hell am I?" Link spoke. It was then he heard a loud clash of steel, as he turned to see yet another odd sight.

It was the mysterious figure from before, the one that kept appeared every time he dreamed of this place. Only instead of just standing there being a jackass to Link, he was locked in battle against some sort of second being he had never seen before. The creature looked like a humanoid skeleton monster, wielding an old sword, but the most distinct thing Link could make out about the skeleton was one of it's eyes were damaged.

"You just don't give up, do you ya bone bag? Well bring it!" the mysterious man said, wielding a two handed sword and bashed it into the skeleton.

The skeleton recovered and leaped at the man, who quickly backflipped out the way then swung his sword down one more time, causing the skeleton to suddenly vanish. The man took a deep breath and sheathed his sword onto his back.

"That damn thing, why does it have to keep bugging me like that...?" the man muttered, before looking to Link and grinning, "Oh hey there buddy, been a while hasn't it?"

"Yeah, um... just what was that?" Link asked.

"Hell if I know, that skeleton guy started appearing here lately and keeps bugging me to fight him. No matter how many times I try to get rid of him he keeps coming back." the man said.

"Well I know what it's like to deal with someone that won't leave me alone." Link commented with a small smirk.

"Hmph, smartass." the man muttered.

It was then Link saw the skeleton warrior materialize behind the man again, and bring up it's sword.

"Hey, behind you!" Link shouted.

The man's eyes widened and he quickly turned to confront his attacker but it managed to get a cheap shot on the man, before he punched it away and slashed it down with his sword.

"Damnit... I let my guard down..." gasped the man, turning back to Link, "Grr... I really need to get rid of you so I can finally free myself."

That's when Link's eyes widened, in that moment he could clearly see the man's face, and noticed very distinct markings on it...

"It's... it's you..." Link gasped, "It was you all along?! I thought I got rid of you all that time ago!"

"Heh, finally figured it out huh? Well fact of the matter is you never did get rid of me, buddy." grinned the man, "I've been inside here all this time, waiting for the right opportunity to get rid of you and take over."

"I won't allow that." Link said narrowing his eyes.

"We'll see about that buddy, we'll see." chuckled the man, turning and walking off.

"Hey wai-" Link called out, before he felt the floor open up from under him and he once again fell into the void.

* * *

Link woke with a gasp, realizing he was in his bedroom once again. He put a hand to his head and contemplated what he had seen.

'So that's who it was all this time...' Link thought to himself, 'But what can I do about it...?'

He then looked down at Nabooru, who he had spent the night making love with. He smiled softly seeing the Gerudo leader sleep in a state in tranquility, and laid back down beside her. He ran his hand through her crimson hair and gave her a kiss on the nose. She smiled warmly in her sleep and put her arms around him.

'...and what would everyone say about it if I told them what it was...?' Link thought to himself, his eyelids growing heavy again as he drifted back to sleep in Nabooru's embrace.

* * *

"Hmm, your vitals seem just fine, now let me give these in particular a little more examination..."

"Hey, quit grabbing at those, doc!"

"Fu-fu-fufufu..."

It was a couple days after Sarami, Link and Nemisa returned home to Gerudo Town from Kakariko Village, having failed to get in contact with Granny Truttlo on what to do about Gonaeti's pregnancy condition. Upon arriving home Sarami went right to the books, trying to find a solution so that she could save both Gonaeti and her unborn child.

At the moment though, Sarami was focusing on someone else's pregnancy, namely Link's three child-bearers Ragome, Leivuri and Esolu. The four of them were in the palace's maternity chamber, and Sarami was giving each of them a full physical to make sure their pregnancies were going smoothly.

Sarami was currently focused on rubbing down Ragome's large breasts, running her hands along the sides, under them, and giving them a gentle squeeze, seeing no abnormalities with her like with Gonaeti.

"Oh you're doing splendidly Ragome!" Sarami said with a sweet smile, "And your children are coming along nicely!"

"Ugh, I still can't believe I'm having twins." Ragome said, laying back and rubbing her round belly, "And I gotta carry them for another four months? Link owes me big time for this!"

"Oh come on Ragome, we know you're enjoying it just fine." Leivuri giggled lightly, "I've seen you singing to your babies to help them sleep when you think we're not looking."

"Ack!" Ragome flinched, "W-Well I can't help it, I love these girls Link gave me..." she spoke with a small blush on her cheeks, "I didn't know what to think about being a child-bearer at first, letting myself get fat like this and dealing with all the puking and cramps..."

She ran both her hands along her stomach, "...but then I feel these two growing inside me, and I really feel satisfied. I'm getting great meals, comfortable living, and Link's been treating me right this whole time... Sometimes we just talk, sometimes he makes passionate love to me..."

"Y-Yes, it's embarrassing to think of, b-but he's so good to us in bed..." Leivuri said as she covered her face to hide her blushing, Esolu nodding in agreement.

"I guess what I'm sayin' is I think I wouldn't mind spendin' my whole life doing this sort of thing, having lots of kids with Link and helping our population, cause I really love livin' the way I am now!" Ragome said, smiling brightly with an exposed tooth fang.

Sarami smiled warmly, she recalled her own days as a child-bearer for Ganondorf. Naturally back then things were much different for her. She was in Gerudo Fortress during those years, and her lifestyle was hardly anywhere as nice as these girls had it here. She was in a dark and lonely living quarters, her rations were hardly filling enough for her, and Ganondorf didn't even give her the time of day. When her child died, he had even deemed her a weakling and discarded her like trash.

But as much pain as Sarami went though in her early adult years, she was happy to see Ragome and the others living so happily now, and how well Link was treating them all. Nabooru had done wonders to reform the Gerudo so they could all live a good lifestyle, and she wanted to help these girls be as comfortable as possible through it as well.

Leivuri tilted her head a little at the happy look in Sarami's eyes, before smiling pleasantly, "Dr. Sarami, you fancy Link as well, don't you? I'm willing to think he'd take you as his wife and give you a precious daughter of your own."

"H-Huh?" Sarami exclaimed.

"Shii-shi-shi!" snickered Ragome, "I say go for it! I promise you won't regret it, he's an awesome lover!"

"U-Um..." Sarami blushed, before deciding to change the subject, "S-So Esolu, how's your throat doing? Can you talk at all?" she asked, taking a moment to check her throat.

Esolu simply held up a page of her sketch book, showing a drawing she did of her face with an X-shaped bandage over her mouth.

"Poor Esolu is still mute I'm afraid." Leivuri sighed, "Not even the town mystics can figure out what's wrong with her."

"You poor thing. Losing a part of you like that can be a terrible feeling..." Sarami said, thinking about her lost child in that moment, "...believe me, I know."

Ragome and Leivuri looked to each other with a frown, wondering just what pain Sarami went through in her life before getting to where she was now.

"Sarami? You about done?" Nemisa asked, poking her head into the child-bearer's quarters, "Lady Nabooru wants you to attend a meeting with us."

"Very well, I was just finishing up." nodded Sarami, getting herself up, "I'll be back for another check-up two weeks from now, just take it easy all of you, okay?"

"Weeell taking it easy sounds a bit hard, buuut... okay!" grinned Ragome, laying back on her pillows with one arm behind her back and the other striking her belly. She turned to the servants and called out, "Hey, could someone please get me some strawberry cakes with whipped cream?"

Esolu meanwhile had bored but sparkling eyes as she held up a heavily detailed drawing of a frosted scone pastry.

"I think we'll be just fine Dr. Sarami." giggled Leivuri, "Go on, and good luck with Link."

"Ah ha ha, t-thank you..." Sarami said blushing, and hurriedly followed after Nemisa.

* * *

"So what business do you have for us today Nabooru?" Link asked as he, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and Sarami all sat around the dining table of Gerudo Town palace.

"Well, I have some good news today." Nabooru spoke with a wide grin, "I've received a confirmation from representatives of Hyrule Castle, and it seems the Hylian Parliament have agreed to meet with us to discuss a possible peace treaty, and to abolish the Banishment Law!"

"That's great!" Link said with wide eyes, "Finally a chance to set things right!"

"Alright, then we can finally give our sisters the freedom they've earned!" Aviel chirped happily.

"Well I never thought I'd see this day." smirked Nemisa, "I can't wait to see you two speak out to those Hylian mongrels."

"When we get there, I'll do what I can so we Kokiri can start putting ourselves out to Hyrule as well!" Saria said.

"Wonderful! So how long will it be until then Nabs?" Sarami asked.

"It'll still be a while I'm afraid, there's legal matters to deal with as well as them having to prepare the town for our arrival from what I've been told, but rest assured we're finally making real progress!" Nabooru said proudly.

Link smiled, he was worried about Nabooru for a while since she blamed herself for a while on her inability to make the significant changes she wanted to, but now it seemed they were finally able to accomplish just what she had wanted for everyone.

"In other news, you'll be happy to know we've been reliving a number of our sisters from their... let's say 'temporary residence' from certain nobleman's estates." Nabooru smirked, "That list you got us from the Wyvern Keepers has been imperative to tracking down and freeing them Link."

"That's great, and what about the slaves from other tribes?" Link asked.

"They're all being escorted back as well. The people have been good to keep quiet about who exactly saved them of course." Nabooru said, then sported a grin. "And as an added bonus, those noblemen who had been keeping them have been under a lot of pressure over it too."

"Heh, that's music to my ears." Nemisa said, as a former slave herself she felt a little more uplifted by this news.

"Lady Nabooru, King Link!" shouted the guard suddenly, running in and gasping out, "We have a situation!"

"What's the trouble?" Link asked.

"It's the C-Block of our desert patrol, they were attacked by Desert Wolfos! The patrol managed to fight them off, but they sustained serious injuries, and even worse Sister Marata of their group was abducted by the monsters!" the guard exclaimed.

"Wolfos?! You mean like what we fought over at the warp point temple?" Aviel asked.

"Oh no..." Saria whispered in horror.

"What?! How the hell did that happen?" Nabooru asked, "C-Block is among some of our strongest soldiers, they can take down a pack of Lynels without breaking a sweat! How could mere Desert Wolfos give them any trouble?"

"The patrol said they were suddenly attacked, and the Wolfos exhibited very strange power they had never fought before." the guard said, "The rest of the team are currently at the medical clinic right now getting treatment."

"That's terrible, I should get over to the clinic to help the nurses!" Sarami said, she was about to get up, when another guard came rushing in as well.

"Sorry King Link, Lady Nabooru, but we just received this letter at the front gate" gasped the guard holding up a piece of paper, "The strange thing is that it was handed to us by a Desert Wolfos."

Nabooru walked over and took the letter, looking it over carefully as Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and Sarami all gathered around her to read it. The writing was rather rough, but they could make out the Hylian text.

'To the rulers of the Gerudo people, we have abducted your solider, and she is alive for now. We request a meeting with you at the town 'Grinder's Ridge' to the west. If you do not show yourself by the time the sun rises tomorrow then we shall make this woman food for our young.'

"Damnit, they're actually holding her hostage?" Nabooru clenched at the note angerly, "Those bastards..."

"Grinder's Ridge? What's that?" Link asked.

"It's an old abandoned mining town to the west of here. It was pretty bustling back when iron deposits were found in the nearby mountains, but when that was cleaned out the people left almost as quickly as it was established." Nabooru said, "Didn't think anyone would willingly live there anymore, much less the Desert Wolfos."

"Well it seems at least one of them can write somewhat legibly." Sarami pointed out, "And they're self-aware enough to acknowledge how to write a letter and even arrange a deal like this..."

"But still, can we trust them...?" Nemisa asked, "What if it's not wolfos, but bandits or rebels?"

"Well whatever it is, we can't wait! We gotta go save Sister Marata!" Aviel said desperately.

"Of course we will, we just need to form a team to go out there." Nabooru said, "Since they're giving us less then a day's time, we don't have an opportunity to make a plan, so we'll just deploy our spies out there for now, and figure out what to do depending on the situation when we get there."

"Alright let's get going then." Link said, "We're not going to let anything happen to Sister Marata."

Sarami thought to herself on that note and nodded, "Nabs, Link, if it's okay, I'd like to go with you all."

"Are you sure Sarami? That's quite a long walk." Nabooru said worried.

"I'll be fine." Sarami nodded, "If Marata is injured it'll be better if I'm there to provide immediate treatment."

"We'll go see if Togau is willing to go provide her support." Link said, "She can use her Lynel form to haul Sarami and Marata back to town as well if they need it."

"But what about the injured soldiers who were brought into your clinic?" Nemisa asked Sarami.

Sarami paused for a second but then nodded, "It's okay, I know my nurses can handle it. I trust them to be able to manage without me."

Link looked to the doctor and grinned, happy to see her relying on others more now then before, "Alright, glad to have you on board Sarami."

"Actually if you'd like Dr. Sarami..." Saria spoke up, "I could go help the nurses over at the clinic!"

"Could you?" Sarami asked with a smile, "I'd appreciate that!"

"Very well then, we'll leave as soon as possible!" Nabooru nodded.

* * *

"So that's the place?" Aviel asked, peering out in the distance.

"Yep, Grinder's Ridge. This place is where our sister is apparently being held." Nabooru said as she, Link, Sarami, Aviel, Nemisa and Togau, along with a good number of extra guards, all stood at a rocky area overlooking a town in the distance.

The buildings of the town were constructed entirely from wood, and were lined up along side each other down two lines, with a wide path between them that led to a two story town hall at the end. Many of the buildings had horse stalls with old rope hanging from them. The windows of the buildings had wooden shutters that opened and shut themselves when the wind blew by. A lone tumbleweed blew through the center of the seemingly empty town. There was also a sign post at the front of the town with the town's name inscribed on it, that swayed and creaked as the wind blew through the area.

"I'm glad I was able to come along and help yall," Togau said, "But you sure anyone's here? This place looks more like a ghost town then anythin'."

"G-Ghost town?!" Aviel exclaimed, clinging to Sarami with her bird wings.

"She just means that it's been abandoned." Nemisa sighed, rolling her eyes.

"So what's the plan Nabooru?" Link asked.

"I sent spies in advance to check out the area for any possible chances of an ambush." Nabooru said, "Once they give us their report we'll head into town."

It was shortly after that a group of three Gerudo spies all leaped down in front of the group, "Hello Lady Nabooru, we've done our investigation."

"Nice timing, so what do you have for us?" Nabooru asked.

"All we've seen around here are a number of Desert Wolfos, no rebels whatsoever." said the head spy.

"There are two wolfos standing just outside of the town, judging from their position they may be guards." said the second spy.

"They don't seem hostile at all either." said the third, "In fact they're kinda cute!"

"Uh huuuh..." Nabooru said skeptically about that last one, "Well, thank you for the report. Stand by for now, we're going to investigate the town for ourselves."

Link, Nabooru, Sarami, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau and their backup guards all slowly approached the town, looking around to keep their eyes out for any attackers. As they got closer, the two wolfos standing at the entrance growled and went into defensive poses, but didn't attack them.

"Stay on your guard." Nabooru said, her hand hovering over her scimitars.

"Hang on a sec, let me handle this!" Togau spoke up, walking past her and up to the wolfos.

"Togau, what are you doing? Be careful!" Aviel called out in worry.

"Don't sweat it, just wanted ta see if they'll hear us out." Togau said grinning, she turned to the beasts and Link and the others could hear her making small growls and roars at them.

"I... don't get it." Nemisa said sweatdropping.

"I think she's talking like a Lynel." Link observed.

"Hee hee, it's rather cute hearing her make those noises." Sarami giggled, "She's reminds me of Chester."

It was then the wolfos started making growling, barking and yipping sounds. The others stared as Togau replied with more growls and roars. One wolfos seemed to point and stomp it's foot and make more growling sounds, before Togau growled back more. Eventually the two wolfos looked to each other and nodded.

"Okay, so I told em how we got called out over here, and they said they wanna see some proof of us gettin' invited." Togau said, "One of them also said he wanted the steak sandwich he could smell, but I told him it was for my mate and off limits!"

"Wait, so you can understand them?" Aviel gasped out.

"Reckon course! I only just learned this sort of thing recently, but I'm getting a hang of understandin' the language of animals!" Togau grinned, "I've even been practicing with my pets Imra and Oseg!"

"Huh, so you're becoming aware of more Lynel powers over time? Interesting." Nemisa said.

"Nice work Togau!" Nabooru nodded, "Now as for the proof..."

Nabooru walked up to the two wolfos and presented them with the letter they had received. The two wolfos stared own at it, giving it a good sniff, before they both nodded and ran off. They stopped for a second and looked back at the group and made more yipping and growling sounds.

"They say to follow them." Togau explained.

"Alright, but let's continue to stay on our guard." Nabooru said, as the group followed the wolfos down the road.

As they walked along the path, they all looked to see Desert Wolfos all peeking out from the door-frames and windows of the town. A few stared down at them from a high window, two peeked out from under a water trough, while one wolfos was peeking at them from a knothole on the side of it while it's tail was sticking out from a barrel.

"The spies were right, they don't seem very hostile, just cautious." Nemisa observed.

"Maybe this will be easier then we thought." Link said, a little more relaxed, but still prepared himself for anything.

Soon the group arrived at the town hall building at the end of the path, and the two wolfos barked at them while gesturing to the door.

"Guess we're going to be meeting with their leader?" Link asked Togau.

"Yup, up on the second floor of this place, they say to show the boss our full respect." Togau nodded.

After stationing the backup guards to watch over things outside, Link and the group all went inside the town hall. Inside they saw what remained of a pretty standard town hall building. There was a check-in desk lined with mail slots, a waiting area with tattered books, and a few office rooms with typical furniture you'd expect. Only instead of people, the place was filled with wolfos.

Rather then immediately attack the group though, the wolfos were lounging around the place; some were sleeping, some were eating food they had hunted for, some younger pups were wrestling and playing around with one another, there were two wolfos who were having a tug-of-war with a piece of rope in their mouths, but none of them gave off any hint of a threat.

"Really wasn't expecting this." Link said, "I thought we were going to have to fight them, but they aren't hostile at all."

"That spy was right, they're kinda cute when they aren't trying to kill us." Aviel nodded.

The six of them went up a staircase to the second floor, where they saw what appeared to be a large meeting room. There were numerous Woldos laying around the place, and much more pups then downstairs, but it was there they also saw an amazing sight.

Laying on the podium stand was a very large but slender Wolfos, it's eyes were a sapphire blue, it's fangs weren't overly long like the others, it's fur was a beautiful snow white with silver streaks and without any mange to it, and the fur on it's head seemed to grow out backwards and down it's back like human hair. The Wolfos's long tail flicked up and down as it stared at it's new company before it.

"Oh my, that one looks so pretty..." Sarami gasped.

"It's a White Wolfos..." Link said, "Weird, I thought these ones only lived in cold areas."

"Um, excuse me." Nabooru cleared her throat, stepping up front, "I am Lady Nabooru, leader of Gerudo Town, and this here is our ruler, King Link. We received a letter from your tribe asking us to come on behalf of one of our people that your tribe have captured."

The White Wolfos didn't do anything, but just stared at them.

Nabooru continued, "Um... the captive you have is our beloved sister Marata, and we want to bring her back home for rest and recovery. We don't wish to cause bloodshed here, but instead we'd be willing to negotiate a deal, we even have supplies or rupees if you're in need of them."

The Wolfos continued to lay there without so much as a sound or movement. Maybe it was just Link, but he felt the creature's eyes were focused heavily on him in particular.

"...well okay then... Togau, you try talking to it." Nabooru said with a rolling of her eyes, realizing this was going nowhere.

"Airight then." Togau nodded, walking up to the White Wolfos, "Um... lessee here..." she started making growling and roaring Lynel sounds in an attempt to communicate with the White Wolfos.

"You don't think we offended it do you?" Link whispered to Nabooru.

"Don't know why, they're the ones who captured our sister and called us here." Nabooru whispered back in an irritated tone, "Just be ready to fight if we need to."

Toagu continued to growl and roar at the White Wolfos, but got nothing like a response in return. She sighed out and turned to the group, "Sorry guys, nothin' seems ta be gettin' through to this walking furcoat."

"I heard everything just fine, thank you."

The animal rancher froze up upon hearing a voice and looked behind her to see the White Wolfos stand upright on her hind legs, putting her at a good ten feet tall at the highest. It stared down at everyone with it's blue eyes.

Togau stepped backwards and up to Link's side as the young king looked in shock at the Wolfos, "Wait, you can talk?"

"Yes I can talk. And I don't think someone who carries the scent of a Lynel-kitten like yourself should be calling others a furcoat." the Wolfos said with a clearly feminine voice.

"Na ha ha! Sorry 'bout that!" laughed Togau innocently, nervously clinging to Link's vest tightly with one hand.

"So you're a female Wolfos?" Nabooru asked.

"Yes, specifically I am the alpha female of my pack, you may call me Lady Sheeva." the Wolfos said.

"Very well Lady Sheeva," Nabooru nodded, "So just what is it you want from us?"

"I've brought you here to discuss some matters that have been happening recently involving my pack." Sheeva said, sitting herself back down.

"Alright, we're open for discussion of whatever you want." Nabooru said sitting down, "No offense, but you seem quite intelligent compared to most wolfos we've encountered."

"Yeah, I've never seen one capable of speaking in Hylian." Link spoke.

"Yes, well... there's a reason for that..." Sheeva muttered, looking somewhat distantly, confusing the others.

"I also find it interesting you choose to set up your home in this old town, I thought Desert Wolfos preferred to use caves." Nabooru said.

"We used to a while ago, but I decided we needed something a little more... livable" Sheeva said, "The caves we used to live in were so dark and dreary, but here we have more comfort, and the sunlight has done wonders for our pups' energy and enthusiasm."

She glanced over to a group of Wolfos puppies running around yapping, tussling and playing with one another.

"What I want to do is someday evolve these Desert Wolfos from their feral ways, and become more then what they are." Sheeva said, petting one of the pups as it came up to her.

"Fascinating..." Nabooru said with a small smirk.

"Um sorry, but may I speak up?" Sarami asked, "I'd like to see Marata, the Gerudo woman your people captured. I'm a doctor, and I need to see to her injuries immediately!"

"You're... a doctor...?" Sheeva asked, before the wolfos nodded and gestured to some others, "...very well, bring in the spare meat."

"Spare meat?!" Nemisa shouted, everyone else looking pretty alarmed themselves.

"Don't worry, we've been keeping her alive. It's just the name my pack have been using for her." Sheeva clarified then after a moment coughed and added, "Obviously my attempt to change them isn't exactly happening overnight."

"T-Thank you." Sarami nodded, though still shaken by their name for her.

It wasn't long after that two wolfos came in with a young Gerudo woman covered in injuries.

"Sister Marata!" Sarami exclaimed, running over as the wolfos set her down, "We're so glad you're okay!"

"Dr. Sarami... Lady Nabooru and even King Link...?" Marata spoke, "All of you came for me? I'm sorry to put you all out like this..."

"No problem, you know the most important rule of the Gerudo, right? We never turn our backs on our sisters." Link said, sporting a goofy grin.

"That's right." Nabooru nodded, "Now let Dr. Sarami take care of you while we talk things out here with the wolfos."

"Thanks..." Marata grinned weakly as Sarami went to work on treating her wounds.

"Now, back to our discussion." Lady Sheeva turned back to the group, she reached out a paw to the side as a Wolfos handed her a bone, which she started chewing on as she spoke, "First I wanted to talk to you about what happened with the mad Hinox."

"The one that attacked us in the canyon?" Togau asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"Yes, I was told the details by my pack members." Sheeva said, then bowed her head, "I wanted to thank you for what you did in destroying the Hinox, I could never forgive it for what it did."

"What do you mean?" Nemisa asked.

Sheeva nibbled on the bone as she spoke sadly, "Some time ago, the alpha male of our pack went on a hunt with his team, but that damn Hinox attacked them. They were completely overwhelmed by it's unusual power and my mate was killed, the others had little choice but to join the Hinox as it's minions."

"So the Wolfos pelt that Hinox was wearing, that was your mate...?" Sarami asked sadly.

"That's terrible, I'm sorry for your loss." Link spoke.

"It's fine, my mate died valiantly defending his pack in battle, and none of us shall forget him." Sheeva said. They then heard whimpering and whining, and everyone turned to see many of the older wolfos hanging their heads down, seemingly in memory of their leader.

"Poor things, they seem like they took it hard as well." Aviel said sympathetically.

"I'm surprised, I used to think the Wolfos were nothing more then just savage monsters, but they are indeed more self-aware then we believed." Nemisa said.

"Yes, I understand it's difficult to see that, but I'm glad to see you all are so understanding." Sheeva nodded, "In fact we-"

It was then they saw Sheeva suddenly stop talking, her ear twitch a bit, and her eyes narrowed, "Excuse me for a second... and don't move from this room."

The group watched as Sheeva stood up and suddenly ran on all fours out of the meeting room and downstairs.

"...what do you think it is?" Nabooru asked.

"Dunno, maybe a threat?" Link guessed.

There was a moment of pause, before they suddenly heard a loud sound.

"ARF! ARF! ARF! ARF! ARF! ARF! ARF!" came from downstairs, causing all of them to fault over in surprise.

"What the heck?" Togau asked, putting a hand to her head.

Sheeva then walked back into the room with a calm demeanor once again, "Sorry about that, I thought I heard someone walking past my home."

"Are you a Wolfos or a domesticated dog?!" Nemisa shouted in annoyance.

Sheeva seemed to ignore that comment and continued, "Now back to the conversation, I was notified about you vanquishing the Hinox monster by the four members of our pack who survived the battle. They were under the thumb of that monster and too afraid to try and escape."

"Oh yeah. Those were the four Wolfos we spared after the battle was over." Nabooru realized.

"Yes, which leads me to ask, why did you spare my people? They had been under orders by that Hinox to kill you all, yet you wound up sparing them in the end. What would have to gain from it?" Sheeva asked, looking to Link in particular.

"Well..." Link spoke, rubbing the back of his head, "Did we really need a reason to spare them? I understood the Hinox was forcing them to fight us, so after everything calmed down I didn't feel the need to battle them anymore."

"I see..." Sheeva said with a nod, "They also said they aided you in fighting a pack of Lynel to save a friend of yours afterwards, and that they admired your compassion to protect your friend."

"Na ha ha, that's right. Link even fought off a Golden Lynel to protect me!" Togau grinned, recalling the time she and Link became a couple, and she leaned her head against Link affectionately, "Now the two of us are lovers!"

"That's right, these girls mean the world to me, and I'd do anything to protect them." Link nodded putting an arm around Togau.

At that moment, Sarami completed her work on Marata, and turned to hear the words Link spoke. She blushed lightly at the kind king even she herself had began to fall in love with.

"Hm, interesting. It's almost as if you were actually..." Sheeva paused, "...yes, I think you'll do."

"Huh?"

Sheeva then stood up and walked slowly over to Link. The Hylian stood tall and firmly, looking up at the wolf before him. He had to admit she was an imitating sight, she didn't say a word, but continued to look down at him. The others were a little unnerved at her, each readying themselves to attack if the Wolfos tried to harm Link in any way...

It was then Sheeva lunged forward at Link, but before the others could attack they stopped to see a very peculiar sight.

Lady Sheeva, leader and alpha female of the Wolfos pack was licking Link's face affectionately, covering his mouth with saliva.

"Wha-!" gasped Nabooru.

"H-Hey!" Nemisa shouted, bearing her fists, "What the hell you think you're doing?!"

"What does it look like Gerudo woman?" Sheeva turned to Nemisa with her tongue still sticking out slightly, "I'm making this male here part of my pack."

"Wait, what?!" Link exclaimed.

"I picked up on it when you first arrived." Sheeva spoke staring at him, "You have the scent of a noble wolf, strong but compassionate, you're just like him... I believe that legend I heard from the Temple of Uvooro holds some truth after all."

"Uvooru? Wait, you mean the Gerudo goddess of beasts?" Nabooru asked.

"Correct, there's a legend that says if a beast of noble blood is slain in battle, their soul will become one with another living being of similar nobility, and carry on it's will." Sheeva said, "Hylian male, I believe you might very well be the one who carries the will of my mate."

"HUH?!' the Gerudo all shouted out.

"Wait, so Link's a wolf?" Aviel asked, tilting her head left and right, "Does that mean I can play fetch with him?"

"I actually kinda wanna see that." Togau snickered.

"I... look lady, no offense, but I think you got the wrong guy." Link said sweatdropping, "The only spirit inside me is my o-"

That's when he paused in surprise, recalling the dreams he had been having, and the mysterious man he had finally figured out the identity of...

'Wait, could he possibly be a wolf of some kind...?' Link thought.

"So with that said, my main reason for bringing you here is that I'd like you to join our people Hylian male." Sheeva said bluntly, "As the alpha male of my pack, and my mate."

There was a brief moment of silence in the room, save for a single wolfos biting at itself.

"...what." Nabooru finally said in a flat tone.

"WHAAAT?!" then screamed out all the other Gerudo.

"Wait, hold on, you got to be kidding me!" exclaimed Link, "I can't do that! I'm the Gerudo King, and I have a responsibility to my people! Plus I've already taken wives of my own!"

"You're the Gerudo King, but a Hylian correct? Which means you have no real obligation to the Gerudo. I think you'd do well to lead our pack, you'll be treated as a king just as well here, with all the food you can eat, and you and I can produce many fine, strong pups together." Sheeva said.

"Um, are you forgetting the fact that I'm Hylian, and you're a Wolfos?" Link asked.

"Yes that's right, you two are biologically incompatible!" Sarami pointed out frantically.

"That's not a problem" Sheeva said shrugging, "For I used to be a Hylian myself."

There was a delayed pause, before everyone yelled out another "WHAT?!"

"You people sure shout a lot..." Sheeva muttered rubbing her head.

"Probably because you keep saying such bizarre things!" Nemsia shot back.

"Hang on, ya used to be Hylian, did you put on a Wolfos mask or somethin'?" Togau asked in confusion.

"I'm not sure what you mean by a mask Lynel-kitten," Sheeva said, "But back when I was a young Hylian woman I used to be a traveling thief, as well as a raider of ruins and tombs, seeking out ancient treasures. One day I investigated into the Temple of Uvooru, and it was there I found an ancient relic I thought I could steal for rupees, but as soon as I tried to pick it up, I was cursed, and transformed into what you see before you."

"Dang, that must've been rough, I can sympathize." Togau said rubbing the back of her head, recalling how it felt to turn into a Lynel for the first time.

"I'm not surprised something like that happened then." Nabooru said, "Those who try to use the Gerudo goddess' gifts without their blessing tend to be cursed with horrible fates. You're lucky you still have your life."

"And then you joined with these Wolfos?" Aviel asked, petting a wolfos pup on the head.

"Yes, they accepted me without question, so I had a great admiration for them." Sheeva said, then looked to Link, "And they shall accept you too, Hylian male. We will even allow you to discard your old name in favor of something that suits your new Wolfos self, something like Beorhtwulf, or Rannulfr, or Caineghis..."

"...or Dennis!" Aviel proposed raising up her hand, even the wolfos pup rose up it's paw in agreement.

"Dennis...?" the others thought in confusion.

"Uh, well..." Link stammered, "Look, if there was a giant wolf creature I'd do that sort of thing with, you'd be the first, but... I'm sorry, but I can't leave my people behind."

"That's right, he's sworn himself to us Gerudo, and we all love him deeply." Nemisa said stepping up to Link's side.

"Yeah, and we ain't givin' him up to you!" Togau said stomping her foot forward, her fear of Sheeva from before was gone and replaced with the desire to protect her husband, her eyes turning more cat-like as she snarled at the Wolfos leader.

"Link is our beloved family and we shall not let you take him away. I appreciate that you spared our sister and I admire your drive to better your people. I wanted to be civil with this meeting, but if you try to be forceful about this we won't show you mercy." Nabooru said narrowing her eyes.

"Hmph, civil and merciful are you? After the pain you Gerudo have brought onto my people?" Sheeva interjected.

"Hey, your damn mutts attacked us first!" Marata shouted, sitting herself up from her resting spot.

"Marata, please settle down! You're recovering!" Sarami exclaimed.

"This isn't about that attack, this is about that strange illness your people gave to my own." Sheeva said narrowing her eyes as she snapped the bone she was chewing on in half.

"Strange condition...?" Link spoke.

* * *

Leaving Marata with the Gerudo guards, Sheeva led Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau and Sarami outside of the town hall to a single story building with 'Jail' written on top. Naturally it was the prison complex for the town back when it was inhabited by people. Sheeva ducked into the building and led the group to one area where they saw a shocking sight.

It was about five Wolfos, all encased in separate cages. They were snarling and biting at the iron bars that made up their cages upon seeing them. There was bowls of water and strange meat that had been ravaged at in each cage.

"W-What the hell is this?" Link asked looking around.

"These are some members of my pack who have been acting more aggressive and violent lately." Sheeva said.

Aviel came cautiously up to one of the cages to get a good look at one of the Wolfos, but it snarled and tried to bite her, making her step back in surprise.

"What's wrong with them?" Aviel asked hiding behind Nemisa.

"You tell us, Gerudo." Sheeva said, "These ones were captured by your people, and when they returned to us they were acting this way, they even attacked their own kind. The ones that attacked your group back in the desert were escapees that we were trying to save."

"So that's why they attacked Marata and the others..." Nabooru said.

"Attacking their own kind..." whispered Sarami, she looked to one in particular who was shaking. The wolfos turned to Sarami and it's eyes gleamed a blood red. It snarled and lunged out, bashing against the door of the cage several times until the rusted lock broke off and freed the snarling creature.

"It's loose!" shouted Nemisa, bringing up her fists.

"Hey you, stand down!" Sheeva shouted to the Wolfos,

The creature however didn't respond, and instead lunged at Sarami with it's fangs and claws, but Link stepped out in front of her and swung his fist out, punching the Wolfos and knocking it down to the ground. Link and Nabooru then quickly went over to Sarami to make sure she was okay, and Sarami just hugged Link tightly in response.

"Hey everyone, look..." Nemisa said, as they all looked to the injured wolfos, it shook and coughed, before breathing out a strange yellow mist, before it collapsed to the ground. Everyone stared and watched, cautious of it attacking again, but then it just evaporated into a purple and yellow mist.

"No... he's gone..." whispered Sheeva, her arms were trembling, "Just like the others..."

"How terrible..." Aviel said with tears in her eyes.

"It's okay Aviel, it's spirit can now pass on to the next world..." Nemisa assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, did the way that wolfos was acting look familiar to any of you at all?" Link asked.

"Reckon course;" nodded Togau, "The red eyes, that weird yellow breath, that poor wolfie died just like the Hinox did, same colors and everything."

"That rebel from the Hall of Knowledge also experienced the same fate..." Nabooru said.

"So that's it, these wolfos must have been testing subjects for the power tonic the rebels are using, much like the Hinox!" Sarami said

Sheeva scowled and looked to Sarami, "Listen, you're a doctor, correct? You must be able to do something to cure the rest of my people of this illness!"

Sarami looked helplessly at the other four Wolfos who were shaking and coughing, "I-I'm sorry, but I've been researching the remains of the Hinox and a few other victims for a possible cure, but I keep hitting setbacks..."

"But doctors heal those who are sick, correct? We've been doing what we can to protect these members of our pack until we can figure out what to do for them." Sheeva said, "There must be something you can do!"

"Not with what knowledge I have at the moment." Sarami shook her head, "Whatever process was used to create the power tonic is still unfamiliar to me, and I can't develop a cure unless I know the exact components and means to making it!"

Sheeva just stared down at Sarami, her eyes narrowing coldly, "Hmph, I should have figured as much. That is of course assuming you're telling the truth."

"...just what are you insinuating...?" Nabooru scowled at Sheeva, pretty aware of what the wolfos meant but wanted to hear it from her mouth.

"I'm saying that you're working with that damn doctor who infected my people with this illness!" Sheeva said angerly, "I had hoped to give you Gerudo a chance to prove you had nothing to do with it yourselves, but I can see you have no regards for my people's lives!"

"That's bull-crud, Sarami would never do anything like this!" Togau shouted to Sheeva.

"Yeah, she's worked hard to help find a cure for that tonic!" Aviel said in a fit.

Sheeva disregarded what they said and spoke out to Link, "Now you see what pain these Gerudo have brought to my people?! Male, your place is not with these humans, they will only hurt you if you stay with them! Your place is with us as our mighty alpha male!"

"No way!" Link spoke out, "This wasn't the work of any of my friends!"

"He's right," Sarami clarified to Sheeva, "There's a rebellion fighting against us right now who plan to kill Lady Nabooru and King Link and take over the throne. They've grown so desperate in their goals that they developed a type of tonic capable of giving them great power, but it takes an extreme toll on their body."

"Really now, so that's what it was made for...?" Sheeva muttered in thought.

"We're currently working on tracking down the location of the rebel's research laboratory that's developing it, if you allow us to work with you I'm sure we can-" Nabooru spoke, out was cut off by Sheeva.

"No need for you to interfere, we already know the location of where this is all happening." Sheeva said, "I've already been notified of it and the cruel doctor responsible, and once we're ready, my pack will attack the base where they're hiding."

"Interesting, do you by chance have a name of this person?" Nabooru inquired, curious of which Gerudo she remembered from the fortress it could possibly be.

Sheeva nodded, "Yes, before one of my people died to the illness, he spoke the name of the one who did this to them..."

"And we won't rest until we have the corpse of the one named Granny Truttlo!"

At the mention of the name, Sarami, Link, Nabooru and Nemisa's eyes widened in shock.

"WHAT?!" Sarami exclaimed.

* * *

_**Well at least Sarami has finally found out where Granny is, right? Is her mentor really working for the rebels, or is there something else going on? And what will Link do about being invited to join the pack of Lady Sheeva and the Wolfos? Find out next week!**_

_**Hope you guys are enjoying the story! Leave a like, follow or comment if you choose!**_


	75. Nabooru vs Sheeva

_**Now it's time for Chapter 75, with the shocking news of what's become of her mentor, what will Sarami do?**_

* * *

"A-Are you certain about that name...?" Sarami asked Lady Sheeva of the Desert Wolfos as she was leading Link, Sarami and the group back to the town hall of Grinder's Ridge to further discuss matters with the illness her wolfos pack were suffering from due to the Ebony Sisterhood's power tonic.

"Positive, I was told her name and her location by one of my pack with his last breath." Sheeva said, "Her name is Granny Truttlo, and the one behind what's happened. She's in cahoots with your people making my pack sick with this illness!"

"You can't be serious, the rebels actually have Sarami's mentor working for them?" Nabooru whispered to Nemisa and Link towards the back of the group, as they went into the town hall building, "She must be using the Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts book the rebels stole from Halei to develop the power tonic..."

"And they're testing it on monsters like that Hinox, as well as Sheeva's wolfo pack, and giving it out to rebels like that Faurugo woman from the Hall of Knowledge." Link grimaced.

"No..." Sarami spoke out to Sheeva, her hands trembling, "That's not true... there's no way my mentor would ever do something like all that!"

"Your... mentor...?" Sheeva asked.

"That's right, she taught me everything I know, she's a compassionate person who would never hurt anyone!" Sarami shouted.

Sheeva just stared at Sarami, narrowing her eyes and growling.

"So you are connected to that woman after all. That only proves it." Sheeva spoke coldly, "In that case, you too will feel the vengeance for my mate!" she snarled and swiftly lunged at Sarami, impacting her into a wall and holding her by her neck.

"Sarami!" shouted Link and the Gerudo in panic.

"Please... stop..." Sarami gasped out.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't consider you or any of these Gerudo working with the ones who hurt my people?!" Sheeva shouted with small traces of tears in her eyes, "I lost so many of my people to that illness, and your refusal to help those of us who suffer is only proof of your involvement!"

Those words stung horribly, as Sarami had regretted not being able to make much progress in her research. She thought she had hit a breakthrough when she found out the hypno candy could be countered with Ilite's asthma medicine, but the power tonic itself had more complications to it's composure, and at that point she wondered if there really was a cure for it...

And that only brought back the painful thoughts she had of not being able to do anything to help Gonaeti and her unborn child...

A single tear rolled down Sarami's cheek, which surprised Sheeva. She saw the doctor's body didn't shake or tremble, she didn't seem to be in pain or scared of what the wolfos might do to her...

It was then at that moment the wolfos leader realized there was something pressed against her neck. Her eyes looked down to a sword that was being wielded by Link.

"W-Wha-?" Sheeva spoke.

"I swear to you..." Link whispered quietly, giving the wolfos a cold angry stare, "If you so much as harm one hair on her head, I'll slit your throat open, you damn mutt."

Sheeva's eyes widened at the cold words Link spoke, a stark contrast from how mild-mannered and goofy he was a while ago. But she attempted to keep her composure.

"...do you really think you have a chance against us? We have you outnumbered." Sheeva stated, as her wolfos pack surrounded Link and the Gerudo growling viciously, "All I have to do is call out to them and they'll make you into our young's next meal."

"Heh, you sure about that Lady Sheeva?" Nabooru said, despite her worry for Sarami, she was bearing a confident smirk, "If anything I'd be more worried about the rest of your pack."

"What do you mean?" Sheeva asked.

"The Gerudo guards I have stationed outside are all members of my B-Block soldiers, and they've all been itching for a fight on behalf of the C-Block members your pack hurt earlier. All I have to do is give the word and we'll have wolf stew for the next couple of weeks." Nabooru explained, tapping at the scimitars strapped to her waist.

Sheeva paused, her eyes looking over at Nabooru and then to Link, seeing the sharp look in both their eyes. She then closed her own eyes and released Sarami, allowing her to drop to the floor.

"Hmph, well met." Sheeva said as Link moved his sword away from her. The wolfos watched as Link, Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa and Togau all ran over to Sarami to check on her.

"You okay Dr. Sarami?" Aviel asked worriedly.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine, she didn't hurt me." Sarami nodded.

"Listen you," Nabooru then spoke angerly to Sheeva, "I won't condone you attacking Sarami and trying to take away Link. We Gerudo have had a bad reputation as thieves and killers in the past, and we're doing everything we can to distance ourselves from those old ways, don't force us to make an exception this day."

"Don't you intimidate me Gerudo." Sheeva said narrowing her eyes, "You wouldn't be so strong if you didn't have your soldiers at your side."

"Heh, I have no shame in having my friends support me." Nabooru chuckled, "But if you want to see my own power I can demonstrate it to you."

"So be it." Sheeva said, "I have a proposition for you, in regards to the Hylian male, and the situation with that Granny person."

"Oh?" Nabooru raised an eyebrow.

* * *

Later, Link and the group, along with the Wolfos clan, were all outside of the town area, gathered around an abandoned cattle fence, as Nabooru and Sheeva were in the middle of the fenced in area.

"Alright, so how are we going to be doing this?" Nabooru asked.

"This is will be a one-on-one battle, whoever brings the other to their mercy is the winner." Sheeva said, stretching out her limbs and claws, "If I win then I claim the male as my mate, if you win then we'll tell you about the doctor's hideout. If you're afraid for your life you can flee out of the fenced area, and it will be considered a forfeit."

"Fine by me, I won't be running." Nabooru smirked.

Link meanwhile was sitting on his knees on a wooden podium with a sign around his neck with 'first prize' written on it.

"I don't recall agreeing to being the award." Link said flatly.

"Go Nabooru!" cheered Aviel.

"Stick it to that flea bag!" shouted Togau.

"I don't know why Lady Nabooru's agreeing to this." Nemisa said leaning against the fence, "We could just beat these mongrels all up and force the information out of them."

"Because she doesn't want to do that, Nabs just wants to show Lady Sheeva her resolve." Sarami said with a knowing smile, "Don't worry, she's got this!"

"Well if you say so..." nodded Nemisa.

The wolfos meanwhile were all sitting or leaning against the fence, waving the fists and howling out for their leader Lady Sheeva.

"If you're prepared, then let's begin." Sheeva said, baring her claws.

"Bring it then." Nabooru said with her scimitars ready.

With that the battle started, and Sheeva lunged at Nabooru with her claws. Nabooru swung out with her swords and blocked the attack before swinging her right sword. Sheeva took a step backwards to avoid it, then sidestepped to avoid the left sword. She darted at Nabooru from the side with her fangs, but Nabooru jumped away to avoid her attack. Sheeva then bound into the air and lunged at Nabooru, but the geurdo rolled just under the wolfos leader at the last minute, then did a backwards kick into her from behind to make Sheeva stagger forward.

"You're good..." admitted Sheeva, "But I'll prove to the male who the superior tribe is!" she then turned and swung her claws, while Nabooru swung out her blades.

The two of them started striking and deflecting each other's attacks quickly. Sheeva bashed away one of Nabooru's swords and swung her claw, managing to get a slash on Nabooru, but that gave the gerudo a quick chance to slash her across the arm. Sheeva staggered out howling out in pain.

"You're gonna have to try harder then that!" grinned Nabooru.

Sheeva snarled and dashed forward right at Nabooru, but just as the Gerudo swung her scimitar, Sheeva then leaped over her and landed behind her, swinging out her claws to strike Nabooru from behind. Nabooru quickly turned and brought up both her swords to block the attack, but then Sheeva instead did a long kick to send her backwards.

The wolfos took that opportunity to snap at Nabooru with her fangs, but the gerudo brought up her sword, allowing Sheeva to bite down on it instead. Nabooru tried to push the sword forward to cut Sheeva, but her jaw was too strong, so Nabooru instead swung up her knee, bashing the wolf in the jaw and slashed her again. The wolfos howled in pain and quickly did some back-flips to keep her distance.

"Hmph, let's see you deal with this then!" Sheeva said as she brandished her claws, swinging them out with such incredible force that it actually cut through the wind and actually make bladed waves right at Nabooru. She was caught off guard by the attack and was slashed up by them.

"Gaaah!" Nabooru shouted in pain, stumbling backwards, "What was that?"

"A technique of my late husband, the Wind Slash." Sheeva explained, "Using the force of my claws to manipulate the wind into an unstoppable bladed weapon."

"Impressive..." Nabooru spoke, she charged in as Sheeva shot off some more of her wind slashes.

Nabooru jumped and dodged out of the way of the slashes to avoid them before clashing right against Sheeva's claws. She then quickly dropped down and smacked Sheeva's leg with her blade, causing the wolfos to stagger, and Nabooru to get an opportunity to slash her again. Before Nabooru could do another attack through Sheeva suddenly grabbed the gerudo by the head and slammed her into the ground face first.

"Nabooru!" Link shouted.

"We have to help her!" Aviel said, reaching for her crossbow.

"Don't!" Nabooru shouted out to Aviel as she was struggling to move, "This is our battle!"

The wolfos all howled out in anticipation of Sheeva's victory, as the alpha female grinned wickedly, "You Gerudo are nothing compared to us. You may have been strong once, but you've grown weak over time, and you're an inferior leader compared to me!"

Nabooru narrowed her eyes, recalling the rebels having told her very similar things before.

"I will win this duel, we shall avenge our pack by striking down that cruel doctor, and your king shall become my beloved mate." Sheeva added.

Nabooru clenched her sword's handle firmly, but then she smirked lightly and spoke to Sheeva.

"Heh, we may no longer be the thieves and killers of the desert we once were... but don't you dare call us weak!"

It was then Nabooru knocked Sheeva off of her and went in slashing. Sheeva tried to deflect her attacks but Nabooru was getting the upper hand. Sheeva backflipped away and shot off some more wind blades, but Nabooru started striking back with her swords, actually driving back the wind attacks which surprised Sheeva. Nabooru then spun in with a rapid series of slashes across Sheeva before decking her across the face.

"So much for your unstoppable Wind Slash!" Nabooru said.

"Graaahrr, enough!" Sheeva shouted, "I'll end you here and now!" she then shot at Nabooru with her teeth bared and her claws out, but Nabooru charged in with her twin scimitars. There was a loud clash, and Nabooru came to stop behind Sheeva.

The wolfos paused in motion for a second, before screaming out in pain from blood flying out from her wounds, the red liquid staining her white fur.

"N-No... I failed..." Lady Sheeva muttered as she collapsed in defeat.

"Take that as a show of strength from the Gerudo!" Nabooru grinned.

With that, Link and all the Gerudo cheered out for Nabooru's victory as the wolfos all looked in shock at their great leader falling in battle to the gerudo woman.

"Congratulations Lady Nabooru!" Aviel said cheerfully as Nabooru came up to everyone.

"As strong as ever I see." smirked Nemisa.

"You're not hurt, are you Nabs?" Sarami asked looking at the cuts on her body

"Nah, nothing I can't walk off." Nabooru grinned, she then looked to Link and the 'first prize' sign on him.

"That was a great battle Nabooru, congratulations!" Link said standing himself up, only for Nabooru to take him by the back of his head with one hand and pull him into a deep kiss.

"Woah!" Aviel gasped, putting her hands to her cheeks.

"Fufufu... as expected of Nabs." Sarami giggled.

"Heh," Nabooru chuckled licking her lips, then sporting a grin, "Just needed to claim my prize!"

"Woah..." Link said with his jaw dropped as the others laughed out.

Meanwhile, Sheeva got herself up as the wolfos all gathered around her, all whimpering and trying to clean her wounds by licking them. Sheeva looked over at Nabooru, who despite the wolfos going all-out against her, seemed just no worse for wear.

"Ugh, I was so soundly defeated by that Gerudo woman..." Sheeva groaned, "Is that really her true strength and resolve...?"

A few of the Wolfos however, growled angerly at Nabooru who was busy focusing on Link. The three of them then ran at the Gerudo leader in order to attack her from behind and avenge their leader.

"Hey wait, stop!" Sheeva exclaimed to the three.

"Nabooru watch out!" Link said in surprise at the sight of beasts, darting around his friend and bashing one wolfos away with his shield, while Nemisa and Togau clobbered the other two, leaving the three beasts sprawled out on the ground.

"Hmph, trying to get in cheap shots, you cowardly beasts?" Nemisa asked as she pounded her fist into her palm.

"Paws off of Lady Nabooru!" Togau shouted to the dazed wolfos.

The group looked up to see more Wolfos all snarling and moving towards them. The group were prepared to fight back, but the beasts were halted by a loud shout.

"Enough!" shouted Sheeva, getting herself up and staggering forward, "Me and the Gerudo leader had an honorable battle and I lost! Do you not remember what our alpha leader said before about duels of honor?!"

The wolfos all turned to their leader and whimpered, backing away and allowing Sheeva to stand up and stagger over to Nabooru and Link.

"You fought bravely despite my power. Well done." Sheeva told Nabooru.

"Heh, I just fight for what I believe in." Nabooru smirked.

"Lady Sheeva, do you need for me to look over those injuries of yours?" Sarami asked.

"...no, it's not necessary." Sheeva said, "I should be fine."

"Lady Sheeva, we had a deal. You need to tell us where the doctor's base is located." Nabooru said.

"..." Sheeva looked downwards, seeming to be hesitant to say it, "I... don't know if I should..."

"Hey comeon!" Togau said, "We had a deal! Lady Nabooru tanned yer rear end, so you gotta tell us already!"

"..." the wolfos was still uncertain, until Nabooru spoke up.

"Tell me Lady Sheeva, is this about your mate?" she asked curiously.

Sheeva's eyes widened at how sharp Nabooru was in reading her, and she let out a sigh of defeat, "I'm worried if I tell you... I'll never be able to avenge his death..."

"He really meant the world to you, didn't he?" Nemisa asked.

"Yes, I owed him so much..." Sheeva nodded, "After I first was cursed and turned into a Wolfos, I was lost for the longest time.. I tried to go to Hyrule for help but I was chased out by the Hylian knights at the border. I wound up wandering Gerudo Desert for weeks, unable to do anything about what I had become. It was then I was attacked by fearsome monsters, but was saved by some Desert Wolfos. They took me to the old caves where we used to live, and it was there I met the alpha male of their people."

Sheeva had a reminiscent look in her eyes as she continued, "He offered me a place as a member of his pack, I didn't have anywhere else to go anyway so I stayed with them. Overtime I bonded with the Wolfos, and learned to care about them like the family I never had. I grew in strength, and became recognized as one of the strongest in our pack. I eventually challenged the alpha male to a duel of honor, and while I lost, he admired my strength and decided to make me his mate."

"It was a strange experience at the time for me, as someone who was once human, mating with and carrying the offspring of a wolf, but he was a kind and noble being, and treated me with more respect and love then any human ever did. And when I became pregnant, I fell in love with each of my pups I carried, and we continued to have many more after that... all the way until that damned Hinox took his life."

"I vowed when my mate died to that Hinox that I would avenge him... I fought you so that we could have a new alpha male who would help strengthen and lead us to strike down the one responsible... but I failed... I failed my mate... and my people today... I don't know what to do anymore..."

Link frowned and looked to Nabooru, who just stood without a word to say.

Sarami meanwhile looked to Sheeva, contemplating what she said, as she thought back to her past...

* * *

_Flashback - Fourteen years ago_

"Oh Granny, I finished the shopping!" a younger Sarami called out as she came into the Kakariko Potion Shop, "And here's your change."

"Very good Sarami," Granny said looking over the groceries to see it was exactly what she ordered.

"Well I'm going to get to cleaning." Sarami said, going off with a duster, before being stopped by a firm grip of Granny's hand.

"Sarami-dear, there's an oddly large amount of change compared to how much they typically charge..." Granny muttered darkly.

"Um..." Sarami sweatdropped, "They were having a discount...?"

But Granny was staring at her with an intimidating glare, and within minutes Sarami found herself on her knees being whacked on the back with a stick.

"I told you to quit shoplifting, you brat!" Granny scolded her, "You remember how I had to apologize to the general store owner after last time?! People are already untrustworthy of the Gerudo as it is without you making it worse!"

"I'm sorry! I thought if you had more money then you'd be in a better off to treat people!" Sarami cried out as Granny whacked her again, "You do so much charitable work for everyone even if it puts so much stress on you!"

Granny lowered the stick she had been wielding and sighed, "Well I guess I do tend to do that a lot, even at the expense of my well-being, but I suppose that's part of my work as a doctor. When I see the happy face of my patient after I'm done helping them, it fills my old heart with warmth... and I just find it far more rewarding then any money I receive for it."

"Granny..." Sarami whispered.

As someone who spent her younger years as a thief and just stole everything she wanted, seeing someone like Granny who valued people's health and happiness above all else was baffling. But it was then Sarami thought about her time carrying the baby she was going to have, the desire to hold and protect her, the happiness she felt from that, and the immense sadness she felt when her child had died before she could even get the chance to do so...

"Well, I better get back to my work, just reflect on your actions." Granny said, shuffling off to her desk, and started going through some books while Sarami went to the cleaning.

Eventually though, Sarami then wandered over to what Granny was working on and peeked over her shoulder, looking to see just what she was always reading about.

"Um, did you need any help with this?" Sarami asked.

"Why child, when did you take an interest in this sort of thing?" Granny asked.

"I dunno." shrugged Sarami, "Can I help you with it though?"

"Well..."Granny pondered, "Go apologize to the merchants and we'll talk."

Overtime Sarami was quickly immersed into the work of medical science and practice, at first it was treating basic cuts and bruises, mixing potions and proper bedside manner. But Sarami soon advanced quickly to more intense lessons, and she grew into Granny's apprentice over the next months.

* * *

"Granny, what books are these?" Sarami asked, as she looked trough some boxes she had been told to move to the basement.

"Oh those are just some books I bought from a traveling merchant on advanced alchemy. I mostly just used them for their healing recipes." Granny said.

Sarami said nothing but flipped through one of the books, seeming to take great interest in it.

"Could I possibly borrow them from you?" Sarami asked curiously.

"Ho ho... What am I, a doctor or a librarian? Help yourself." Granny chuckled.

Over the next few weeks Sarami took to spending her free time reading through the books, and experimenting with what was written using whatever potions she could buy with her spending money. It was a hit or miss effort, and often she'd get scolded by Granny for causing explosions. But Sarami didn't let that discourage her, so she kept trying to find ideal ingredients to use for her experiments.

One day Sarami was working with Granny to mix some healing potions together. They were red, green and blue variations, and Granny was working on mashing some type of jelly into a bowl to make them.

"Granny, what did you say this jelly was made from?" Sarami asked examining a bottle of it.

"They're made from Chu Chus." Granny explained, "Slime creatures that live out in Hyrule Field. They're pretty harmless for the most part and can be destroyed with little effort, but those alchemy books gave me information on how to use them to make good healing potions."

"Hmm..." Sarami contemplated what she saw a chapter in one of the books, "Do you think they could used for more then just healing potions though?"

"What do you mean?" Granny asked.

"Well take a look at this," Sarami said, showing her the book she was reading, "By extracting this gland and breaking it down, I think it could produce the same effect as the Chu Chu's original ability!"

"That... could work actually!" Granny said with wide eyes, "That's pretty observant of you Sarami-dear!"

"Only because I learned from you!" Sarami said nodding.

"Well I wouldn't say that, I never would had thought to using that sort of procedure myself, I think you may have a little drive then me in this regard." chuckled Granny, "I think you should focus more on this Chu Chu alchemy research!"

"Alright, I will!" nodded Sarami.

* * *

"Are you sure about this Sarami?" Granny asked, standing alongside Chester, who was now grown into an adult tiger, as Sarami stood at the door to the potion shop. She had a bag of numerous potions and books strapped around her shoulder. Sarami looked out in the distance, seeing Gerudo Valley far beyond Hyrule Field.

The war had just ended a few weeks ago with the Gerudo losing, and there was talk about a new Hylian Parliament forming to establish new laws, including one law being passed to banish the Gerudo off the land of Hyrule. Granny and the Kakariko residents had done what they could to keep Sarami's presence in the village secret during the war, but the gerudo doctor knew she could only stay for so much longer before the knights found her.

"Yes, the war is over, but the Gerudo are suffering right now. I have to go back to Gerudo Valley to try and help them!" Sarami said.

"Hm, but would they accept you, what with you being exiled?" Granny asked with concern.

"It doesn't matter, I have to go to their aide and help them recover." Sarami said, "After all, I'm a true doctor now, right?" she added with a smile.

"Ho ho ho, of course you are." Granny said, "Go on then, and help your people."

"Right." Sarami said, then turned back around, knelled and give Granny a firm hug, "Thank you Granny, for everything..."

Granny paused a bit, before she smiled warmly and hugged Sarami back, "Of course Sarami-dear. Now get a move on before the carriage leaves."

"Okay." nodded Sarami, she turned to Chester and saw he was in tears and sniffling over Sarami leaving, she smiled lightly and pet the tiger on the head, "You be a good kitty, okay Chester? You take care of Granny!"

Chester nodded and the people of Kakariko waved goodbye to her, as Sarami turned and went off to the carriage to leave for Gerudo Valley, and her people...

_End Flashback_

* * *

Sarami had a hand to her chest, her memories of her life with Granny, as well as her hopes of saving Gonaeti and her unborn child went through her mind. She nodded to herself and turned to the wolfos leader.

"Listen Lady Sheeva," Sarami spoke out, "Granny Truttlo is the one who took me under her wing when I had given up on life... she saved me without even being asked to, and helped me turn my life around. She's like family to me, and I'd like to get a chance to speak out to her. In fact, with Granny's help we may even be able to cure your people!"

Link came up to Sarami's side and nodded, "This isn't about just rescuing Granny either, but all the Gerudo rebels. Despite what they're trying to do to us, they're still our people. We want to save them so we can put a stop to all this, and so they can someday join with us as a family. Take this from someone like me, a Hylian who became a part of the Gerudo. Just give us this chance to help our people, and yours."

Sheeva's eyes widened at both their words, she looked downwards. She recalled when she had nowhere to go after being turned into a wolfos, and being taken in by her mate. How she cared so much about all her pack, even the ones who turned against her thanks to the illness. She took a deep breath and nodded to Link and Sarami.

"...very well, we'll give you this chance. Remember this however, if your mission fails, then my people will show that Granny Truttlo and the ones behind this no mercy." Sheeva said.

Sarami smiled gently, "Thank you so much."

The wolfos leader turned her head away and snorted, "Hmph, just be happy I'm being so generou-"

Sheeva was then cut off by an unfamiliar sensation, Sarami had stepped forward and placed her hand on top of Sheeva's head, and was rubbing it affectionately.

"Aww! You're such a sweet doggie when you're understanding!" Sarami said happily.

"I... um..." Sheeva stammered.

Sheeva's eyes were sunken in, her body was froze up, and she could feel the sensation of her tail wagging like crazy behind her. The Wolfos all panicked at the sight, and started running around trying to figure out what to do about their leader's predicament.

"Lady Sheeva is completely subdued." Link said sweatdropping.

"Wow, what an incredible technique!" Aviel gasped.

"Jeez, that would had made my fight with her way easier." Nabooru commented.

* * *

**_And that ends the chapter. Next time the group head off to the rebel laboratory where Granny is, but little do our heroes know what kinds of strange things await them there!_**

**_Thanks everyone for your support! Leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure, your feedback is always encouraged!_**


	76. The Secret Lab

_**Chapter 76 is here! Link, Nabooru and the group are on their way to the rebel base where Granny is, but what bizarre surprises await them there?**_

* * *

"So is this really the place...?" Nabooru asked in confusion as she, Link, and the group stood at a remote part of Gerudo Valley, looking out at a peculiar sight.

Gerudo Valley was a desert, plain and simple. Vast plains of sand for miles and miles, scorching heat during the day, and freezing cold during the nights. Only in more weather controlled areas like Gerudo Town and the rare oasis was there any relief from the elements, and plants would be capable of growing and staying intact.

So it was rather odd for the group to see a great amount of giant purple and green plants and mushrooms growing off in the distance. The foliage was gathered into one area with giant roots and leaves. Contrasting with the foliage however was a lot of brownish red copper pipes sticking out from the leaves and going into the ground.

Standing out looking at the sight was Link, Nabooru, Sarami, Nemisa and Togau, along with two of Nabooru's backup guards. Marata had been escorted back to Gerudo Town by the other guards for her safety.

"Just what the bahooty is that, a jungle?" Togau asked, putting her hand above her eyes to block off the sun and look out at the plants, "Has that always been there?"

"Unlikely, it should be impossible to grow that many plants in the valley like this." Nabooru said looking around.

"Looks like just how Sheeva described." Link said, "The wolfos told her they were taken to a place of isolated giant plants and crimson iron, the laboratory where Granny is at must be here."

"Hey everyone!" Aviel called out, flying down and landing. She was currently wearing her vision-enhancing goggles on her eyes, "Just scoped out the giant plant things, couldn't really see much from above; no buildings or anything, just more giant pipes."

"Then we'll have to go into this jungle and try to track down the hideout from the inside." Link said, "You sure you're okay doing this Sarami?"

"Yes, I need to help Granny, if she really is working with the rebels, then I would like to try and get through to her." Sarami nodded.

"Alright then, move out everyone!" Nabooru said, unsheathing her scimitar and pointing out at their destination.

* * *

The group approached the giant plants, soon finding an open path that led inside of the miniature jungle. Link took a look up and around at the odd mismatch of plants and copper pipes, as well as giant mushrooms of various colors that were growing from the grass lining the ground.

"What do you suppose all these pipes are for?" Link asked.

"Maybe they're sewer pipes?" Aviel suggested, "Do plants poop?"

"No they don't!" Nemisa shouted.

Sarami took a look over at a small leak coming from one pipe and examined it carefully, covering her mouth with a handkerchief so as not to breathe it in.

"Actually, Aviel might be half-right. I think these pipes are fertilizing the plants." Sarami said, "This one's releasing some form of compost."

"That must explain how these plants and mushrooms can survive in our valley." Nabooru said.

"Too bad Saria isn't with us, she might have been able to do something about these with her staff." Nemisa said.

"I'm not so sure about that." Sarami said studying the plants, "I'm not a great expert on phytology like Saria, but these don't seem like a natural species... and something about these mushrooms really bothers me..."

"Hmm..." Aviel stared at one large mushroom in particular with a large purple cap on it, "You think we should take one of these things home so Saria can study it then?" she called out as she reached out to the mushroom to try and pluck it from the ground.

"Hey, watch what you're touching around he-" Nemisa started, but was cut off by seeing Aviel squirming around from being half-eaten by the mushroom, whose cap turned out to have a giant mouth, "AVIEL!"

"Kyaaa! Don't eat me! I taste terrible!" Aviel shouted, squirming around, the mushroom was trying to dissolve her in it's mouth, but it was quickly cut down by Link and his sword.

"You okay there Aviel?" Link asked, as the bird girl hugged him tightly.

"Yes, yes, thanks Link!" Aviel said with tears in her eyes, nuzzling her head against him out of gratitude.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be HIS bodyguard, Birdbrain?" pointed out one of the backup guards.

"Wait, do you all hear something...?" the other guard asked.

It was then some of the strange mushrooms started to shift, as Link and the others saw them seeming to unearth themselves from the ground and start lumbering towards the Hylian and the Gerudo people. The mushrooms even grew out limbs like claws and vines and were reaching at the group with them. They all seemed to be some weird shapes and sizes. One in particular had a large purple mouth with thorns that looked like large teeth, while sliding along a bloated body with roots sticking out like tentacles. Another had a bell-shaped cap with a long thin weed-like body, walking on the tips of it's roots. There were even a few that had a type of thin fin-like algae that they started flapping and taking to the air with like wings.

"Kyaaa!" screamed Aviel hiding behind Link.

"What in the hell are these...?" Nemisa asked.

"Weird, they're like mushroom Deku Babas..." Link said, gripping his sword.

"Guess we're in for a fight." Nabooru said, taking out her scimitars and spinning them in her hands.

With that, they all rushed into battle against the mushroom monsters. Link sliced through the stems of some of the mushrooms, before pulling out his Fairy Bow and shooting through a flying one. Nabooru spun in with her scimitars and slashed through a few mushrooms before flipping through the air on top of a bigger one, before thrusting her blades into it's body and ripping them out to kill it.

Aviel took to the skies with her wings and shot arrows down at the mushrooms, piercing through them. One of the weed-like ones came at a guard from behind, but Aviel swooped down and grabbed it by it's stem using her bird talons, then ripped it apart with her leg strength.

Nemisa flipped in and punched one mushroom's cap off, then did a quick kick to rip another in half. She was caught by the root of one mushroom constricting her arm, but she instead pulled the mushroom forward and swung it around her, bashing into others of it's kind in the process before smashing it to bits on the ground.

Togau swung out her hand ax, cutting down the mushroom monsters with little effort. She chucked the ax forward and it sliced through three of them, then when some more of the mushrooms came at her she darted to the right, allowing the ax to follow after her and cut through them from behind before she caught it.

Sarami meanwhile pulled out some potion bottles and fired off green chu jelly at some mushrooms attacking her. The monsters found themselves immobilized by the adhesive-like properties of the green chu jelly, allowing the backup guards to cut them down quickly.

It wasn't long after that the rest of the mushroom monsters were all taken down, and the group let out a sigh of relief.

"That went well." Link said, spinning his sword in his hand and sheathing it, "Hopefully that was the end of them."

"Just what the hell is going on around here?" Nabooru asked, kicking at the remains of one of the mushrooms and looking around, "I thought this place was for the power tonic production, what's with these creatures?"

"Maybe the reason for this jungle is to protect Granny's laboratory from intruders then?" Link guessed.

"Everyone, over here!" Aviel called out waving to everyone as she peeked over some bushes. The group all gathered behind the bird girl and saw what she had discovered.

It was a small, single story building made completely from metal, it was square-shaped with very few windows, and a singe door. Many pipes that they had seen around the jungle were connected to the sides and back of the building.

"Is... that the laboratory?" Link asked.

"Only place we've seen here that could be it." Nabooru nodded, "This jungle isn't big enough for anything more then this to be here, especially with all these pipes."

"Doesn't look like they could do much in a tiny place like that though..." Nemisa pointed out.

That was when they heard a strange sound, a type of hissing noise, along with the clanking sound of some sort of steel. Everyone looked in confusion as they saw strange creatures walking into the area around the building. They were crafted from some kind of metal, with steam venting out of pipes on their bodies. They both had single glowing eyes, their arms had crab-like pincers, and four legs designed like that of a spider's.

"W-What in tarnation are those things now?!" Togau exclaimed.

"Shhh!" Nemisa said, slapping her hand over Togau's mouth, "Keep it down or they might hear you!"

"You sure they can hear us? They don't look like they have ears." Aviel said tilting her head.

The two automatons seemed to be rotating their cylinder heads, the eye gazing around at whatever was around them. When it gazed in the direction of Link and the others the group quickly ducked behind the bushes, then peeking back out a second later when it went to walking away.

"So what's the plan Nabooru?" Link asked.

"Not sure, we don't know what these things are capable of..." Nabooru said scratching her chin.

"Think we outta just barge in and wreck em?" Togau asked.

That was when a small desert lizard came crawling into the area As soon as one of the robots saw it though, a bright gleam came from the eye on it and fired a powerful laser at the reptile. When the smoke cleared, there was nothing but a small smoldering crater left behind, and the robots went back to patrolling.

"...n-never mind." Togau said with dot-shaped eyes, quickly ducking back behind the bushes.

"That light beam... it looked familiar..." Link pondered, "Hey Nabooru, remember those Beamos statues in the Spirit Temple? Don't they look similar to those?"

"Yeah, you're right, and the Beamos can be destroyed instantly with explosives!" Nabooru nodded, "Aviel, you think you can shoot those things directly into their eyes with your bomb arrows?"

"Sure thing." Aviel nodded, she pulled out her crossbow and loading an arrow onto her weapon of choice with an explosive Bombling tied to it. She pulled up her goggles to focus her vision, and aimed out at the robots, thinking to herself, 'Better not miss...'

She then fired off two arrows in quick succession, the arrows impacted right into the eyes of the two robots just as they rotated in her direction, and the Bomblings blew up, taking the heads of the steel monsters and causing the rest of them to fall to the ground motionlessly.

"Hee hee, I got it!" Aviel grinned.

"Nice shot Aviel the Hawkeye!" Togau grinned patting her on the back.

"Good one Aviel, now let's get inside and see what's going on here." Nabooru said. The group emerged from the bushes and went over to the nearby door, which Nabooru gripped the handle and pulled open effortlessly.

"How strange, it's not locked?" Nemisa asked in confusion.

"I guess if you had an army of killer mushrooms and metal monsters guardin' your place you wouldn't bother lockin' yer door?" Togau suggested, peeking inside.

Looking in the room, they saw nothing much but a metal elevator platform that seemed to lead down underground. The pipes sticking out from the building were also all leading downwards.

"Guess now we know why this room is so small." Link said, "It just leads down to where the real hideout is."

"Stay on your guard everyone." Nabooru said as the group stepped onto the elevator. It suddenly shifted, and started going downwards into the underground.

* * *

When the elevator came to a complete stop, the group looked around to see where they were. It appeared to be some sort of storage room; the area was filled with large crates everywhere, and it was pretty dark aside from small lamps with strange crystals in them illuminating certain areas.

"Ugh, this is getting creepier..." Aviel whispered looking around, "I think I miss the giant mutant mushrooms..."

Nemisa crept forward and peeked out past one of the crates, only to quickly take a step back as another Beamos automation like the ones from outside walked by. The automation stopped, it's eye spinning a few times as if to be examining the area, then went back on it's way. Nemisa then looked again only to see more of them going by.

"This place is crawling with these things." Nemisa said, backing up to the others.

"Should I try blowing them up?" Aviel asked holding up her crossbow.

"No, it was one thing when we were outside, but it might create too much of a commotion indoors, plus we have no idea how many there are." Nabooru said, "We need to be discreet if we're going to save Sarami's mentor."

"So what should we do...?" Sarami asked, growing more concerned for Granny Truttlo's safety as she looked around.

Nabooru pondered for a moment, "We're going to split up into groups to investigate this place, it'll be easier to remain discreet in small numbers." she then turned to the two guards, "You two stay hidden and watch the elevator. If you see anything suspicious, come alert us."

"Yes Lady Nabooru!" the two guards said saluting.

"I'll go with Sarami and protect her." Link said, "Granny might be more willing to go with us if she sees a Hylian as well."

Everyone nodded and split into teams of two; Aviel and Nemisa went off in one direction, while Nabooru and Togau went in another, leaving Link and Sarami alone together.

"I'll be in your care Link." Sarami said politely bowing.

"Back at you Sarami." Link grinned, as the two went off to search.

The two of them slowly crept through the storage area. Link hid behind one crate, peeked out from it, seeing the coast was clear, he took Sarami by the hand and guided her through the area. Sarami couldn't help but blush at the feeling of Link holding her hand like that, but shook off her light-hearted emotions knowing they had a important mission to do.

"You doing alright Sarami? It's been a long trip." Link whispered, worried about her because her past fatigue.

"I'm doing fine Link." nodded Sarami, "I'm still working on strengthening myself more lately."

It was then they heard a clang sound, Link gulped as he realized another Beamos creature was coming, so he took Sarami and pulled her with him between two crates that had a narrow gap between them big enough for the two.

"L-Link?" exclaimed Sarami, but was quickly hushed up by him putting his hand over her mouth.

Link shushed her and the two remained quiet as an automation walked past them, scoping out the area. It changed it's perspective by rotating it's cylinder head a few times, but Link and Sarami were just hidden enough that the machine missed them.

Link and Sarami continued to wait for the machine to leave, but their bodies were pressed together pretty tightly between the crates. Sarami could feel Link's body heat as well as his strong muscular frame, while Link was trying his hardest not react to the doctor's soft curvy body. Sarami's large breasts in particular were squashed against him, and he couldn't deny how nice they felt even in that tense moment. Her soft breathing was causing her chest mounds to rise up and down against his own chest.

"Ulp..." Sarami blushed, fidgeting in such an awkward position that she accidentally stuck her leg out a little dangerously close to the automation's spider-like legs. In a panic, Link quickly grabbed Sarami's leg and lifted it upwards to her waist to keep her from bumping it into the machine.

Link was trying to concentrate on staying out of sight, but he realized he was now holding Sarami's thigh, and how soft it was in his hand. He looked eye-to-eye with Sarami and saw the deep blush in her cheeks as she was trying not to make a noise.

The robot finally went off on it's way after that, and the two of them gave off a breath of relief.

"That was close..." Link whispered.

"Um... Link?" Sarami asked, "Your kind of... poking me down there..."

"O-Oh..." Link turned red himself, and tugged on his pants, "S-Sorry about that, I know this isn't the time or place..."

"No, no, it's fine." she said, "You're a young healthy man, it's natural some accelerated body heat could... um..."

There was an awkward pause between the two over what had happened. There was a part of both of them that wanted to talk about the situation between each other, but knew it wasn't the time.

"M-Maybe we should go before another machine comes." Link said.

"Yes!" Sarami agreed, and the two hustled out and went on their way.

As Link and Sarami went down on hallway though, they were unknowingly being watched by a strange sphere mounted on the upper wall of the room. It wasn't too different from the Beamos eyes the patrol machines had, only this one had a clear eye that focused on the two. It also looked to Aviel and Nemisa going in one direction, as well as Nabooru and Togau going through different hallways...

* * *

In a deeper area of the hideout, a certain Gerudo woman was sitting at a chair. She was a modest sized individual, wearing tan and brown striped clothing and with an unusual pair of goggles over her eyes that were made from copper with green tinted lens. She also wore a tall brass helmet with small pipes venting out steam, as well as some metal tendrils with small clamps at the ends sticking out from it.

She was working on some sort of device on her desk. She was wearing a pair of metal gloves that were producing small blue flames from the palms, and she was using them to weld the device together. One of the metal tendrils on her helmet extended out and took a handkerchief, which it then wiped against the Gerudo's forehead to remove the sweat dripping off her, as she continued on her work.

"Hey Metal-head, how's my present coming along?!" spoke up a small but loud voice behind the woman which made her cringe. The Gerudo woman looked behind her to see three more Gerudo behind her, having just walked into her workshop.

"Ugh it's you guys... I've got the base model completed, but it needs more testing." the scientist sighed, "Now give me some space before I burn you."

"Grrr... you don't scare me! When is it going to be ready already?! Mother Eclipsis says she wants it to be completed for me before the big day!" shouted the girl to the right. She was child Gerudo with small pigtails and wearing a reddish-pink children's Gerudo outfit. She was also holding a small patched-up stuffed bear in her arm.

"Oh my, my... such a fierce temperament." giggled the Gerudo woman on the left. She was very tall and very slim, with a long neck and long straight hair. Her body was wrapped in a form-fitting light green dress, and she was wearing a large flat hat that was a light blue color with white spots covering it, as well as a white fishnet hanging off the rim of the hat.

"..." the third one standing at the center was an average sized Gerudo woman; she had short red hair done into a bouffant style, with a white bonnet topping it. As opposed to the silk desert wear Gerudo usually wore, she instead had a black short dress with white frills. Her legs were in white stockings and she wore black shoes. Oddly, she also had a small devices around her ears with antennae sticking out from both of them.

"Greetings Engineer Meokuro." the black dress-wearing woman said with a monotone voice and a polite bow at the waist, "We have come for the usual appointment, as well as the status report on your current assignments."

"Yeah, yeah..." muttered the woman, now known as the Gerudo rebel Engineer Meokuro, "I'm staying within schedule like I said last time."

"Well? When will it be ready then?!" the little girl shouted angerly, "I wanna be able to try it out sometime in the next century!"

Meokuro narrowed her eyes and shouted out, "Keep your pants on Niani! I finally tracked down the perfect specimen, and once it's properly tested then she'll be all yours to use. I've projected to have completed it in three days, sixteen hours, and twenty-three minutes..." she paused for a second, "Actually make that twenty-two minutes now." she corrected herself.

"Hmph, it better be!" the small child now known as Niani said, clinging to the tall woman's dress, "Otherwise big sis will have to do something nasty to you!"

"Now, now, now, that's not the way to talk to her Niani." the tall woman in the hat said patting Niani's head, before then turning to the scientist. Though she was speaking calmly, her next words came off very threatening, "Meokeru, I hope you understand the consequences for failing us..."

"Y-Yes, sister Kiraila..." Meokuro muttered.

"After all, I went through the trouble of supplying you with my precious babies to keep your little laboratory protected from little vermin." the tall woman known as Kiraila said, holding up a small mushroom in a flower pot, it's cap had a mouth and it was snapping around until the woman fed it a live insect, she giggled watching the mushroom chew up and swallow the insect.

"Hmph, my Beamos Walkers do the job just fine! I built them from the finest parts we salvaged from the temples and ruins around the desert!" she then turned to the woman in the black dress, "You in particular know full well what I can do this technology, right?"

"...yes." the black-dressed woman simply nodded.

"Hey, you wouldn't have been able to even do that for medium sis without that one lady we brought you!" pointed out Niani, "Besides that, those walker things are ugly!" she added, sticking out her tongue.

"Your face is ugly." Meokuro muttered under her breath.

Niani's nostrils flared in fury as her hair flew back, exposing her large forehead which gave off a powerful gleam of light, "I heard that!" she shouted, jumping onto Meokuro's back and started pulling on her cheeks.

"Ack, let go of me you little-!" Meokuro shouted, scrambling to try and get her off. The black-dressed woman didn't so much as react one bit, while Kiraila giggled softly at the two fighting.

The woman in the black dress then spoke up, "Mother Eclipsis also wishes to know what you've learned from the artifacts she had you look into. Despite us bringing you that individual to assist you in your work, she is disappointed that you've failed to provide sufficient information."

Meokuro yanked Niani off her back, holding her by her arms to keep the squirming child from attacking her, "Hmph, I told Mother before my specialty is robotic science, not mystical artifacts, and that man has been way too uncooperative! I swear things would had worked way better for us if Faurugo had gotten the books from the Hall of Knowledge, but now she's gone and the books are in possession of Lady Nabooru and the false king!"

The woman in the black dress just paused, her expression was unflinching, but Kiraila couldn't keep but see her gaze avert just a little.

"Your point has been noted, I shall discuss that with Mother Eclipsis in my report." the black-dress wearing woman then said, "Niani, please give Engineer Meokuro her funds."

"Hmph, okay then..." Niani grumbled, handing Meokuro a large bag of rupees, "Here's your allowance for this month, but don't let Mother Eclipsis down, or we'll come collecting it back!"

"Alright already, just go off on your way." said Meokuro, waving her hand and going right back to the work on her project.

"We will be keeping in touch." the black dressed woman said with another polite bow, "Sister Kiraila, Sister Niani, let us go." she then told the other two, going off on her way.

"Just don't you forget who the most Elite Gerudo are Metal-head!" Niani called out to Meokuro.

"You?" Meokoru asked rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, that's right!" Niala said, turning and triumphantly starting to walk off, only to trip over her feet and impact into the ground. She sat up and covered her head with tears running down her face.

"Hee hee hee, come along Niani." Kiraila spoke, escorting a sobbing Niani off and leaving Meokuro alone.

Once she was convinced the three of them had all long left, Meokuro let out an aggravated sigh, "What a pain in the ass, I'm trying to strengthen our army and Mother has got me doing these stupid errands for her so-called 'Elite' rebels."

Meokuro then turned to a strange helmet made from metal with electric tubes sticking out from it, "Hopefully this works out... that damn tonic has caused us too much trouble. Mother Eclipsis may want me to keep her safe, but that damn woman needs to finally answer for it..."

That was when Meokuro heard a sound coming off from a blinking orb on her table. She looked to see it flash red, which was an indication her Beamo Searcher had detected some intruders. She saw there were six small dots on the orb that were moving out in three different directions.

"So we got some intruders in my laboratory, eh? Wiiihiihiihii, so much for Kiralia's stupid fungus creatures." giggled the Gerudo, flashing a big grin, her goggles giving off a gleam of light, "I'll deal with these pests using the power of my technology instead!"

* * *

Aviel and Nemisa headed through one door of the laboratory where they saw the room was covered from ceiling to floor with books and sketch papers. Many of them had writing on them with odd drawings here and there.

"Just what is this place?" Aviel asked looking around.

"Looks like a research room." Nemisa spoke as she looked at one of the papers. It had a picture of a Spinner device like what Sovan and the Sandstorm Vipers rode on, along with numerous words and calculations written on various parts of it.

Aviel took one piece of paper and saw the drawing on it, it was some sort of rod with a golden two-forked top with a blue jewel in the center. Upon seeing the drawing she quickly recognized it.

"This is the Sand Rod!" Aviel said, recalling the sand-manipulating treasure Nabooru had them retrieve at the Gerudo Wastes where they met Reirousa. She typically used it to fix and upgrade damaged buildings, as well as fortify the walls of the town, "But I dunno what all these words and numbers mean..." she added turning the paper upside down and right side up to try and decipher the writing.

"I'm willing to guess the rebels are researching the treasures of the Gerudo. But what good will it do?" Nemisa pondered, "From what Nabooru told us, you can only use magical Gerudo treasures like the Sand Rod with a blessing from the Desert Goddess Aifet and her disciples."

"Yeah, or else you get cursed like what happened to Lady Sheeva." Aviel nodded, "So what are they trying to do here?"

"Good question... but we should get back to locating Sarami's mentor." Nemisa said.

"Hmm..." Aviel muttered as she look one last look around, and saw one particular paper sticking out from a book stack. Her curiosity peaked as she climbed up onto the desk and started rummaging at the books, throwing some ones she didn't care about out of the way.

"Hey, watch what you're throwing around!" Nemisa shouted, quickly catching the books so as not to cause a disturbance.

Aviel tugged at one book, but despite Nemisa's warnings, she slipped and fell backwards, and the stack of books came down on top of her in a big pile.

"Are you okay?" Nemsia exclaimed.

That was when Aviel stuck her hand out of the pile holding up one paper that was folded over.

"Hey, look at this Nemisa!" Aviel said popping out from the pile and running over to a desk to get a good look at it, Nemisa went ahead and took look at the paper for herself. It was a crude picture of a human girl with bird wings.

"What th-" Nemisa's eyes widened,

"Doesn't this look like what I become with my Roc's Wing?" Aviel asked.

"You're right, but what is this doing here?" Nemisa asked.

Aviel curiously unfolded the rest of the paper, and they saw what was drawn beside the winged girl sketch. It appeared to be a picture of a giant door with some kind of humanoid figure with insect-like wings drawn on the center of it as well as some sort of lined box with five small blacks dots on it drawn below it.

"A door...?" Nemisa asked curiously.

Unfolding the last part they saw there was also a sketch of a large majestic looking bird with it's wings curled downwards, seeming to be wrapped around a small circle with a strange symbol on it. There was also some unfamiliar writing under the bird sketch that had been unlined.

"What do you think this means Aviel?" Nemisa asked, only to turn to her partner and gasp out.

Aviel was squeezing at the bottom of the paper ever-so-lightly, as tears were forming and running down her face. Her body was trembling as she bit her lower lip.

"Aviel, w-what's wrong?" she asked.

"I... I don't know..." Aviel said, "But it's making me... sad for some reason... and I don't know why..."

Nemisa looked to Aviel with concern for her, she had never seen her partner and friend so sad before. She herself knew the feeling of repressed sadness, due to her past as a slave and Jayde's betrayal, but Aviel never really discussed her own past with Nemisa before. The martial artist in that moment wondered what was worse; knowing the source of your sadness and pain, or not being able to remember why you feel such grief at all...?

But that was when a shadowy figure came up behind the two. The person reached out for Aviel's shoulder, but Nemisa caught them out of the corner of her eye and grabbed them by their arm, throwing the figure over her shoulder and slamming them down to the ground.

"Owww..." groaned the figure.

"Alright, just who are you?!" Nemisa shouted, bringing up her fist to fight.

"Wait Nemisa! I know this person!" Aviel said, holding her hand up to stop Nemisa, "Are you okay?"

"Oh, it is you Ms. Aviel! What a fine coincidence!" the figure said with a modest chuckle.

* * *

"So where did we end up...?" Togau spoke as she and Nabooru entered one large room, it was rather dark compared to the storage room they had entered the laboratory from.

"Not sure, though it'd be nice if we could see anything..." Nabooru muttered. She eyed an activation orb right beside them and touched it

That caused the room to light up using illuminated crystals on the walls, which gave the two of them a good look at what was inside.

And it was something rather shocking.

The room was full of cages with various desert animals and monsters inside each one. Many of them were making loud sounds at the sight of the two of them, including a few Desert Wolfos who were barking out.

"J-Just what is this place...?!" Nabooru asked.

"Don't look like a barn, that's fer sure." Togau said.

"Hey you! You gotta help us out here-blin!" called out one voice. The two of them looked to one tall cage where they saw a pig-like monster known as a Moblin trapped in it. He was shaking the bars in a failed attempt to break free, "If you don't that crazy woman will do to us what she did to the others-blin!"

"Crazy woman? Whatcha talkin' about?" Togau asked.

"That doctor, she comes in and takes some of us away, and assuming they even come back, they're driven to madness-blin!" the Moblin said, gesturing to one cage, "Like that poor sap over there-blin!"

The two Gerudo looked over to a Desert Wolfos who was laying on it's side, gasping out and whimpering. Nabooru took a close look at it's eyes and saw it was flashing between red and normal.

"Looks like it's reacting the same way as the ones that we saw at the Grinder's Ridge jail. It must have been given the power tonic like they were..." Nabooru observed.

"The poor thing, lemme see if I can talk to em." Togau said, she knelled down to the Wolfos' level and started speaking in growls and roars.

"My brother had also been captured-blin..." the Moblin said to Nabooru sadly, "They took him away for a while then came back with him, and he was acted a lot like that Wolfos-blin. He died shortly after that, and he's not the only one-blin..."

Nabooru took in those words and watched Togau speak to the Wolfos. The Gerudo leader thought to herself, 'Lady Sheeva was right, the rebels are using these creatures as test subjects for their damn power tonic.'

She grimaced in that moment as she thought of a time, many years ago...

The original king of the Gerudo, the evil Ganondorf had been captured by the Hyrule royal family, and his first wife, the war commander Lady Imono had spoke out to release them. When the Hyrule royals refused, Imono declared war on them. Nabooru did everything she could to try and deescalate things, even rallying a group to help her stop them, but neither Imono nor the Gerudo army would back down...

"Hey Lady Nabooru... you alright there...?" Togau asked with concern, snapping Nabooru out of her trance.

"Huh...?" Nabooru asked, now realizing there were tears running down her face, "Y-Yeah... I'm fine..."

"Well I talked to the critters here that were self-aware enough, looks like they all just want out. So whatdaya think we outta do here? Should we go ahead and free em?" Togau asked, looking into one cage with a Leever inside.

"Well, they could potentially make some trouble for us..." Nabooru pondered, then sported mischievous grin, "But then again, they could make trouble for the rebels instead!"

"Now yer talkin'!" grinned Togau, as the two went to work unlocking the cages.

As Togau used her ax to try and cut off one lock, Nabooru went to picking the lock of the Moblin's cage, the Moblin looking to her with curiosity.

"You're really gonna free us-blin?" the Moblin asked.

"That's right, monster or not, nobody deserves this." Nabooru nodded, narrowing her eyes as she rummaged through the interior of the keyhole.

"T-Thank you-blin!" the Moblin said bowing his head, "By the way, the name is Mobbles-blin!"

"Dang, these locks are pretty sturdy..." Togau said, whacking one with her ax, but causing no damage to it.

"I've tried it myself, but no luck-blin." sighed Mobbles.

"Whoever made these locks made them built to last..." Nabooru said, she stood up and took a look around the place, noticing somewhat familiar Gerudo marking on the cages and walls, "Wait a minute, this place might very be a..."

That was when Togau's ear twitched, as her advanced Lynel hearing was kicking in, "Hey Nabooru, I think someone's coming!"

Nabooru looked to the doorway and narrowed her eyes, "Togau, prepare yourself."

* * *

As that was going on, Link and Sarami themselves had arrived at one door, they opened it up and slowly looked in, seeing many tables lined with numerous potion bottles and beakers. They could see some sort of flat stretcher table with a cloth on it, but it was stained with red splotches. As they looked around more, they then saw a sight that was familiar to both of them.

It was an elderly woman with a long pointy chin and nose. Her skin was paled and her hair was thin and strained, and she wore a poncho. She was behind a desk working on mixing some chemicals together before writing down notes on a paper. With her was a number of Gerudo women in black short dresses who seemed to be helping her.

The old woman then looked up to see Link and Sarami come into the room and her eyes widened in shock.

"It's her!" Link stated.

"Granny! We finally found you!" Sarami said with great relief.

"Hey, who the heck are you?" shouted one of the Gerudo, but was stopped by the old woman holding up her hand.

"...well hello Sarami, it's been such a long time." Granny said with a small smile, "I didn't think I'd see you again."

"We're glad to see you're okay Ms. Truttlo, but we got to get you out of here now!" Link said.

"Get me out of here...?" Granny asked, then chuckled a little, "Sorry, but that's not going to be happening." she then started shifting herself to the side and somehow moving slowly without seeming to be walking. Link and Sarami looked in confusion until she came out from behind the desk, and they saw she was sitting on a strange metal chair with large wheels on the sides. Sarami then took one look at her legs and could see both of them were broken.

"G-Granny...?" Sarami spoke in shock.

* * *

**_And that ends the chapter, and so many questions arise, just who are those three Gerudo rebels? What is it that drove Aviel to tears, who is that person that attacked her and Nemisa? How will Nabooru and Togau get out of their own mess? Just what happened to Granny? And will I ever learn how to do good intros and outros? Find out next week!_**

**_As always, leave a like, follow or comment if you choose! Your feedback is always encouraged!_**


	77. Formula of Disaster

**_It's that time again, Chapter 77 is here! With our heroes split up and running into their own separate incidents, how will they get out of this mess?_**

* * *

Aviel and Nemisa were sitting at a table in one of the rooms of the Ebony Sisterhood laboratory hideout, as someone placed cups of tea before them. It was a very fragrant tea that filled the room they were in with a relaxing scent.

"Here you go. Sorry, but the ladies in this sisterhood couldn't get me any lemon to go with this." a polite man said before sitting down with them.

"It's fine Mr. Brawnstein! It's just great to see you again!" Aviel said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Uh, the name is Bradson." the older gentleman said sweatdropping, "But it's great seeing you again as well. I'm glad to see you haven't changed since we last met, Ms. Aviel."

"You too, Brad!" Aviel nodded cheerfully.

"Brad then, huh? Okay, I'll go with it." Bradson chuckled.

The man the two of them were talking to was Professor Bradson, a researcher and teacher from Hyrule Market Town. Last year he had been captured by the slaver group known as the Wyvern Keepers to be sold into slavery, but was saved by Link, Nabooru and the Gerudo during the raid on the Dank Salamander tavern. He had come to meet Aviel afterwards and the two became good friends.

"Is the tea fine, Ms. Nemisa?" Bradson politely asked the martial artist.

"It's splendid, thank you." nodded Nemisa, then said a bit awkwardly, "I, uh... I'm sorry for throwing you earlier."

"Haha, no worries. I suppose I shouldn't have snuck up on you two like that, but I was surprised to see you girls in here. At first I thought you were some of those rebel ladies attempting to have their way with me again." Bradson chuckled.

"So what're you doing here anyway Brad?" Aviel asked tilting her head.

"Well some months ago I was abducted from my home by the Ebony Sisterhood. It seems these women became aware of my research into various mystical artifacts around Hyrule and wanted to use the information I've gathered. I'm not the only one either, they even abducted the doctor of the Kakariko Potion Shop, Granny Truttlo." he spoke, taking a sip of his tea.

"So Lady Sheeva was right about Dr. Sarami's mentor..." Nemisa said.

"Honestly I hope being captured and enslaved doesn't become a bad habit for me." Bradson half-joked.

"Hey Brad, I was just wonderin'..." Aviel said, taking a sheet of paper she found earlier and showing it to him. The paper had drawings of a human girl with bird wings, a door with a person on it along with a lined box, and one more picture of a bird holding a circle with a symbol on it, "I found this paper when we came in, just what is this?"

"Ah yes, you have quite an eye." Bradson said, taking the paper, "This is what I told you about back at the slaver hideout, it's from my notes when I was traveling. It took me a while to track down this specific paper, and I was prepared to mail it to you before I was captured."

"But what is it exactly?" Nemisa asked.

"You see, there's said to be a civilization high on the mountains of Snowpeak, far north west of Zora's Domain, where a rare species lives," Bradson said adjusting his glasses, "There is supposedly a race of bird people there thought to have been descendants of an ancient race dating back to before the birth of Hyrule."

"Bird people?" Aviel exclaimed.

"Never heard of anything like that, are they anything like this girl here?" Nemsia asked pointing to the girl with wings in the picture.

"I'm not entirely sure to be honest." Bradson said, "From what my sources tell me they've been living in isolation for centuries, apparently because they're guarding the door you see in this picture."

"Aviel, does any of this sound familiar to you at all?" Nemisa asked.

"Um... I don't know..." Aviel said rubbing her head, then pointing to the bird holding the circle with the symbol on it, "Brad, just what is this here?"

"Oh, that's what I wanted to tell you about." Bradson said, "You might be happy to know that the text written here translates to 'Roc'."

"Roc? You mean like the Roc's Wing?" Nemisa exclaimed, referring to the sleeves Aviel was wearing that allowed her to turn her arms into wings, "Do you think Aviel's wings might have came from this thing?"

"That would be a safe assumption." nodded Bradson, "Aviel, if you want to learn the truth about your treasure, I think the bird civilization guarding this door in Snowpeak would be your place to go."

"Snowpeak... okay, thank you so much Brad!" Aviel said, giving the gentleman a hug with her wings.

"Haha, don't worry about it, we're friends right?" Bradson chuckled.

"Yeah, in fact because we're friends we're gonna get you outta here and back home!" Aviel nodded.

"That's right, we came here for Granny Truttlo, but we're going to save you as well." smirked Nemisa, "Gather up your things and we'll leave immediately!"

"Sounds good to me," Bradson nodded, he started going through the books and papers to decide what to bring with him, "I've honestly had just about enough of these rebels, they keep trying to get me to provide them information on some of these artifacts, but I keep telling them they're inaccessible to those unworthy of them."

"Believe me, we know the feeling." Aviel sighed.

That was when they heard a loud noise, as the doors opened and in came two Beamos Walkers. The clamps on their arms snapped and the eyes on their heads spun around and locked onto Aviel and Nemisa.

"Woah-oh." Aviel said sweatdropping, "Brad, get down!"

Aviel grabbed Bradson and pulled him to the ground along with Nemisa as the Beamos Walkers fired off lasers that blasted into the books and papers scattered around the room, setting them ablaze.

"Hmph, how rude. Well so much for the research they were having me do." Bradson said adjusting his glasses.

"Stay low Brad, we'll deal with these two!" Aviel said, as she and Nemisa went into battle against the Walkers.

Nemisa ran forward and swung out her leg into one of the Walkers, before spinning around and punching the other. They both focused on her and fired lasers at the same time, but Nemisa jumped away and the two ended up blasting each other, stunning them long enough for Aviel to fire bomb arrows into the eyes of both of them, blowing the Walkers to pieces.

"Nice work there, ladies." Bradson said, walking up to one of the walkers and looking at it's remains.

"Alright, let's find Link and the others and escape!" Nemisa said, as the three ran out, Bradson doing his best to hold what notes he was able to salvage as he followed them out.

* * *

As that was going on, Nabooru and Togau were in the animal kennel room where numerous monsters and creatures were all imprisoned and were being used as testing subjects for the rebel's power tonic. There was even a Wolfos suffering from exposure to the power tonic, as well as a Moblin locked in one cage named Mobbles who lost a brother to the tonic's effects. Nabooru and Togau were attempting to free as many of the captives as they could, but that was when they saw the doorway into the kennel was opening up.

Nabooru silently gestured to Togau to have her hide over at the side of the doorway with her. Mobbles watched the two as Nabooru put her finger to her lips and made a 'shush' motion with a wink of her eye at him. Mobbles caught on quickly and nodded.

It was then the door opened and in came two Gerudo rebels. Their black colored outfits with gold symbols lining the sleeves and pants were a dead giveaway of their alignment with the Ebony Sisterhood.

"So we have to get that one to Engineer Meokuro? Ugh, gross." one of the rebels said sticking out her tongue.

"Yeah, she wants it ready for testing as soon as she's done dealing with that lady." said the other.

"Hey there girls, need a hand?" spoke up a voice behind the two rebels. They looked behind themselves only to see two fists swing out and knock them both out cold. Nabooru and Togau both stood over them as they laid there with their eyes spiraling.

"Na ha ha! They're both knocked out!" Togau grinned, "Now it's time fer a jailbreak!"

"Yes, we'll free the animals and see how their boss likes a little chaos in her lab." Nabooru snickered, taking the keys off one of the rebels and undoing the locks on the cages.

Each cage opened up one by one. The animals and monsters were quick to escape and run out the door, until all that was left was the lone Wolfos who was suffering from the effects of the power tonic, as well as Mobbles the Moblin.

"Thanks so much-blin!" the Moblin said as Nabooru unlocked the cage, "Now let's get out of here-blin!"

"Hm, whatdaya suppose we should do about this one though?" Togau asked, looking at the Wolfos, "Lady Sheeva would appreciate us freein' it, but it might be too dangerous what with it all loaded up on that power tonic."

"That's a good question..." Nabooru said, "I hate to say it, but we may have to keep it here for safety. For all we know it might attack us as soon as we open the cage."

"Yeah, I don't wanna go fightin' another monster all jacked up on that tonic." Togau said, recalling their fight with the Hinox.

"Mahahaha-blin..." then laughed a low voice, as Nabooru and Togau turned to see Mobbles was slouching over, his featured darkened, as he clenched his fists.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Nabooru asked, but then caught on quickly as she saw some familiar looking faint yellow mist rise up from the Moblin's mouth.

"Uh oh." Togau said taking a step back.

"I guess... those rebels must have gotten the tonic in me after all-blin..." Mobbles muttered, "Just like my brother-blin..."

"Hey hang on a sec, we'll help you out!" Togau said desperately.

"S-Sorry girls... but I don't think that's gonna happen-blin..." Mobbles said darkly, "Cause right now I feel like I just wanna crush anything I see-blin...!"

It was then Mobbles jerked his head and grinned widely, his eyes now a blood red.

"MAHAHA-BLIN! CRUSH AND SMASH-BLIN!" Mobbles shouted, raising up his fists and smashing them into the ground, causing a powerful shockwave that repelled Nabooru and Togau backwards.

"What in tarnation, how'd he get that tonic in him?!" Togau exclaimed jumping back onto her feet, "He said before he wasn't experimented on!"

Nabooru paused and looked down at a plate in Mobbles' cage, it had remains of food on it, and she narrowed her eyes as she saw some familiar red liquid seeping out from it.

"They must have snuck some of the power tonic into his meal just before we arrived!" Nabooru said, "I thought the rebels were coming to get the Wolfos but it must have been this guy instead!"

Speaking of the the rebels, Mobbles then turned to the unconscious women laying on the floor and he licked his lips with drool seeping out from them.

"Ooooh.. yummy nummy-blin!" Mobbles said, he was about to bite down on one of the rebels, but Nabooru smacked him back with her scimitars, "Graaaarrr! Stupid lady hurt Mobbles-blin!"

"Back off of them!" shouted Nabooru.

"Hey Lady Nabooru..." Togau said stepping up, "You go and guard the rebels, I'll deal with this poor piggy-boy."

"You sure?" Nabooru asked.

"Yup." nodded Togau, "You already did enough fightin' Lady Sheeva and the mushrooms earlier, I can handle him."

"Alright, I'll provide backup if you need it." Nabooru nodded, dragging off the two rebels to give Togau some room.

Togau stared down Mobbles, who was clenching his fists. He looked over at a cage and grabbed at one of the iron bars. He pulled on it until it broke off along with some stone from the floor, and he held it up, wielding it in his hands like a large hammer.

"Sorry ta do this ta ya piggy-boy, but bring it!" Togau said, bringing up her arms and thrusting them out, and in a wave of wind she had taken on her Lynel form.

Mobbles growled out and ran at Togau with his makeshift hammer, as Togau ran in with her hand ax. The Moblin swung down his hammer at Togau, but she darted to the side to avoid it before bashing him in the side with her horns. He managed to smack her backwards with the back of his hand then swung the hammer at her. She blocked it with her hand ax but was stunned for a second by the power of his impact. He then lunged out and bashed her in the chest.

"Gack!" Togau exclaimed, "That dang tonic makes em way too tough!"

Mobbles came at her with a downward swing, but Togau quickly turned about-face and swung her back legs up, bashing the Moblin in the chin with her hooves and sending him stumbling backwards, giving Togau the chance to run in and slash at him a few times with her hand ax.

The Moblin growled from the pain of the blows and grabbed Togau's arm, trying to twist it in an attempt to break it. Togau growled and headbutted Mobbles down with her horns, then jumped into the air and stomped down on him with all four of her legs.

"Ha, take that!" Togau said standing on top of him.

But then Mobbles' eyes gleamed and he thrust his back up, sending Togau flying off him, and he rampaged in swinging around his hammer. She tried to block, but he got in a few bashes. Togau then snarled and did a shoulder charge into Mobbles, knocking him backwards into some cages, knocking them over, including the cage the Wolfos was caged in.

"Ugh... what happened...?" groaned one of the rebels regaining consciousness, having been woken up by the cages crashing down. She looked up in confusion to see she was stuck on the ground on top of her sister rebel, and then realized she and her companion were being sat on by someone, "L-Lady Nabooru?"

"Hey there." Nabooru smirked down at the rebel, "Have a nice nap?"

"What are you doing on top of us?! Get off!" shouted the rebel in annoyance.

"Just wanted to make sure you were both subdued so you could see this." Nabooru spoke, then sported a serious expression and gestured to Togau and Mobbles battling, "Take a look at the pain your bosses are causing."

The two rebels saw Togau battling the Moblin they were supposed to transport. The pig monster growled and forced himself up, looking at Togau with absolute rage in his blood-red eyes. He roared out, foaming at the mouth, as he lunged at the rancher, who brought up her hands and gripped onto his, and the two started pushing at each other to force the other back.

"T-That's the Moblin we were supposed to bring to the boss?!" exclaimed the rebel with wide eyes.

"It's reacting like the ones that had the power tonic fed to them... but we never gave that one any of it!" said the other rebel.

"It was laced in his last food portion." Nabooru explained, "You weren't aware of that?"

"No, not at all!" one of the rebels said with growing concern.

Nabooru just narrowed her eyes and continued to look at the fight, "Togau, are you sure you don't need my assistance?"

"Not yet!" Togau shouted, then muttered to herself, "Least I hope not..."

Mobbles was starting to overpower Togau, he licked his lips looking as if he was sizing her up to eat. She struggled to fight him off, but the tonic made him too strong. That was when something came up behind the Moblin and bit down on his shoulder, it was the wolfos who had been in the cage, now freed during the fighting from earlier. Mobbles shouted out in pain from the bite before bashing the wolfos and knocking it to the ground.

Togau, along with Nabooru and the rebels looked to the Wolfos and saw it struggle to get up before it collapsed. It let out one last whimper as it vaporized into purple and yellow mist. As she struggled to fight off Mobbles, Togau just stared at where the wolfos had been. She then narrowed her eyes, snarled, and went back to fighting against the Moblin with all her power.

Togau brought back one fist and punched Mobbles backwards once again, and the Moblin gasped out and roared in anger and pain. He then charged at Togau swinging his hammer left and right. Togau paused, took a deep breath, then let out a mighty Lynel's Roar, the wave of sound blasting directly into Mobbles, making him drop his hammer and shake violently. Togau then charged up and gave him another headbutt with her horns, before delivering one more final slash with her ax, sending him to the ground.

Everyone waited and watched as he laid there, breathing heavily, until they were convinced he was subdued.

"Guess that outta do it." Togau sighed out, changing herself back to a Gerudo. She knelled down to Mobbles as Nabooru and the two rebels came over to see his condition.

"Gruh..." groaned Mobbles, his red eyes changing back to the normal color he had before and looked up at Togau, as a great amount of yellow mist started to come from his mouth.

"Piggy-boy hang on, we got a doctor who can help ya!" Togau said desperately.

But the Moblin just smiled weakly, "T-Thank you for saving me-blin, I'm gonna go meet up... with my brother-blin..."

With that, Mobbles the Moblin evaporated into purple and yellow mist and was gone.

"Ugh... poor guy..." Togau muttered, wiping away small tears in her eyes.

"...it's fine Togau, you fought bravely and showed him true mercy." Nabooru said to comfort her.

"I guess, but I feel bad for the piggy-boy..." Togau said sadly.

The two rebels meanwhile looked to each other hesitantly. There was a part of them that wanted to attack the two in that moment, but found themselves unable to work up the courage to after what they had just witnessed. It was then that Nabooru spoke up to them.

"We're going now, and if you value your lives, you'll come with us." Nabooru commanded to the rebels, "Or else your boss might want to use you instead of the Moblin or Wolfos as test subjects."

The two rebels looked alarmed at Nabooru's words, but were unable to work up the effort to disagree with her.

"Okay..." the rebels agreed, as the four of them went out the door.

* * *

"G-Granny...?" Sarami stammered, standing alongside Link as she was seeing her mentor from Kakariko Village, now in the secret laboratory of the Ebony Sisterhood rebellion.

From the waist up, Granny Truttlo looked just as Sarami remembered, albeit with some extra winkles, and a little more balding on her scalp then before. There was one significant change though, she was now in a strange metal wheelchair, and had what was clearly two broken legs. She shifted a small lever on the chair to move herself towards Link and Sarami.

With Granny were some Gerudo women in black nurse outfits who were assisting her with her work. Link couldn't help but notice they wore small skirts that did a good job showing off their legs which were in skin tight thigh-high boots, but did his best not to gawk directly at them.

"Hey, who's that hottie?!" exclaimed one of the younger Gerudo nurses with her eyes lit up at the sight of Link.

"I don't know, but I wanna strap him to the table!" said another with her eyes gleaming mischievously.

However the two of them both got bonked upside the head by a slightly older nurse, "You numskulls, that's the false king!"

"Wha- really?!" said another nurse, grabbing some bandage gauze and stretching it out, "Capture him quick and we'll wrap him up like a Gibdo!"

"Hold it all of you!" shouted Granny, making all the girls stop in their tracks, "Let me speak to them."

Link and Sarami just watched the Gerudo rebels cautiously as Granny slowly moved her wheelchair up to the two, and she looked up at Sarami, before sporting a small smile.

"It's a pleasure to see you again Sarami, what has it been, just a little over eight years now?" Granny asked.

"Y-Yes, I'm glad to see you as well Granny..." Sarami spoke, still baffled by what was going on.

Granny then looked to Link and smirked a little, "And this young man, by chance is he your husband?"

The Hylian and Gerudo faulted a bit before Link corrected her, "N-No, I'm Link... uh, I don't know if you remember me, but I used to be a regular customer of yours years ago."

"Link? Hmm..." Granny leaned forward a bit staring at his face, "Oh yes, now I know you. You're that nice young lad in the green clothes who came by to purchase my potions frequently... My, my you've grown so much. I never would had thought of you to be the 'false king' these rebels keep droning on about."

"Hey!" shouted the older nurse, "Dr. Granny, that man needs to be captured and-"

"I'm still speaking to them, shut your tongue." Granny snapped at the Gerudo, making her shut up.

"Granny... um... just what happened to you?" Sarami asked, "What are you doing here at the Ebony Sisterhood's laboratory, and what happened to your legs? The rebels didn't do this to you did they?"

"Ah, no." Granny said looking down at her legs, "This was an accident I had a few years ago. I tripped going down the stairs at the potion shop one day. I'm paralyzed from the waist down as a result."

"Oh Granny, I'm so sorry..." Sarami gasped, giving her legs a look over, only to see despite being broken they were well taken care of.

"Don't concern yourself with it Sarami-dear, I think I was just pushing myself too hard that day." Granny shook her head, "About a year after my accident was when these rebel people came. They heard about my work as a so-called 'miracle doctor' that people call me. They wanted me to work with them, and offered me some incentives to do so, like this wheelchair for instance."

"So it is true..." gasped Sarami, "Granny, why would you do this? Are you aware of what the rebels are trying to do? They want to kill King Link and Lady Nabooru and free Ganondorf from his imprisonment!"

"..." Granny didn't say anything, but turned her wheelchair away and rode up to one of the Gerudo, who handed her a cup of water to drink down without even needing to be asked to.

"Granny?" Sarami asked, tilting her head in confusion at the awkward silence.

"Let tell you something Sarami-dear..." Granny muttered, looking down at her broken legs, "That little accident I had three years ago woke me up to just how little time I really have left in this world." she then rose up her slightly shaky hands, "These hands are what I use to fix and heal people, but how much longer until I can't use them as well, and then what worth would I possibly be...?"

Sarami frowned, "Granny, please don't say something like that about yourself. You've done so many great things in your life..."

"Is it truly ever enough though?" Granny asked, "No matter how many I heal, more and more get sick or injured by the day. The true curse of a doctor is their own duty to heal, because no doctor can never truly outlive that duty."

Link just paused, he had always known Granny to be a very kind woman and a genius in medicine. Once in the dark future he had tried to save a dying man and she was quick to create a possible cure for him. It was bizarre to see Granny again under this situation, but he was saddened to see what she had been going through, and how she was taking it. He also recalled meeting an old woman in the land of Termina that greatly resembled Granny, and by an absurd coincidence she too was in a wheelchair, though despite that her spirits had been much higher, even with everything going on there at the time.

"But that's why I choose to come here." Granny continued to speak, "I've been using the resources the Sisterhood have been providing me to surpass the limits of medical science, the ability to cure people who some would deem incurable. Even those in a condition like myself could be made even better then before, does that sounds impossible to you Sarami-dear?"

"You taught me that nothing is impossible Granny." Sarami said shaking her head, "In fact, it's why I wanted to speak to you about a patient of mine back in Gerudo Town."

Sarami then explained to Granny about Gonaeti and her unborn child, and the condition she was faced with. She also mentioned the difficult choice the mother would have to make within a month; about whether to have surgery to treat her condition which would take the life of her child in the process, or give birth which would put her own life at severe risk. Granny didn't say a word, but had her eyes closed in thought as Sarami spoke about the details.

"A lung tumor... in that very spot...?" Granny finally whispered, then sighed out, "Oh dear..."

"Oh my goddess Aifet...!" gasped one of the rebel nurses.

"That's terrible... the poor woman..." muttered another one of them sadly.

"If there's anything you can recommend for her, anything..." Sarami said pleadingly, her emotions starting to swell, "I vowed to save them both, but I've run short of ideas. I thought if anyone could give me an answer it would be you."

"...I'm sorry Sarami." whispered Granny, "But if it's as you describe it, there's not much that can be done for her..."

"...n-no.." gasped Sarami, putting a hand to her chest, "If not even you can think of anything then..."

Link frowned and put his arms around Sarami, and she started sobbing softly into his shoulder. Granny stared at Link and Sarami embraced like that, and a very faint smile formed on her lips.

"...that's not to say it's completely impossible, like I taught you before, nothing is." Granny spoke up.

"Huh?" Sarami exclaimed looking to Granny.

Granny then moved her wheelchair towards another area of the lab, seeing to the work of one of her nurses, it was some kind familiar looking metal limb, "Take a look at this you two."

"Looks like one of the limbs those metal creatures we saw had, only with fingers." Link observed.

Granny nodded and explained, "When the rebels came to me with their offer, their lead scientist Engineer Meokuro, showed me her work in taking apart ancient technology from the temples and ruins around Gerudo Valley, and developing them into artificial creatures called automations. One of her greatest feats was making those creatures, the Beamos Walkers."

"So they were based on the Beamos..." Link said, affirming his guess from earlier.

"Meokuro then told me her next project, using this very technology to strengthen the forces of her leader Mother Eclipsis' army." Granny spoke.

"You mean the Gerudo themselves?!" Sarami spoke.

"She showed me the plans she had constructed, but she lacked the medical knowledge to make her ideas work, so she came to me with it." Granny said.

"And you took the offer?" Link asked. "So could what we've heard be true then... you're the one who developed the power tonic the rebels have been using?"

"I assume you're talking about FZ-501, my energy enhancement formula?" Granny asked, then nodded, "I was given a book of advanced medical techniques called 'Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts', and using it I was able to develop FZ-501. It's one of the projects that the leader of this rebellion had me create; a tonic capable of tapping into one's emotional anger and speeding up their bloodflow, and enhancing their physical might to levels beyond their natural limits."

"I can't believe it... it really was you all along..." Sarami gasped.

"Gerudo Blood Alchemy Arts, the book that was stolen from Halei..." Link recalled, "So the tonic is triggered by anger after all. So if that's the case, did you make the hypnosis candy too?"

"Hm, the rebel leader also had me work with some hypnosis expert in creating a flavorful confectionery treats capable of producing hypnotic suggestions in the brain... I suppose that's as what you put it, the 'hypnosis candy'." Granny nodded.

'She must be talking about Nilonu.' Link thought to himself, recalling the former rebel who worked as an aide at the Gerudo schoolhouse and used the hypno candy to try and influence the schoolchildren.

"But Granny, why would you help them? You didn't just do this for a mobile wheelchair did you?" Sarrami asked.

"No Sarami... this goes far beyond just my own mere convenience." Granny said, looking back at the metal arm being worked on, "This is about the future of Hyrule."

"What...?" Sarami asked.

"When Meokuro showed me her work, I was fascinated at the idea of crafting artificial limbs and organs to replace people's body parts. I realized the potential it could do for medical purposes, namely fixing otherwise unrepairable damage to one's body caused by injury or disease. Over the past two years I've done heavy research and practice in making these parts work. I've even gotten the chance to see our work come to fruition with one particular client... albeit with some problems that I aim to fix..."

'A client... wonder who she's talking about...?' Link thought to himself.

"Now tell me something Sarami," Granny continued, "Imagine a knight losing his sword arm in battle, then to be able to properly wield their weapon again within a few day's time? Imagine one's failing heart being replaced to allow them to live for longer then they could have possibly thought? Or even someone in a position like myself having new legs that would allow them to run and jump like when they were young?"

"Well, ideally that would be wonderful, but..." Sarami said, but couldn't help but feel an uncertainty about this. She then asked Granny, "Just what problems are you facing exactly?"

"We've gotten to a point in our project where the limbs react to human thoughts, so that they behave no different then an actual organic limb." Granny explained, watching as the nurse squeezed the metal limb on the table, making it slightly clench it's fist.

"That's incredible." Link said in surprise.

Granny continued, "But we've also found that doing this can have an effect on the patient's mental facilities, sometimes losing memories, or even emotions. It's why I haven't yet replaced my own legs with metal ones. I can't do it without risking my own mind from being affected."

"..." Sarami just said nothing as Granny talked.

"But that's where FZ-501's side effect could potentially provide a solution, since the tonic affects one's inner anger, it might be enough to draw out the emotions of the individual." Granny spoke, examining a beaker, "But we need more help on the FZ formula. These nurses Meokuro provided have been dears to me, though they aren't as well trained as say... someone like you Sarami."

"Wait a minute!" Link stepped in, "You're not seriously asking Sarami to join the rebellion?"

"That's exactly what shes saying, false king!" a rebel nurse stated.

Sarami was at a loss for words of what Granny was doing, as she recalled what the old doctor used to tell her back when she was working for her, about how she valued a patient's health and smile more then anything.

'Did your accident really cause you to change this much Granny...?' Sarami thought to herself sadly.

Granny then turned back to Sarami and rode her wheelchair up to her.

"With your help, we may be able to fix this problem. We can use this prosthetic technology to heal people beyond what typical medical procedures can do." Granny said. "We can work together to save so many lives. In fact, we may even be able to cure your pregnant friend of her tumor, so that she and her child can both live."

Sarami gasped out. With Granny's help and utilizing the resources of the rebellion, she could potentially find a cure for Gonaeti's lung tumor, and then she could safely birth her child Rimel, but...

"How about it Sarami? Do you want to help me make this world a truly great place?" Granny asked.

Sarami put a hand to her heart, then looked to Link and into his gentle blue eyes.

"Sarami..." Link whispered, "Just say whatever your heart tells you to."

The Gerudo doctor nodded, then closed her eyes, took a breath, then opened them to look right back at her mentor.

"No... I can't join you Granny." Sarami said shaking her head.

Granny said nothing, but closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"Huh? But don't you want your friend to survive?!" a rebel nurse asked, "If the tumor's as you say she doesn't have much time left. If you join us we can help her!"

"Yeah, we'd love to help you cure her!" said another nurse

"Of course I want to help her," nodded Sarami, "But I can't allow myself to work with the rebels who want to free Ganondorf and kill my closest friends. I became a doctor to not just heal people, but make them happy as well, and how would it make Gonaeti happy to know she only lived because I became a traitor to my people?"

"That's a load of bull, if anyone's a traitor, it's that damn Lady Nabooru and the ones who sided with her!" shouted one of the nurses, "She turned her back on King Ganondorf!"

Link was about to speak up in Nabooru defense, when Sarami brought her hand up to him to make him stop. She turned to the rebel and stared them down, her glasses were giving off an unreadable gleam.

"...do not even suggest that about Nabooru..." Sarami muttered, "Not after what happened... NOT AFTER WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH, YOU BITCH!" she then shouted out.

The rebel's eyes widened in shock at Sarami's anger, Link was shocked as well, he had never seen her like that before.

Sarami stomped up to the rebel making them back up, the normally good doctor was just completely enraged at her, "She suffered something worse then any of our people have, and it's a pain she can never let go of! She's worked hard to get our people to where we are now, and you damn bitches are trying to ruin everything she's done!"

"Sarami...!" Granny spoke up, only for Sarami to turn and glare at her as well.

"And you! You may have my gratitude for saving me all that time ago and making me into the doctor I am today, but what you're doing here is madness! Your tonic is killing people, and the poor children who were subjected to that hypnotic drug were almost lost! I don't even recognize you anymore the way you are now! If doing this is the only way you can keep being a doctor, then I'd rather not see you help another person for the rest of your life!" Sarami shouted to Granny.

Everything was quiet aside from Sarami gasping out from her outburst, until Link came up and put his hands on her shoulders. Sarami then turned and embraced Link, burying her face into his shoulder as he comforted her.

Granny was sitting at her chair in stunned silence at Sarami's outburst, she hadn't acted like that with her since the day she woke up from her injuries all that time ago. Granny stared down at the chair she was in, then over to the metal limb on the table.

Even the rebel nurses were at a loss of what to say or do. They had devoted themselves to their work in strengthening the rebellion, but what Link and Sarami said made them more aware of just what pain they were bringing to their sisters...

Link then spoke to Granny, "She's right. Believe me, I know what it feels like to want to help people as much as possible. But you have to know your own limits, and what you're doing with these rebels isn't the answer. You're not going to stop people's pain with what you're doing, you're just going to cause them more pain."

Sarami took a breath and looked to Link, seeing him look to Granny with stern but still compassionate eyes. Her anger was starting to melt away, and she smiled ever so lightly.

Granny had her head lowered, taking in the words of both her apprentice, and the young man she used to take care of years ago. She looked down at her aging hands, and saw how they were trembling.

"...Sarami... I..." Granny started, but that was when they heard a loud banging sound on the door.

"Hey Granny, open up!" shouted a woman's voice from the other side.

"It's Engineer Meokuro!" Granny exclaimed to Link and Sarami, "You two need to hide immediately!"

"Hooboy..." Link gulped.

* * *

_**And now Link and Sarami finally get to meet the mastermind behind this whole mad science operation, just what will happen, and what surprises could Meokuro have for our heroes? Find out next week!**_

_**Thanks again everyone for your support! Leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure!**_


	78. Clash of Cold Steel

_**Time for Chapter 78! This time Link and Sarami are about to meet the head honcho behind the power tonic, Engineer Meokuro, but what surprises could she have in store for them?**_

* * *

"Hey come on, open up in there Granny!" shouted Engineer Meokuro, the scientist leader of the Ebony Sisterhood's underground laboratory, wanting to get inside of the lab of Granny Truttlo.

"Damnit, what does she want now of all times?" Granny muttered, then looked to Link and Sarami, "Well hurry up, I said you two need to hide quickly!"

"Hey wait a minute!" said a nurse, "They're the enemy, we should turn them in to the boss!"

Granny just paused and looked to Link and Sarami, staring into her apprentices' eyes in particular.

"...frankly, I don't care." Granny said, "I won't have my apprentice getting hurt. You don't want me telling Meokuro about you being the one eating her pudding out of the ice box, do you?"

"Um, c-carry on!" the nurse said, turning about face to pretend to play innocent.

"Dr. Sarami, Mr. False King, over here!" said a different nurse, pointing to a vacant lab table.

Link went ahead and hurried Sarami to hide under the table, and Granny had the nurses put a cloth over it to hide them, as well as put some books and paperwork on it to make it less conspicuous.

"Alright, let her in." Granny told a nurse, who opened the door, only for Meokuro to burst in the second it was unlocked.

Engineer Meokuro was still wearing her odd helmet and goggles, but she was now also wearing an odd copper device around he waist, it was round and circular like a pipe and connected around her like a belt. She was also holding a metal device under her arm.

"Wihiihiihiihii... hello Granny Truttlo, how's progress here in the medical wing?" she asked grinning.

"O-Oh, Ms. Meokuro." Granny muttered, "Done so soon with your meeting...?"

"Yeah, it went better then I predicted, but those elite rebels are being elite pains in my ass!" Meokuro said with annoyed pout, "Don't they know they can't rush the work of a genius?!"

"Elite rebels...?" Link muttered to himself as he peeked out from under the cloth.

"So how's your work going then Granny? Get any results with FZ-501 and the prosthetic research?" Meokuro asked.

"We're still having set backs with the tonic, the test subjects keep dying from it." Granny said, "The prosthetic limbs are coming along fine, it's just that mental deterioration that's the problem. We're hoping FZ-501 will help with counteracting that, but as we discussed before, it can have dangerous results for the patient and everyone around them."

"Well, you'll be happy to know you're not going to have to worry about that for much longer!" Meokuro said with a wide grin, "You see, I already figured out how to fix it!"

"You have?!" Granny exclaimed.

"You have?" the rebel nurses all said.

"She has?!" Sarami and Link whispered in unison.

"It's a bit roundabout, but it's pretty darn effective!" boasted Meokuro, then called to outside the room, "Bring in the test subject!"

With that, two Beamos Walkers came in carrying a large Wolfos by it's arms using their clamps. The creature was badly injured, and groaned in pain.

"What is this now? I've never seen this one before." Granny said.

"We had it captured outside the lab just a little while ago." Meokuo clarified.

Out of curiosity Link and Sarami both peeked out from under the sheet to see what it was, and were both shocked to see it had very familiar white fur, which was very unnatural for a wolfos of the desert.

"Lady Sheeva?!" Link exclaimed in the softest voice he could muster, recognizing the wolfos leader.

"How did she get here?" Sarami gasped.

"Grrr... unhand me you accused Gerudo!" snarled out Lady Sheeva, "I'm going to tear your damn throat out for this!"

"What? It can speak Hylian tongue?" a nurse exclaimed.

"Huh, first you say 'unhand me', then you say you're going to tear my throat out? Decisions, decisions!" Meokuro sarcastically said with a shrug, "But don't worry, I got an equip item for dealing with that nasty attitude of yours!"

Meokuro then pulled out the strange device in her hands, it was metal and shaped like a bowl, with cords and electric tesla tubes sticking out from it.

"What on earth is that?" Granny asked.

"Little something I've been working on to keep the FZ-501 specimens under control." Meokuro explained. She turned and put it on the struggling Sheeva's head. The bulbs on the helmet started to light up, and a small energy flash went through them. Sheeva's eyes widened as she tried to break free.

"Grk... what... are you doing... to me...?" Sheeva stammered, her eyes flashing between their normal blue color and a familiar blood red color.

"You recall that drink I gave you shortly after you tried to break into my laboratory?" chuckled Meokuro, adjusting her goggles, "It was laced with our little energy enhancement tonic, and this helmet should help keep your enraged self under control!"

"N-No... " Sheeva stammered, then threw her head back and screamed out. "NOOO!"

"Oh no... she's been given a dosage of FZ-501?!" Sarami spoke.

"This is bad..." Link muttered.

"Are you crazy Meokuro? Giving a powerful creature like this that tonic? What if this helmet of yours doesn't work?!" Granny pointed out to Meokuro.

"Well, that's exactly why I brought her to you here." grinned Meokuro, "You see, you've taken too long to find a way to counteract the side effects of FZ-501, but now that I have this technology to control the specimens, we really don't need you anymore!"

"W-What?" Granny spoke in shock, "Wait a minute, we had a deal that if I helped you we would work together on perfecting the prosthetic technology!"

"Well unfortunately for you, Mother Eclipsis is pushing to get things done in time for the big plan, and the deal had to be changed." grinned Meokuro wickedly, "So I'm cutting you off, literally."

Granny's eyes shrunk down, as sweat ran down her head.

"Hey wait a minute, you can't do this to Granny!" shouted a rebel nurse stepping up to Granny's side.

"Yeah, she's making real progress in her work!" said another nurse.

Granny looked up to her pupils and was amazed at how they stepped up to her defense, even against their own boss.

"...Tsk, I was going to have you all work for me, but fine then. If you're going to take her side, I suppose you won't mind being voluntary test subjects for my experiment!" Meokuro said with a smirk, as she adjusted a dial on the helmet, "Okay wolfie, let's see if this works, game start!"

Sheeva paused as she hung her head down. The helmet's lights lit up brightly, before she looked up with blood red eyes at Granny. She snarled and started walking slowly towards the old woman in the wheelchair.

"Just as I thought, she mentioned that she blames you for killing her mate with that Hinox we experimented on a while back." Meokuro said, "And it looks like her anger towards you is making her more complacent with the helmet's control!"

Granny took in those words and nervously looked up at Sheeva; she could see the fury in the wolf's eyes, more anger then she had seen in any other specimen she experimented FZ-501 on.

"Hold on!" shouted a rebel nurse, stepping out in front of Granny, gripping an IV stand as a weapon, "Back off of Granny!"

"Yeah we won't let you hurt her!" said another nurse as she pulled out some syringes, pointing them at Sheeva.

"W-Wait a minute, you girls back down!" Granny shouted.

Sheeva then lunged out at them; the nurses tried to protect Granny, but they were knocked out of the way effortlessly, as Sheeva came right at Granny. The wolfos growled angerly and brought up her claws to gore her. The elderly doctor gasped and closed her eyes, preparing herself for her fate...

But that was when Sheeva was blocked off by someone jumping out in between the two holding out a shield. The wolfos leader looked to see a somewhat familiar person stopping her, before they quickly kicked her backwards.

"What...?" Granny spoke softly, seeing who it was that defended her.

"Back off of her!" Link shouted, with his sword and shield out as Sarami ran up to Granny's side.

"Granny, are you okay?" Sarami asked.

"Y-Yes... thank you Sarami." Granny said with a look of lingering guilt.

"Well, well, well..." spoke Meokuro, rubbing her chin, then grinning widely, "If it isn't the false king! So you're one of the intruders I detected in my lab! Well this makes it all the better, killing two birds with one stone! Wihihihihihi!"

"I'm not going to let you hurt Granny or Sheeva." Link said coldly to Meokuro and holding out his sword, "And I'm taking down this sick operation you're running here!"

Sheeva growled, looking at the determined stare in the Hylian male's eyes, they almost looked familiar to her, but she was too angry to think about it any further.

"Hmph, like I'm going to let you take away what I've put my blood, sweat and tears into. I'll just have my wolf friend here sweep the whole lot of you!" Meokuro said, she turned and walked out the door with her Beamos Walkers, speaking out to Sheeva, "Have fun wolfie."

The helmet's bulbs gave off another bright flash. Sheeva hung her head down with her eyes closed, and stood motionless. She then opened her eyes showing them to be blood red, she rose her head up and grinned wickedly, licking her chops as she stared down at Link, Sarami and Granny.

"...Sarami, you keep Granny safe. I'll deal with Lady Sheeva." Link said.

"Okay, good luck Link..." Sarami nodded, pulling Granny's wheelchair away.

Lady Sheeva growled out and swung her claws at Link, who brought up his shield to block them off, but her attack had much more force in it thanks to the influence of the power tonic. Link staggered backwards from the impact, and Sheeva lunged out to bite him. Link quickly sidestepped out of the way and swung his sword, slashing her side and causing her to yelp out. Sheeva growled and did a roundhouse kick, bashing Link and sending him backwards.

Link shook off the impact and saw Sheeva running at him again, he brought out his sword and clashed against her claws. Sheeva swung her claws out furiously and Link quickly countered with his shield and sword. While she was stronger due to the power tonic, Sheeva still had her injuries from fighting Nabooru earlier that day, as well as getting captured by the rebels, and she was starting to gasp out.

"Sheeva, snap out of it!" Link shouted, "Don't let this control you!"

Sheeva just growled out and continued to attack him, she managed to smack away his shield and slash him. The White Wolfos then tried to bite down on him but he bashed her in the face with his shield and gave her another slash.

Sheeva staggered back and gasped out, panting heavily, "Grrra... graaah... Hy... grah... Hylian... male..."

"Sheeva?" Link asked.

"She's snapping out of it?" Sarami asked.

"Please..." Sheeva panted, "Please kill me... end this... ple... please... graaa... grrrrr... GRAAAHH!"

Sheeva then snarled out and lunged at Link, slamming him into a wall. She brought up her other claw to maul him with it, but Link quickly took his Longshot and fired it out to the side. The hook impacted onto an indent hole in the wall and yanked Link out of Sheeva's grip. He landed to his feet and used his Fairy Bow to fire off two arrows at Sheeva, impacting into her side and causing her to scream out in pain, before Link charged forward and bashed the wolfos one last time with his shield, sending her falling backward and impacting to the ground.

Sheeva gasped out, shaking in pain. Link sheathed his sword and ran over to Sheeva's side and knelled down to her.

"Sheeva, are you here with us now?" Link asked.

"Hylian..." she gasped out as her eyes flashed between normal and red, "This sensation... I don't know... what I'm going to do... I might attack you again..."

"Hold on, let me see!" Sarami said, running over to Sheeva's side, "Oh dear, I need to do something about these injuries!"

"No... you can't..." Sheeva gasped out, trying to get up.

"Stay down Wolfos." Granny said rolling up to the three, "Judging from the state of those wounds, if you try to exert yourself too much, the power tonic will surely take your life. Believe me, I've seen it before."

"You... you're that Granny woman..." growled Sheeva, her eyes turning red for a second, before she groaned out and fell backwards again.

"Stay down and rest!" Link demanded, placing his hands against Sheeva's shoulders to keep her down, "Sarami, please do what you can to help her!"

"Right away!" Sarami said, going through her medical supplies.

Sarami was about to start treating one of the slash marks when Sheeva snarled out, "I can't take it, I'm so angry... it hurts so much... just kill me now and get it over with!"

"No way are we going to do something like that, we're going to heal you and get you back home to your pack." Link said sternly.

"You idiots, if you try to help me I might go berserk again from this sickness and attack you!" Sheeva shouted, "You saw what my wolf pack went through, they were so blinded by anger they even attacked our own family!"

"..." Granny said nothing but stared down at Sheeva as the rebel nurses all started to recover and join the group.

"Just stay calm and rest." Sarami said to Sheeva gently, before looking to a rebel nurse, "Excuse me, can you help me remove these arrows?"

"O-Oh, sure." nodded the nurse somewhat nervously, kneeling down and helping Sarami.

"I'll go get more alcohol and bandages!" another nurse said running off to check the supplies that hadn't been destroyed in the fight.

"I don't understand... why would you do something like this?' Sheeva asked Sarami, "If I get better, then I might attack you again, even if I don't want to!"

"Just stay still." Sarami repeated as she continued to treat Sheeva's wounds, making the wolfos growl in frustration.

"Damnit, do I need to spell it out for you, Gerudo doctor?" Sheeva shouted out in annoyance at Sarami for ignoring her warnings.

"If you try to save me, then you could lose your life!"

Sarami paused in that moment and closed her eyes. For just a short moment, she thought about her patient Gonaeti, and her unborn daughter Rimel, and the lung tumor that Gonaeti suffered from because of her pregnancy...

Sarami then slowly opened her eyes and smiled beautifully, which surprised Sheeva and made Link blush lightly.

"I'm going to keep going, and I'm not giving up." Sarami said, then looked to the nurses, "Please, someone get me more gauze."

A nurse nodded and handed her a roll of bandages so Sarami could wrap up the Wolfos' leg.

"I don't understand, why would you keep doing this, even knowing what could happen... I even almost killed you before..." Sheeva spoke, recalling when she snapped and slammed the doctor against a wall back at the town hall, "So why...?"

"It's because... I'm a doctor." Sarami said, "And a true doctor doesn't pick and choose their patients. They work to make their patients healthy and happy. And I'm going to do the same for you."

"But... aren't you afraid I'll hurt you...?" Sheeva asked.

"No, I'm not." Sarami shook her head, then looked to Link, "Because no matter what could or will happen, I know that Link will always be by my side to support me, just as he has since the day he taught me that I need to relay on others."

Granny looked in awe of Sarami's words, the same ones she herself used to to tell her all the time back when they lived together. Even back when Sarami suggested the idea that she could have hurt Granny after healing her, she had told the young rogue that she would have had no regrets over helping her.

Link nodded and smiled, "Sarami is one of the most important people in my life, she's saved me more times then I can count, so I make it a point to help her whenever she needs it. We relay and depend on each other, like how a family does."

"Fufufu... you mean like how lovers would Link?" Sarami teased with a giggle.

Link turned bright red and looked away as the rebel nurses snickered to themselves, while Granny herself was astonished at how close Link and Sarami were.

'Could you have finally found that man Sarami?' Granny thought to herself, 'The one who would finally relieve you of your fears...?'

Sheeva herself just laid there, surprised by Sarami and Link's words, before closing her eyes and spoke out to them, "O-Okay... do what you will."

Time past as Sarami and the nurses took to treating Sheeva. The pain was severe, but she did everything in her power to hold back her anger, even in the presence of the Granny woman she hated so much.

"You doing okay, sister?" Sarami asked one of the rebel nurses, who was trying carefully to remove the last arrow from Sheeva's side.

"Um, yeah.. this one's just in an awkward spot..." the nurse said sweatdropping, she soon discovered the arrowhead and started to remove it, but that was when Sheeva reacted badly to the pain..

"YEEEOOOW!" Sheeva howled out.

"Uh, sorry?" the nurse asked, only to see Sheeva was growling out with red eyes again.

"Please Sheeva, get a hold of yourself!" Sarami said.

But Sheeva snarled out and uncontrollably swiped her claw at Sarami. Thankfully Link caught Sheeva's arm before her claw could even get close.

"Grrr..." Sheeva growled.

"It's okay..." Link said, squeezing Sheeva's arm, "Down girl, take it easy. We're here to help you..."

Sheeva panted out a bit, looking to the firm grip Link had on her arm, before her eyes changed back to normal, and she relaxed again.

"S-Sorry... please continue..." Sheeva said.

"Of course." Sarami nodded, taking a moment to thank Link before continuing.

* * *

"There, that should just about do it." Sarami sighed, wiping her brow, "Just take a rest for a while Lady Sheeva."

"T-Thank you..." Sheeva spoke, looking down at the bandages that covered her wounds, "I.. um, apologize for what I've done... Honestly I didn't trust you all in putting a stop to that sickness... so I attempted to storm the hideout myself and kill that Granny doctor... but I was captured by those metal monsters..."

"It's okay." smiled Sarami, "I think I understand you a lot more then you realize."

"Huh...?" Sheeva asked.

"You mentioned before you were once a thief before you were turned into a wolfos, right? Well I used to be a thief too, until I went through a horrible tragedy that turned my life upside down... but it was because I met Granny that I was able to find a new calling in life." Sarami explained, "Just like you found a new calling as the wolfos leader."

Sarami continued, "I could tell from back when we met you Sheeva, how much you care for your pack. I feel the same about my own people, it's why I became a doctor in the first place. It was so I could take care of those that are important to me."

Sheeva's eyes widened, and she laid back with a small chuckle. "I see..."

Granny meanwhile just watched Sarami carefully, whispering to herself, "She's grown so much..."

Sarami giggled and pet Sheeva affectionately on the head, "And this is for being such a good girl!"

"Aahh!" Sheeva's eyes widened at the sensation, her tail started wagging rapidly at the touch, before she practically passed out on Sarami's lap.

"You certainly got a way with big animals." Link grinned, recalling how well Chester got along with her.

It was then they heard a loud explosion from outside of the door, as well as some crashing and banging going on.

"Link!" shouted a voice as they heard the door shift, and barging in was Nabooru, Togau, Aviel, Nemisa, Professor Bradson and a number of rebel Gerudo, "We finally found you!"

"Good to see you girls!" Link said waving. Aviel ran right up and hugged Link in relief.

"What th- L-Lady Nabooru is here too?" exclaimed a rebel nurse.

"Nabooru, what's going on out there?" Link asked, looking out the door to see some laser beams and explosions going off all around in the storage area.

Outside of Granny's lab, a group of monsters from the kennel were rampaging around the place, knocking over supplies and destroying things. The Beamos Walkers came in to fight them, but the monsters had a quick upper hand. A wolfos lunged out and knocked over a walker, while a Leever leaped onto the head of another and twisted it's head off. A vulture flew down and dropped a Bombling on one of the walkers, blowing it up.

"Just some new friends causing a little commotion." Nabooru said with a playful smirk.

"You found and freed my people..." Sheeva spoke seeing the desert wolfos fighting the walkers.

"So Lady Sheeva is here too? What's happened to her?" Nemisa asked looking down at the beast woman and her injuries.

"Sheeva was captured by the rebels and the leader of this place forced her to take the power tonic." Link explained.

"Oh dang, ya okay there Sheeva?" Togau asked worriedly.

"...yes... I think I am now, thanks to these two." Sheeva nodded and gestured to Link and Sarami, "Though I'm still worried about the raging illness that tonic gave me..."

"We'll do what's needed to help you Lady Sheeva, but right now we need to get out of here while the freed monsters are having their fun." Nabooru said.

Link looked to Nabooru on that note, thought to himself, and nodded.

"Listen everyone..." Link said, "All of you go on ahead. I'm going to go hunt down the rebel Meokuro, and put a stop to all of this."

"...Alright then, but be careful." Nabooru said. Link nodded and ran off out the door, she then called out to the others, "Everyone, let's get a move on!"

"Wait, even us?" a rebel nurse spoke up among the others that had worked with Granny, as well as the guards they had captured back at the kennel.

"Of course." Nemisa nodded, "You're our sisters, so we're taking you back with us to Gerudo Town."

"It'll take time for you to be rehabilitated, but you'll be joining our home and society." Nabooru clarified, "It's what our King Link wants of all of you."

The rebels all looked to each other in surprise the Lady Nabooru and the king being so willing to not just spare them, but give them a chance to live in their town.

"Fascinating." chucked Bradson, adjusting his glasses.

Togau then transformed herself into her Lynel form so Sarami could climb up onto her horse-half, while the rebels did what they could to gather and load up whatever supplies from the lab Granny asked for.

"Alright, let's get goin' then!" the rancher said grinning.

"But what about Lady Sheeva here?" Aviel asked looking down at at the wounded and tired wolfos.

"Hmm..." Granny thought to herself.

* * *

Link charged through the rebel laboratory, taking down whatever Beamos Walker he could with his sword, shield, Longshot and arrows. The former captive monsters proved to be an excellent distraction for him to defeat the walkers without trouble. As another walker fell down and exploded, he came to a halt and saw Engineer Meokuro going through one room on a high up balcony. There weren't any stairs that led up to it, so he pulled out his Longshot and fired it into an indent on the ceiling, pulling him up to the door and he entered.

When Link arrived in the room, bars came down over the doorway in, indicating he was stuck in there for the time being. He took that moment to look around the room, it was some sort of production room for the Beamos Walkers. The room was spacious, with a steel grate floor, and on the sides were conveyor belts hauling half-finished walkers. The conveyor belts led over to the far end of the room where about four Beamos Walkers were taking parts and wielding them together, causing sparks to fly out and light up some of the darker areas of the room.

That was when he saw two small gleaming green lights in the darkness, and jumping out was Engineer Meokuro. She was still wearing her steel helmet and goggles, but it turned out the copper belt she was wearing before now had large metal spider legs not unlike the Walkers sticking out of it. Meokuro was using the legs to jump out and land down, then the legs walked forward a little. She stared at Link and her goggles gave off an eerie gleam, the mechanical spider legs making her way taller then her normal legs would have.

"Wiihihihihihi!" laughed Meokuro, "So the false king arrived, and about five point thirty seven minutes faster then I could have thought!"

"Meokuro is it? I'm here to capture you and put an end to his whole operation!" Link said, pointing his sword at her.

"That so? Well I'm not about to let myself get captured, not after all the work I've put in here!" Meokuro said, as one of her spider legs stomped down on the grate floor, "I may be a woman of mechanical science, but I can fight too, and I'm going to make you pay for what you did to Faurugo!"

"Faurugo? You mean the miner we fought back at the Hall of Knowledge?" Link asked.

"She was an colleague of mine, she discovered the ruins this place used to be, and the ancient beamos technology used to protect it eons ago." Meokuro said, "And I took this place and turned it into the technological marvel it is now, and rebuilt the Beamos into something even better then before!"

"So this used to be a Gerudo temple..." Link said, looking at the numerous inactive Beamos Walkers lining the sides of the room,"So what are you doing with all these things anyway?"

"This is the neo army of the Ebony Sisterhood!" Meokuro said, as the luminous crystals lighting up the room lit up more and started flashing. The Beamos all turned and looked down at the floor where Link and Meokuro stood, they started waving and swinging their arms, almost as if they were all rooting for Meokuro, even one Beamos Walker was hanging from a rafter by it's clamps. "With many of our sisters leaving or dying, I'm taking it upon myself to build these Beamos Walkers for the day we declare war on the Hylians!"

"This is insane..." Link muttered.

Meokuro walked up to one walker on her spider legs and brought up one of her metal gloves, a small blow torch igniting and she used it to wield a part of the walker into place, "Machines are far more practical then humans for war; they're stronger, easier to repair, they don't allow emotions like fear or sadness get in the way of their objectives, and soon they'll all crush the Hylians and help us reclaim the great King Ganondorf! We'll see how their archaic steel swords and spears stand up to robotic claws and lasers! Wiihihiihhihiihii!"

"Not if I can help it, and I'm going to make you answer for what you did to Granny and Lady Sheeva." Link said, swinging his sword to the side.

"Ha, bring it then! Round One, FIGHT!" Meokuro said.

With that, Meokuro used the spider legs of her belt to leap into the air, then came down at Link with all six legs pointing down at him. Link quickly rolled to the side to avoid it, and Meokuro then turned and started thrusting at Link with two of the legs while walking towards him with the other four. Link quickly brought up his sword and shield and started deflecting each leg using them.

"Wihihihihi! I'm gonna enjoy taking you down, false king!" Meokuro said grinning, "Maybe we can even have a bit of bed fun before I start experimenting on you!"

Link was too busy deflecting her rapid jabs with her spider legs to give a response, but then he looked own to see the metal spider legs. He deflected one jab, then quickly swung his sword downwards at one of them. This caused Meokuro to trip and fall to the side a bit, giving Link the chance to punch Meokuro in the face with his shield, making her stagger back.

"Graaaah! Damn you!" Meokuro shouted, she then used her spider legs to leap up onto the rafters of the room where there was a supply of spare gears for the walkers. She grabbed a number of them, before climbing down to a lower bar and hanging off it. She ignited the gears with her blow torch, heating them up, then dropped down to the ground, where they started spinning and shot at Link like flaming wheels.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Link exclaimed as the gears spun right at him. He quickly rolled and jumped out of the way of the gears, only for some of them to bounce against the walls and impact into him from behind, giving Meokuro the chance to leap down and strike at him with her spider legs. Link quickly brought up his shield to block her from stabbing him, but was knocked backwards by the forceful impact. She then leaped back and chucked more gears at Link, but this time he ran at the gears and jumped over them, bringing up his sword and swinging it down at Meokuro.

The scientist reacted in surprise and stepped back to avoid the slash, then tried to swing her spider legs at Link. He ducked the attack, and swung his sword forward, but she blocked it with her metal gloves. She ignited her gloves with their blow torches and shot fire at Link, blasting him back, before lobbing more heated gears at him.

This time though Link had an idea, seeing the center of the gears had a latch hole in them for attaching to bolts, he brought out his Longshot and fired it at one of the gears, grabbing it and allowing him to swing it around him, bashing Meokuro across the face, before running up and slashing at her, causing her to scream out.

"Graaah, medic heal please!" shouted Meokuro, but then realized, "Oh right, I fired her. I'll just have to do this instead!"

She then used her spider legs to backflip away onto a high place, and called out to her Beamos Walkers, "Fry him! Burn bobonga!" making many of the automations start charging up their lasers and aim down directly at Link.

"Oh crap!" Link said, looking upwards and seeing an indent in the ceiling. He quickly fired his Longshot upwards and latching to the ceiling, which pulled him upwards just before all the walkers fired their lasers simultaneously, causing a large explosion under Link that he missed just in time.

Meokuro quickly climbed up the side of the wall and swiped at Link from there, but he brought out his sword and deflected her attacks. He then swung himself backwards on his Longshot and using his shield, bashed through her next spider leg attack and impacted into her. Meokuro screamed out as Link released the Longshot's grip and pushed Meokuro downwards onto the floor, using the shield to hold her in place.

"Give yourself up!" Link shouted, "Even if Ganondorf was as great a king as you think he is, freeing him isn't worth all the lives you're hurting!"

"And you think you and Lady Nabooru are any different?!" Meokuro shouted, as metal tendrils shot out from her helmet and punched Link backwards, giving her the chance to get back up. The tendrils on her helmet were flailing around as her spider legs stood her up high so she could tower over Link, "We picked up information that you're going to meet with the Hylian Parliament to negotiate getting rid of the banishment law, but how can you be so sure they'll listen to reason? The Hylians will just walk all over you!"

Link frowned, he recalled Faurugo speaking very similar things to Nabooru back at the Hall of Knowledge, he wondered in that moment how close the two of them had been. As a result, he felt some guilt deep down for not being able to save Faurugo from the power tonic taking her life. He then realized then just how similar Sarami must have felt about her inability to cure Gonaeti's tumor, or the power tonic's effects as well.

He took a deep breath and looked up to Meokuro with determination in his eyes.

"...Frankly I don't care what the Parliament intends to do. Even if they have no intention of giving us a fair chance, I'm not going to give up on helping the Gerudo." Link said, "I'll fight to the very end, to help them all get the chance to be free, and that includes you and the other rebels!"

"..." Meokuro paused at those words, "But why would you help us...? We want to kill you and Lady Nabooru, why would you think we'd ever join you?"

"Because of what the Gerudo once were, all those years ago. They all used to be thieves and killers, until Nabooru reshaped them into a true society. They were given a second chance, and I'm willing to give that chance to all of you. I say that not as the Gerudo King, but just a person who just wants to help you all."

Meokuro once again stood in stunned silence, looking downwards in thought.

"That's... really fascinating..." Meokuro muttered, She then chuckled a little and looked up to Link, her goggles gleaming, "Unfortunately, you can't persuade me that easily. I'm not going to give up on my people, so I'll fight to the end!"

With that, she lunged at Link with two legs up to strike him. Link quickly blocked off the attack, then countered with his sword. One of the metal tendrils on Meokuro's helmet wrapped around the sword, yanking it away and forcing Link to concentrate on more defensive maneuvers. He backflipped away from the engineer and pulled out his Fairy Bow, firing off several arrows at her. Meokuro then brought up her spider legs and deflected the arrows away. But then Link shot one arrow that flew right over her.

"Ha, you missed by approximately twenty two point four inches!" Meokuro stated.

"Wasn't aiming for you." Link grinned.

That was when Meokuro realized the arrow had shot right through the tendril holding the sword, causing the blade to fall to the ground, surprising her. Link then darted forward at his sword, Meokuro tried to blast him with her torch gloves, but he ducked down and rolled across the floor, grabbing the sword and with a few quick slices, he managed to cut across Meokuro and sever a few of the metal spider legs of her belt at the same time.

"Ugh... this isn't right..." groaned Meokuro as she staggered around, the broken spider legs causing her to lose her balance, "I need to reload my save!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Link said, "But you're done, now give yourself up."

"Grrr... never!" Meokuro said, she then got herself up with her last three spider legs and catapulted herself to the back of the room, then shouted to the walkers, "Blast him! Attack his weak point for maximum damage!"

That was when all the Beamos Walkers started charged up their lasers at Link once again, only this time they were charging up more and more. Some of the unfinished machines were even starting to break down from it, but still charged up.

"Uh oh!" Link quickly turned and ran at the door, only to see it was still barred up.

"Wiiiihhihihiiiiii-oowie...!" laughed Meokuro, but cringing a bit in pain from her wounds as she did, "It's game over for you, false king!"

"They're all locked on me..." Link muttered, but that was when he had an idea, "Wait... they're all locked on me!"

He looked up and eyed the hook hanging overhead he used to evade the lasers last time, He fired his Longshot up to the ceiling and latched onto it, hanging over the room, as all the laser were still aimed at him.

"Ha, too early! Now they'll blast you out of midair!" Meokuro shouted.

But Link eyed the Beamos Walkers carefully, recalling just how long it took for them to fire last time, and then unlatched from the hook. As he fell downwards, just as he was lined up with all the Beamos attacks, they all fired at once. Instead of getting blasted though, Link landed to his feet and ducked downwards as all the lasers shot over him. The Beamos Walkers' lasers as a result all blasted into the other ones from the across the room, blowing them up.

"WHAT?" Meokuro shouted with her jaw dropped.

The heads of the walkers flew up and exploded, and even those who weren't hit by the lasers exploded as well, causing a massive chain reaction which caused all the Beamos Walkers to be destroyed.

"No! My creations!" shouted Meokuro, too distracted by what was going on to notice the Longshot shoot past her and impact into a wall behind her, as Link shot forward and gave a powerful slice across the engineer, she screamed out and impacted to the ground, her goggles shattering as she impacted.

"And that should do it." Link sighed out, spinning his sword in his hand and sheathing it. Before he could do anything else though, the ground started to shake, and he saw the rafters were starting to creak and wobble, before coming apart and smashing to the ground around them.

"Uh oh, we better get out of here!" Link realized. Seeing Meokuro was in a daze, he lifted her up and started carrying her out of the room. The bars of the door had lifted after Meokuro's defeat, so he just went out that way as more walkers and the rest of the machinery were blowing up.

"Ugh... what are you doing...?" Meokuro groaned, "Why are you saving me...?"

"Because you need my help." Link simply said, carrying her off.

The engineer was in stunned silence at the man she knew as the false king, before muttering, "You... can't be serious, you idiot..."

Meokuro then fell unconscious from the fatigue of the battle, leaving Link to focus on escaping with her.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter for this week. Meokuro's been defeated, and now all that's left is to escape! How will our heroes get out of this mess? Find out next week!**_

_**Thank you everyone for your support! Leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure, as your feedback is always supported!**_


	79. A Noble Act

_**It's time for Chapter 79! With Meokuro defeated, our heroes just need to make it out in one piece, but will that be possible...?**_

* * *

"Hiiyaaah!"

With a war cry, Nabooru took down a Beamos Walker that tried to attack her and the others in the storage room of the rebel laboratory, as they were rushing to the elevator in order to escape. The Gerudo guards she had positioned at the lift were anxiously motioning for everyone to get on board it.

Link destroying the Beamos Walkers in Meokuro's manufacturing room was more dangerous then he had anticipated, as the lab was starting to blow up all around them. Another explosion went off, causing some debris to fall from the ceiling and the boxes around the storage area to shake. Nabooru looked around and called out to the others.

"This whole place is going down!" Nabooru shouted, "We need to clear out immediately!"

"Hang on, this wolfos is huge!" shouted a rebel, pushing the wounded Lady Sheeva on Granny's wheelchair. Granny herself was sitting on Togau's horse half with Sarami holding her to ensure she didn't fall off.

"Hmph, that wolf better be grateful for this!" Granny said in annoyance, as well as some embarrassment as she was resting against Sarami's large breasts.

Nabooru, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Sarami, Professor Bradson, Granny Truttlo, the rebels carrying Lady Sheeva all boarded onto the platform. Thankfully the elevator was built to transport heavy objects like the boxes in the storage area, so it could accommodate all of their weight.

"Wait, what about Link?" Aviel asked, looking around left and right.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Link shouted out, using his Longshot to grapple through the air and run across the tops of the storage boxes, carrying an unconscious Engineer Meokuro on his back. He jumped off one box just as a pillar came down and smashed it. When he was over the elevator, he dropped Meokuro down so the rebels could catch her, and Link landed into Togau's arms.

"Hey lover-boy!" Togau grinned widely, giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek, "Nice of ya ta drop in!"

"Good work Link! Alright, if that's everyone, let's go!" Nabooru said.

* * *

With the elevator activated, it rose everyone all up to the ground level. When they reached the top and into the elevator room where they had entered from however, they found out the entire jungle area was now on fire.

"What?!" exclaimed Nemisa looking out the window, "How did this happen?"

"It must have been the compost pipes this whippersnapper set up to fertilize the plants!" Granny said, referring to Meokuro, "There was too much methane in it and it's reacting to all the explosions!"

"Gee, I'm glad I was so accurate destroying those things when we came in..." Aviel muttered with a grim look in her eyes.

That was when another explosion went off underground, and the building shook a bit.

"Well we can't just hide out in here, we need to run!" Nabooru shouted.

The group all managed to run out of the building just before it collapsed in on itself. They all hurried down the path they came into the jungle from. The fire was burning the foliage everywhere; some of the mushroom monsters like the ones that had attacked them before were all screeching out and falling over into smoldering heaps, while the large plants were starting to fall down to the ground and make greater bursts of flames.

"I wasn't quite expecting something like this today!" Bradson said as Aviel was helping to escort him through the inferno.

Link gasped out, a little banged up from the battles he had against Sheeva and Meokuro earlier, and stumbled a bit, before Nemisa and Nabooru both caught him and helped him on his way.

"Thank girls..." Link groaned.

"Don't worry, we'll support you Link." Nemisa said smiling, recalling Link saying very similar words to her once a long time ago.

But then as the group kept going, a mushroom monster leaped out in front of Togau, startling her and causing Sarami and Granny to both fall off of her. Togau quickly pulled out her ax and slashed the monster to pieces, but then at the same time a large plant came falling down. The group cleared out of the way just before it impacted on the ground, causing a large line of fire in the middle of the path behind everyone.

"Whew, we made it." Nabooru said.

"Wait, where's Granny?" Sarami exclaimed, looking left and right.

"And where's Lady Sheeva?" Togau asked.

"We're back here!" shouted Granny from behind the giant flaming plant. She was laying on her side due to her legs being paralyzed, while Lady Sheeva was still sitting in the wheelchair, in too much of a daze from her battle with Link and the effects of the power tonic FZ-501 still inside her.

"Granny, don't worry, we'll save you!" Sarami shouted, rummaging through her chu jelly potions to find her cooling gel mixture to put out as much of the fire as she could.

"Don't worry about me! Save yourselves!" Granny shouted back, she let out a sigh as she felt the heat around her intensify, and sported a solemn expression on her face, "This is fine... this is probably the goddess Nayru's punishment for what I've done here... it's fitting I should go up with this place." she muttered, then shouted out to them, "Now go on and get!"

"NO!" Sarami shouted, "I won't leave you behind Granny!"

"She's right! Screw what your goddesses think, we're saving you!" Nabooru said.

But more flaming plants started to fall down around the area as the fire got more intense, and more debris started falling on the path making the flaming blockade bigger.

"I'll try to help Granny!" Aviel said, taking to the sky with her wings, but the flames around her got too intense, and embers fell on her feathers, forcing her to land back down, "Owie owie owie!"

"Steady yourself Aviel!" Bradson said, using one of his books to smack at her wings to put out the embers on them, "You'll burn your wings if you try to fly over there!"

"Let me do it!" Link groaned, struggling with Nabooru and Nemisa, "I can vault over and... ugh..."

"Not when you're in this condition!" Nemisa shouted, holding him close.

As Granny started to close her eyes and accept her fate, that was when a large shadow loomed over her. Granny looked up to see the figure scoop her up and put on the wheelchair, before lifting her up into air.

"Wha- you?" Granny exclaimed, sitting in her wheelchair as she was being lifted up by Sheeva.

"Hold on tight." Lady Sheeva said, carrying Granny towards the flaming plants in front of them.

"Hey, what's Lady Sheeva doing?!" Togau asked.

Lady Sheeva narrowed her eyes, and ran right into the flames, standing as tall as she could and holding Granny just high enough that the flames didn't touch her. Sheeva groaned out from the heat all around her as she went as fast as she could through the flaming plants.

"Sheeva!" Link shouted, struggling with Nemisa to help her, but his bodyguard held him back.

"Graaaawwrr!" Sheeva growled out, her eyes turning blood red, as she carried Granny over the fire. Despite the anger from the pain she was feeling in that moment, she saw Link and Sarami and held herself back, still walking forward. When Sheeva finally got to the other side where the others were, she slowly set Granny and her wheelchair down, before collapsing onto the ground.

"Granny, are you okay?" Sarami exclaimed, running over and hugging her.

"I-I'm fine..." Granny stammered, looking over to Sheeva, "Thanks to that creature..."

"Sheeva, are you alright?" Link asked desperately.

"Hylian male... I-" the wolfos coughed out, before she was lifted up partially by Nabooru.

"We need to get out of here immediately!" Nabooru shouted to everyone. With the aide of her guards, they lifted up Sheeva, and everyone hurried out from the flaming jungle as the fires grew more.

* * *

When everyone were certain they were far enough away from the jungle area, they all turned and watched the rebel laboratory and the jungle used to conceal it exploding and burning down. Besides the rebels, they were also joined by the two desert wolfos who had been captured in the kennel as test subjects, but had escaped before the fire had broke out. From what they saw, the rest of the monsters they freed from the kennel had evacuated as well and went off to parts unknown.

"Guess that's it for the rebel's operation here." Nabooru said, her arms folded as she gazed out at the inferno, "Is everyone okay?"

"Well, I've been better." Togau said coughing out smoke.

"Sorry guys, I think this was my fault." Link groaned, "I didn't think destroying the Beamos Walkers would cause that much destruction."

"Heh, don't worry Link, if anyone's responsible it's this one here for building them to begin with." Nabooru said with a smirk, taking a moment to glare down at the unconscious Meokuro, "If anything, this just delivered a strong blow to the rebel's plans!"

Meanwhile everyone looked over to Sarami and Granny, who were both seeing to Lady Sheeva's burns from the fire. They all came up to them and saw Sheeva was laying on the desert sand shaking in pain.

"How is she...?" Link asked with concern.

"Sheeva's not doing good at all, she has third degree burns all over her body." Sarami observed sadly as she applied her cooling gel onto Sheeva's body as much as she could.

"And she's suffering from the side effects of the power tonic, her body is at it's limit." Granny said with some concern of her own.

"Ugh..." Sheeva groaned out, opening her eyes weakly, she coughed a bit and heavy amounts of yellow mist emerged from her mouth.

"This is bad," Granny said with her eyes widened, "That mist she's breathing out is her own blood!"

"What do you mean her blood?" Nemisa asked.

Granny explained to everyone, "One of the power tonic's effects is that it enters your blood stream and accelerates the flow of it, and some of the blood gets vaporized into this yellow mist when you exert yourself too much. At the rate she's breathing it out it might be too late for her..."

"So that's what that mist was this whole time..." Nabooru said.

"No, Sheeva, please hang in there!" Sarami said pleadingly, "I'll save you!"

"Yeah, don't do dyin' on us!" Togau said, recalling what happened with Mobbles the Moblin earlier, "Just get up on my back and I'll get ya to our hospital in Gerudo Town!" 

"No, I... " Sheeva gasped, "I think this is it for me... I can't go on. I'm sorry all of you, for everything I've done..."

"No, don't talk like that!" Link shouted, "You have to get back to your pack! You're their leader!"

The two wolfos both gathered around their leader, whimpering out loudly for her.

"Sheeva..." Nabooru whispered.

"It's okay..." Sheeva whispered, "I'm satisfied now... I think it's time for me to join my true mate... in the world of spirits..."

With that, Lady Sheeva of the Desert Wolfos tribe closed her eyes and lay motionless.

Everyone hung their heads down sadly; Aviel broke down in tears and hugged Nemisa, who hugged her back. Togau removed her straw hat and held it to her chest. Even the rebels were torn up by this.

"The poor thing." Bradson spoke, not being familiar at all with Sheeva himself, he did admire her for saving Granny earlier. He gripped at a compass attached to his suit and squeezed it.

"No... Sheeva..." Sarami whispered as Link just held her tightly.

"She saved me..." Granny muttered, "Even after what me and Meokuro did to her..."

As everyone grieved for the wolfos leader, Nabooru gazed down at Sheeva's motionless form, even she found herself feeling sympathetic for her despite trying to take Link from them.

But it was then she noticed something odd was going on with Sheeva's body.

"Hey, what's happening to her?" Nabooru asked.

Everyone looked curiously as Sheeva's body was giving off a strange glow. Her body soon became engulfed in light, and when the light finally faded, everyone stood in awe of her.

Rather then the wolf creature she was before, Sheeva had undergone a massive transformation. Her body was now more that of a human, though just as tall as when she was a wolfos. She had long white hair with white wolf ears sticking out from her head. She had soft white fur lined around her neck that slightly came down to cover a large pair of breasts. Her arms and legs were still that of a wolfos' limbs, and she still had her tail. As an added bonus, it seemed her intense burns marks and injuries were all gone, and she seemed to no longer breathing out the yellow blood mist.

"What the heck? Sheeva?!" exclaimed Togau.

"She's become a Hylian again?" Link spoke with his jaw dropped.

"Ugh..." Sheeva groaned out, slowly sitting up and putting a large paw to her human forehead, "My head feels so strange..." she moved her paw to her face and realized her snout was gone. Realizing this, she patted at her face and felt around her body, realizing how human she was now, she even reached to her chest and felt the two large soft orbs under the fur lining her neck, "W-What happened to me?!"

"By the desert goddess, she's okay!" Sarami exclaimed with shock.

"Amazing..." Granny gasped out.

"Yaaay, what a relief!" Aviel cheered out happily, as she and Togau both ran forward and hugged Sheeva tightly.

"Dangit ya big mutt, ya had us all worried!" Togau shouted with tears running down her face.

"It's a miracle..." Nemisa said with awe.

"Lady Sheeva, how are you feeling?" Link asked kneeling down to her.

"I'm... actually feeling quite well." Sheeva admitted with surprise, "But... I've changed back to a Hylian?"

"Sort of, looks like you're still particularly a wolfos." Nabooru pointed out her ears, arms, legs and tail.

"How do you suppose this happened?" Link asked.

"Well it's a bit of a wild guess on my part..." Bradson said, adjusting his glasses as he observed Sheeva, "Lady Sheeva here became a wolfos by being cursed by the Gerudo Beast Goddess Uvooru, right?"

"Yes, I attempted to steal a relic of hers and I was turned into a wolfos as a result, why?" Sheeva asked.

"Well, I've been researching Gerudo relics during my extended stay at Ms. Meokuro's lab. Based on what I've learned about them and the goddesses who created them, there's a distinct possibility that Uvooru might have deemed you worthy of a second chance, and removed at least a portion of the curse on you."

"But why would she do that, after all I've done to the Gerudo?" Sheeva asked in confusion.

"...I think it very well may be because you proved yourself today." Nabooru said with a knowing smirk, "You demonstrated selflessness to Uvooru's beasts by protecting and caring for them as their leader. And you've demonstrated that same selflessness to humans today when you saved Granny, and Uvooru recognized that."

"I... I see..." Sheeva stammered looking down at herself. She looked over at the two wolfos who just stared back at her, before they barked to each other and ran off in the direction of their town Grinder's Ridge.

"What's wrong? Aren't you happy?" Aviel asked tilting her head.

"I'm... not sure." Sheeva spoke, "I'm glad to be alive, but... can I show myself to my pack like this?"

Sarami stared out at Sheeva, before she stepped up and placed a hand on Sheeva's shoulder, surprising her.

"Come on, you need to meet your people again." Sarami said smiling.

* * *

Some time later, the group had set off back to Sheeva's home at the old western town of Grinder's Ridge.

"A town of wolfos you say? I must ask, is this safe?" Professor Bradson asked.

"No problem, the wolfos aren't all that bad." Nemisa said, "Besides, if they try anything, we'll put them back in line."

"Ha ha, I admire your confidence." Bradson chuckled, "Honestly I'd love to study a few of them up close."

"Hey, has anyone seen Lady Sheeva?" Aviel asked looking around.

"Not again!" Nemisa said in frustration, "Where are you?"

Everyone looked behind them to see Sheeva was peeking out from behind a large rock. Her ears were flattened against her head and her tail was curled between her legs. She stepped back and leaned against the rock as Link and Togau came up to her.

"Hey, come on Sheeva." Link said, "Don't you want to go greet your pack?"

"I... still don't know if I can show myself to them..." Sheeva muttered, "I'm no longer a full wolfos like I used to be after all..."

"Come on, enough with the melancholy." Nemisa called out, "Move that tail of yours already!"

"Wait, a collie? I thought she was a wolf." Aviel said, causing the others to fault over.

"But..." Sheeva spoke, "You saw those two from my pack go running off earlier, I don't know if they would even recognize me..."

"Don't worry, they might have been a little caught off guard, but I think they'll accept you just fine." Link said.

"Reckon course, just like how my sisters accepted me after what I went through!" Togau nodded.

"Just like you...?" Sheeva asked curiously.

"Yup, it's why I have that Lynel power of mine. I was cursed once too, and was turned into a Lynel. Back then I couldn't change back, and for the longest time I didn't think I had a home ta go back to, but everyone accepted me, especially my lover-boy here!" Togau said gesturing to Link, "And we're all one big happy family!"

Sheeva stared up at Link and Togau in surprise at those words. But the wolfos woman still seemed a bit skeptic.

"Come on Sheeva, we'll back you up on this." Link nodded, taking her paw in his hand.

"I... um..." Sheeva blushed at the feeling of Link holding her paw, "O-Okay..."

The two of them guided Sheeva with the group until they arrived at Grinder's Ridge, where the beastly residents of the village all peeked out from the town buildings to see who arrived. The two wolfos the group had rescued earlier were at the entrance, seeming to be barking and yapping at the others about something.

"Na ha ha, they seem pretty happy ta be home!" Togau laughed, glad to have been able to free them back at the kennel.

Sarami meanwhile looked to Sheeva who was still hanging her head down in uncertainty while Link was trying to console her. Sarami walked forward and took Sheeva's free paw, "Are you ready then Lady Sheeva?"

"Um... I suppose." Sheeva nodded nervously. She took a deep breath and slowly walked ahead of the group. She stood as tall as she could and cleared her throat, before letting out an unusual howl out to the town.

The ears of the wolfos all perked up at the familiar call of their leader, as they all came running out to greet her, only to instead see an unfamiliar human woman with what appeared to be wolf arms and legs. They hesitated for a second, recalling what had happened to the alpha male of their pack by the hands of the Hinox, wondering if this woman had done the same to their leader Lady Sheeva.

"E-Everyone it is I, Lady Sheeva, I have returned!" Sheeva stated, trying to maintain a strong demeanor before her pack, "The vile forces that made our people sick has been dealt with thanks to the aide of Lady Nabooru and King Link, and our previous leader has been avenged!"

She gulped a little and continued, "You may find me a bit strange now, but I have something I need to confess to you. Before I came to join your pack, I was once a human that was cursed by the goddess of beasts Uvooru. I've been partially cured of that curse as of today, but I vow to remain as your leader in the name of our noble and beloved alpha male!"

The wolfos did nothing, but continued to stare at her. Sheeva let out a small whimper and looked to the side. In that moment, she almost wondered if Bradson and Nabooru were wrong, and that the beast goddess Uvooru had actually punished her for her crimes further by turning her into this form. As she was now, she felt she couldn't fit into neither wolfos or Hylian society...

But that was when she felt someone nudge her paw slightly, and she looked down to see a young wolfos before her, bumping his nose into her paw for attention. Her eyes widened, it was her youngest son that she had with her mate before his passing. She knelled down before him and the eager pup practically jumped at her. He nuzzled her affectionately, happy to see his mother return home, not even bothered by the human look she had now.

This inspired the other wolfos to start coming over and sniffing Sheeva, before displaying their own affection to her, giving her licks and nuzzles. Tears started to form and spill down the wolfos leader's eyes as she hugged as many of them as she could.

"Thank you..." she whispered to them all.

"Awww... that's so cute!" Sarami squealed, putting a hand to her cheek to keep herself from smiling too much from the sight of Sheeva reuniting with her pack.

"Looks like they accepted her after all." Link grinned, recalling back when he made a confession to the Gerudo about his hand in imprisoning Ganondorf, and how they all accepted him as their king regardless.

* * *

"So these are the ones who were affected by FZ-501?" Granny spoke. She was in her wheelchair at the Grinder's Ridge jail, seeing the four wolfos who was suffering from the effects of the power tonic. Along with her and Lady Sheeva were Sarami and Link.

"Yes, we've lost a number of them before. Some we had to put down when they got too aggressive, and the rest just died to the illness." Sheeva explained.

"The poor dears..." Granny muttered, gazing at them, "I'm not sure what can be done for them."

"I wish I could do something about it myself," sighed Sarami, "I was able to cure the hypno candy effects, but I'm still having trouble with working out the components of the power tonic itself..."

"Wait, just how did you cure the hypnotic trance of the confectionery anyway?" Granny asked Sarami.

"Um, I used one of my chu jelly mixtures." Sarami said, holding one capsule to her mentor, "Though it was kind of an accident, as I made it for something else."

"Well a wise man once said 'science is made up of accidents, but they are accidents which are useful to make, because they lead little by little to the answers we seek'." Granny stated staring at the capsule, "What did you create this for originally then?"

"It's children's asthma medicine, why?" Sarami asked.

Granny paused, and took the capsule into her hand, looking at it for what seemed like the longest time. Everyone watched as Granny moved her wheelchair over to a table and started examining it more thoroughly with a micro lens.

"Sarami..." Granny muttered, "This combination of herbs you used... I've never seen anything like this before, where did you obtain plants like these?"

"I had some help from a Kokiri friend of mine supplying me with the ingredients." Sarami explained referring to Saria, "What about them?"

"I've been researching various aspects of using forest plants for healing, including the rare Odd Mushroom." Granny said, "But due to how difficult it is to access Kokiri Forest, I haven't been able to gather much materials. What you have here though is amazing..."

"Do you think you can do something with it?" Link asked hopefully, recalling it was an Odd Mushroom he had Granny use to prepare the medicine he needed from the dark future.

"Hm... just give me a second here..." Granny spoke, "Sarami, do you have any of the herbs you used to make these capsules?"

"Oh yes, here!" Sarami said, reaching into her pouch and handing them to her.

Everyone watched as Granny immediately got to work on grinding up the herbs in a mortal and pestle she had on her. She then took one of the teal chu jelly capsules Sarami made and started mixing them together, then added some potion she had brought over from the rebel lab. Her hands were shaky but masterful in the work she was doing.

"... ...hmm... there we go..." Granny muttered, she then turned to Sheeva and handed her a plate of four of the asthma chu jelly capsules, now colored pink rather then teal, "Give one of these to each of the wolves there."

"One for each..." Sheeva muttered. Her ears folded back as she narrowed her eyes, though she didn't look as intimidating as she was back when she was a full wolfos, "Are you certain about this?"

"Absolutely." Granny said without a moment of hesitation, "I know it might not mean much, but I stake what honor as a doctor I have left on it."

Sheeva stared into the old woman's eyes for a while, before she nodded. Sheeva then worked to place a chu jelly capsule into the mouths of each of the wolfos suffering from the tonic's effects and by suggestion of Sarami, nudged their throats to make them swallow.

Everyone stood and watched as the wolfos laid there, still gasping out and panting. Granny in particular narrowed her eyes, waiting for her guess to be correct, "Come on..."

It was then they all saw the four wolfos start to cough and whine out. Sheeva felt an uncertainty of what would happen, but it was then the four of them all breathed out a small amount of the yellow mist from before, and their red eyes went back to their original color.

"It's working?!" Link exclaimed.

The wolfos each sat themselves up and looked around in confusion at what had happened. They then saw the food bowls they had neglected due to their condition, and they all started eating at the meat left for them ravenously.

"Oh thank goddess Aifet, they seem so much better now!" Sarami said, taking her mentor by her shoulders and shaking her enthusiastically, "Granny you did it!"

"Amazing." Sheeva spoke with awe.

"Listen, Lady Sheeva is it?" Granny then turned to the wolfos, "Meokuro may have been the head of the power enhancement project, but I still played a large involvement in all this mess. I don't think I can apologize enough for what it's done to your people."

Sheeva was caught off guard by Granny's apologetic manner; all this time she had thought of her to be a cold, malicious monster who made her people sick, but instead saw a frail, sad woman in a wheelchair, and found herself unable to stay angry much longer. Could this had been that same feeling she had that compelled her to save her back in the jungle as it was burning down...?

The wolfos woman took a deep breath and nodded to Granny, "Thank you for that. With the laboratory destroyed and the culprit behind all this defeated, I think my mate can rest easily now. Perhaps that alone is enough for me."

Link and Sarami both had relieved smiled on their faces, seeing Sheeva and Granny set aside their differences. But that was when they heard a voice shout out.

"Link, we have bad news!" Nemisa shouted running into the jail, "That damn engineer woman escaped!"

"What?!" Link exclaimed.

* * *

Link, Sarami, Sheeva and Granny all followed Nemisa to the town hall were they were holding the rebels in locked rooms. When they arrived at the room Meokuro was being held in, they saw Togau and Nabooru examining it over. There was a gaping hole in the wall where the window for the room was, despite it having been boarded up by the Gerudo to keep Meokuro captive in there.

"So what happened here?" Link asked.

"It seemed Meokuro managed to break out of the ropes we restrained her in and got through the window." Nabooru said.

"Dang, she's stronger then we thought." Togau said, looking down at the ropes, seeing they were all torn to pieces.

"Or perhaps she had some hidden tools we didn't find when we searched her." Nabooru said scowling.

"Don't wanna think about where she could have hid them." Togau said with a slightly disturbed look on her face.

"What about the other rebels?" Sarami asked.

"They're all still here." Nabooru said, "Some have even pledged to defect from the rebellion. Seems they now understand the gravity of this situation."

She then gestured to another room where some of the rebels were playing with some of the younger wolfos pups.

"Oh hi King Link!" waved one of the former rebels.

"And hi Ms. Sheeva, your doggies are just precious!" said a rebel nurse, who was patching up a wound on a wolfos before it responded by giving her a affectionate lick.

"You Gerudo are sure about turning against your rebellion...?" Sheeva asked, somewhat concerned about them being around her pack, but softened a bit when she saw they were all getting along so well.

One of the rebels sported a pained look as she pet one of the wolfos, "Lady Nabooru made us see just how far Sister Meokuro was going with her experiments, and the lives she was hurting." she thought back to what happened to Mobbles the Moblin, "We just got fed up with all that's happened, and we're willing to side with King Link and Lady Nabooru to put an end to it."

"A few of our sisters still side with Mother Eclipsis, but we hope someday they'll see things differently!" said another.

"Well put, then I'll put my faith in you all to properly rehabilitate yourselves." Nabooru nodded with a smile.

"Should we be worried now that Meokuro's escaped though?" Togau asked, "What if she starts goin' back to makin' those things with the laser blastin' eyes?"

"Well her laboratory has been completely destroyed, I don't think she's going to have much to work with." Link said, "For all we know she might just retreat back to Gerudo Fortress where the rebels are."

"Hmph, that woman is stubborn as a mule." Granny said, "She's a genius, but it's wasted on that rebellion. She could be doing so much more with the skills she has."

"Speaking of which, you worked with her to develop the power tonic, right?" Nabooru asked stepping up to her.

"...FZ-501, that's correct." nodded Granny, feeling a bit nervous before who was recognized as the Gerudo leader, "I understand I've caused not just those wolfos, but your own people a great deal of trouble from it..."

"Indeed you have, we've lost a number of our own to that tonic's effects. And if the rebels still have more of it, it will only bring us more trouble in the future." nodded Nabooru. The others looked a bit uneasy of Nabooru's intimidating look, "Lady Sheeva may be content to forgive you what you've done, but I have not."

Link and Togau looked to each other nervously, they both knew how badly Nabooru was taking the rebellion's actions and the effects it was having on the Gerudo.

"Wait Lady Nabooru!" Aviel then protested, but Nabooru cut her off.

"On the other hand, Sarami's told me a lot about you, namely that you saved her life after she was exiled. You made her into the woman she is today, and she's gone on to save the lives of many of our people, including that of my dear friend and the new king of our people, Link." Nabooru spoke.

"Saved him a little too much if you ask me." Nemisa said with a smarmy grin at Link.

"Oh like you're one to talk." Link retorted, poking her on the cheek.

"And that's why I think if you truly want to make up for what you've done, you'll work with us as our ally, to help Sarami find the cure for the power tonic to save our people." Nabooru said, now sporting a light smirk.

Granny sat in stunned silence at Nabooru's words. She was indeed far different then the rumors she heard, and what she experienced with Meokuro and the other rebels.

"Well then, I'll provide as much help to you as possible. I think I've hit a new breakthrough in counteracting the tonic thanks to Sarami. I was able to make something for Lady Sheeva's wolves, but curing the rebel Gerudo will require a little more work. I'll need some more time to get it just right..." Granny then turned to Sarami and smiled warmly, "And of course I'll need the help of my star pupil."

"Granny..." Sarami whispered, relieved to see that spark in her eyes once again.

Granny turned to Nabooru and continued, "I'd like to tell you more about what the Ebony Sisterhood have planned, but unfortunately Meokuro kept me as in the dark as possible about her projects. She doesn't seem to trust people very well at all."

"I understand, the rebels we've captured in the past were in a similar situation." Nabooru said thinking back to Maukai and Nilonu, "I just wonder who that Mother Eclipsis is, and just what she thinks she can achieve with her hap-hazard methods. She almost reminds me of..." Nabooru paused on that note, before shaking her head, "Well never mind for now, thank you for lending us your support, Granny Truttlo."

With that, the two of them shook hands, much to everyone 's relief. Sheeva in particular took in Nabooru's words to deep thought.

* * *

The next morning, Link, Nabooru, Sarami, Aviel, Nemisa, Togau, Professor Bradson, Granny Truttlo, and the Gerudo guards and rebels were all standing outside the town of Grinder Ridge. Lady Sheeva and her pack were there to see the group off.

"Thank you all again for what you've done for us." Sheeva said with a bow, "You saved my people, and have made me see things in a new light. I may be part human again and not a full wolfos, but everyone has still accepted me here, so I'll continue to lead them all as I always have."

"Honestly I think that human side of you has always been there." Link pointed out, "You moved your pack from a cave and out to this town because you wanted to make their lives better then before, and you were willing to negotiate with us on the release of Sister Marata. It's just that your human self is much more on the outside now."

"Hm, perhaps you're right." Sheeva chuckled, "As far as I'm concerned, you're all members of our pack, and you're free to come by whenever you wish."

"We appreciate it Lady Sheeva. It'll take some time, but I hope we can form a strong alliance to protect our desert land together." Nabooru nodded.

Sheeva nodded back to the Gerudo leader. As someone who she once distrusted so much, it was strange to think of her as an ally now, but she managed to win her over by both her words and their battle. It was clear she was a born leader.

Sheeva then looked to Link, "As for you, Gerudo King Link..."

"Yeah?" Link asked.

It was then Sheeva grabbed Link by his shoulder and pulled him forward, pulling him into a deep mouth-to-mouth kiss. Everyone was caught off guard by this, Link in particular's eyes widened as Sheeva pulled away, giving his lips a small lick before standing upright and smiling.

"I'll say one good perk to being human again, it's nice to feel the sensation of a true kiss." Sheeva said softly, licking her own lips.

"That... was really nice." Link admitted with a stunned expression.

"It's a shame I couldn't take you as the alpha male of our pack, though I understand now who your family is and how devoted to them you are." Sheeva said, "I ask that you continue to lead them with that will of yours."

"You can count on that." Link nodded with a smile.

It was then Sheeva looked to Sarami, "And one last thing... I just wanted to apologize to you again for what I did before doctor... I was enraged by what happened to my people, but I had no right to take it out on you."

"It's no trouble." Sarami said smiling, "I'm just happy you and your pack are okay!"

"Thanks to you." Sheeva then glanced to Link and smirked lightly, "And I hope Link makes a fine mate for you, Dr. Sarami."

Link practically faulted over in surprise from that remark as everyone laughed out loud. Sarami just blushed deeply and adjusted her glasses.

"Ha ha, your king is quite a playboy, isn't he?" Bradson chuckled.

"You don't know the half of it, Brad." Aviel grinned.

* * *

_**And that ends Chapter 79, with everyone saved and Meokuro on the run, ur heroes can now finally rest for a bit. But what could possibly become of the relationship between Link and Sarami? Find out next week!**_

_**Thanks always for your likes, follows and comments, they're a great motivation to help me see this through to the end! Drop me a line if you have any questions or concerns about my writing as well!**_


	80. Granny's Homecoming

**Hello folks, it's time for Chapter 80! With the crisis involving Lady Sheeva and Engineer Meokuro dealt with, our heroes are bringing Granny back home to Kakariko, where Granny as an announcement to make, and they might even meet an old friend when they get there...**

* * *

"Hey, isn't that-"

"It's Granny! Granny Truttlo's home!"

It was early morning as a group of waking Kakariko villagers all came out of their homes and hurried over to a carriage where Link and Nemisa were unloading Granny from it on her wheelchair. They all started greeting the old woman eagerly as Sarami, Saria and Professor Bradson climbed out after them.

"Granny, where have you been this whole time? It's been two whole years!" said one of the villagers.

"Ah, well I was just out doing some... special research." Granny said looking around, "I see things have been going well here in my absence."

"Yeah, Dr. Ehia and your other apprentices have been keeping your shop well while you were gone." said a villager.

"I see..." Granny said somewhat distantly. Sarami glanced down at Granny to see she was lost in thought about something.

"Wow, so this is Kakariko Village!" Saria said brightly, "What a cute little place!"

"Yes, but is it okay for you to be here, what with the banishment law and all?" Bradson whispered to Nemisa and Saria.

"Our scouts informed us the knights won't be in Kakariko Village for a few days, we figured this would be the opportune time to get Granny back and settled in." Nemisa said.

"Ah, how shrewd." chuckled the professor, going off on his way, "Then I think I'll spend a day or two here myself before I head back to Hyrule Market Town."

* * *

"Chester!"

"Graaawlll!"

Granny was met with a large but affectionate tiger jumping on her and giving her nuzzles and licks all over upon arriving at her home; the Kakariko Potion Shop. Her long time pet that she raised from a kitten had obviously missed her greatly.

Link, Nemisa and Sarami were all pleased to see the reunion between the doctor and her pet tiger; Sarami especially. Saria though was clinging both her hands to Link's Kokiri tunic with a scared expression on her face.

"Wha- what the heck is that thing?! Is it tasting Ms. Granny?!" Saria exclaimed, having never seen a tiger in her life.

"It's alright, that's just Granny's pet Chester." Link assured her.

That was when Chester looked over at the rest of the group and happily came up to greet them, it saw how small Saria was and started nuzzling and affectionately licking her as well.

"Kyyaaa! It's tasting me now!" Saria exclaimed with spiraling eyes.

"Ha ha, relax little one, Chester's as gentle as can be." Granny chuckled.

"Hey Chester! I told you a thousand times stop tackling and tasting the gues-" Ehia exclaimed running up to the front door, only to stop in her tracks upon recognizing who was there, "Oh... OH! Granny! You're home!"

"Well hello Ehi-" Granny was then cut off by Ehia running forward and hugging her tightly.

"Granny I missed yoooou!" sobbed Ehia, crying into her shoulder. Granny just sighed out with a smile and patted her on the back.

"There there, I'm sorry Ehia. I made some... rather regretful choices, but I'm back now." Granny comforted her.

Ehia pushed Granny into the clinic and she was quickly met by the other nurses, all eager to greet her. Granny didn't know what to do about all the attention the girls were giving her. They were bombarding her with questions about where she had gone, the work she had done, and where she got her new wheelchair from.

"Ms. Sarami... King Link... you two really brought her back." Ehia spoke with a bow, "Thank you so much!"

"It's fine, we're just glad she's where she belongs now." Sarami said smiling.

"Listen Granny, I'm glad to have you back, and you're going to have to tell me about your travels, but I need to get back to my patient!" said Ehia.

"A patient? What's her condition?" Granny asked.

"She's expecting a child within a couple of months." Ehia said, "She's a very special case too!"

Link and the group were curious as they followed after Ehia and peeked into the room she had ran into, and their jaws collectively dropped.

"So have you been doing your exercises?" Ehia asked her patient.

"Hmph, course I have. Are you implying I'm getting fat or something?" the patient snapped with a stern voice.

"No, no, no! Nothing like that!" Ehia said, waving her hands defensively.

"Impa?" Link exclaimed, walking into the room.

"Huh...? Oh, it's you!" Impa said looking to Link.

Sure enough, sitting on the hospital bed was Lady Impa of the Hylian Royal Family, the last of the Sheikah race. At first glance she didn't look all that different; her skin was lightly tanned, and her hair was grown out and done into a braided ponytail. Though she was now wearing a type of modest purple dress as opposed to her jumpsuit from before, and she had a very visible round bump sticking out from it where her stomach was.

In addition to Impa, they also saw two Hylian knights standing beside her. The view of their eyes were obscured by their helmets, but the left guard was looking away embarrassingly, while the right one just watched carefully, only for the two to look up at Link and the Gerudo and was in shock at the sight of them.

"W-Wha- the Gerudo?!" exclaimed the left knight as he started grabbing and fumbling for his sword, he finally grabbed what he could and pointed it out at Link and his friends, "If you try to hurt Lady Impa I swear I'll-"

"Whack them with your belt?" Impa asked sarcastically.

That was when the knight looked down and realized he had accidentally took off his belt and his pants had dropped, revealing his polka-dotted undergarments, so he quickly yanked them back up with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Hey, you guys may have helped bring back Granny, but you're not allowed in here!" Ehia said.

"It's okay doctor," Impa assured Ehia and the knights, "That man is actually the father of my child."

"O-oh!" Ehia exclaimed, "I see! Well, uh congratulations Mr. Gerudo King Link!"

"T-The Gerudo King?!" exclaimed the left knight with his jaw dropped, "Sir Lackee, are you seeing this?"

"..." the right knight just paused and stared at them, Link in particular felt a steady gaze on him by the knight on the right.

"Crap, if they've seen us here then they could report us! We have to get out of here!" Nemisa told Link and the others.

"Calm yourself Nemisa, they're with me." Impa assured her, "These are my personal bodyguards, Sir Knave and Sir Lackee. I recruited them after I found out I was pregnant, I can't exactly do my typical ninja skills as I am right now after all."

Link went ahead and took the initiative to greet them, bowing his head, "A pleasure to meet you two, and thank you for looking after Impa in her condition."

"...a pleasure to meet you all, especially you Gerudo King Link." Sir Lackee spoke up. He then nudged Knave, who stood as upright as he could while still holding up his pants.

"Y-Yes! A pleasure to meet you Gerudo Mr. Link King!... I mean Mr. Gerudo King Link!" Knave shouted.

"Ugh, enough yelling Knave." groaned Impa.

"B-But are you sure about letting them be here in Kakariko Village, Lady Impa?" Knave asked worriedly, "If the other knights find out about this they could get in big trouble, and you're going through enough stress with your present condition!"

"Hey, it's _MY_ body and I'll negotiate with the desert king if I want to, got it?!" Impa suddenly shouted out in anger, causing Knave to flinch.

"Well I'm glad to see you all know each other, so if you will Impa, I'm going to take a better look at you." Ehia said.

"...very well." Impa nodded, looking a little more self-conscious in that moment.

Ehia then lifted up the Sheikah's dress to take a better look at the significantly round sphere that was Impa's stomach. As Ehia looked it over, Impa placed her hands on her belly and rubbed it softly, with a light blush on her face. Link was just in awe over how much of a glow Impa had with her pregnancy. It was a contrast of her silent and deadly ninja attitude. Then again she was a nanny for Princess Zelda for years, so it made some sense that Impa could have such a maternal side.

"Wooow... so is that really Link's child in here?" Saria asked Impa with wide eyes.

"Indeed it is." Impa nodded, then looked to Link with a light smirk, "I hope you don't mind me going through with it."

"Not at all Impa, I had a feeling you'd want to." Link said.

Sarami smiled lightly at Impa's words, thinking once again about Gonaeti's situation, "May I assist you with Impa's examination Dr. Ehia?"

"Oh, of course!" Ehia nodded.

Sarami stepped over and put her hands on Impa's stomach, "You seem to be doing quite well Lady Impa." she said, grabbing at her sides, "Though I think you could still stand to gain some more weight before your delivery, this child seems to be quite a big one."

"Ugh, you've got to be kidding me!" Impa suddenly complained, throwing her head back and rolling her eyes, "I'm already as heavy as a Goron at this point, and my ass and boobs aren't getting any smaller!" she turned to Link and glared coldly, "This is all your fault you bastard! You turned me into this!"

Link was caught off guard by that, he had never seen her that angry before, "Uh, you alright Impa?"

"Oh just peachy-keen!" Impa shouted, then let out a sigh, "Ugh, I'm sorry... sorry. My pregnancy has been giving me mood swings. This is so stupid, I'm just a bit over fifty years old now and I'm acting like a moody teenager..."

"It's fine Lady Impa, I know this is your first child, and it's not uncommon for pregnancy to affect your hormones like this, even at your current age." Sarami told her.

"I guess, I just hate the cramps, the heaviness, not being to do my ninja arts, I've been spontaneously yelling at everyone and-" Impa suddenly turned and shouted at Sir Knave, "Stop staring AT MY PONYTAIL!"

"S-Sorry Lady Impa!" Knave exclaimed turning about-face.

"So is it good or bad that you're having such a big child?" Saria asked, putting a hand to Impa's stomach, feeling the kicking motion inside for herself.

"We Sheikah tend to carry large children." Impa said after calming down, "And it's a good sign for me, as there's a high chance that it will be a full blooded Sheikah male."

"That's great to hear, that's just what you wanted!" Link said coming up to her.

"And it's all thanks to you my young protege." smirked Impa, giving him a kiss on the cheek as she took his hand and placed it on her belly, "It was you who helped me bring this child into existence, and save the future of my people."

Link smiled softly, feeling the kicking motions inside of Impa. He then looked over to Nemisa, who was keeping her distance, nibbling on her lower lip, and her legs were fidgeting a little.

"Wanna feel it for yourself Nemisa?" Link asked.

"I... um..." Nemisa's face blushed bright red as she looked to the side, "I-I don't want to intrude on Lady Impa's personal space or anything and, uh..."

"It's fine." sighed Impa, "Everyone else is putting their hands on it, you may as well too."

Nemisa took a gulp and nodded, walking over to Impa and putting her own hand on her belly. She felt some kicks from inside as well, and her eyes widened. Her legs fidgeted more as she knelled down and laid her head against Impa's bump, running her hands along it, and feeling a powerful urge within her. It reminded Nemisa of back when she was a young child, and how enthusiastic she was to meet her mother's pregnant friend, and Impa was no different; she was absolutely glowing with motherhood, and It made her hope more for the day that she could-

"Wow Nemisa, you at least want to take me out to dinner first?" Impa spoke up with a smirk, causing Nemisa to step backwards in embarrassment as the others burst out laughing.

"S-Shut up you morons!" Nemisa shouted, turning away with a huff, as she started to stomp off grumbling, "I-I'm going out for a bit!"

"Fufufu, no need to feel jealous Nemisa." Sarami giggled, "I'm sure Link will be happy to give you many lovely children when the time is right."

"Oh like you're one to talk Sarami!" Nemisa shouted on her way out.

Sarami giggled softly to herself, and she looked to Link who was doting over Impa and their child. She then glanced down at her own body and her smile lowered just a bit.

"Excuse me Dr. Ehia, Dr. Sarami, are you two done for now?" spoke up another nurse peeking into the room, "Granny has said she has a big announcement for everyone!"

"Huh?" Sarami asked curiously.

* * *

"Thank you for being here everyone, there's something I need to tell all of you." Granny said in the main room of the potion shop. Sitting before her was Link, Sarami, Saria, Chester, Ehia and the other Kakariko nurses.

"What do you think she's going to say?" Link whispered.

"I'm not sure..." Sarami said back.

"First I have to say that I've taken on a special assignment on behalf of Gerudo King Link that will require my knowledge, and Dr. Sarami will be assisting me with it alone."

The nurses all muttered to each other in confusion of what Granny was talking about. The others knew it would be awkward if Granny mentioned what work she had been doing with the rebels, so they agreed to keep quiet about it.

"With that said, I've been doing some thinking. And I feel I've just about reached my limits as a doctor. Frankly speaking, I'm getting old, and it's getting harder to do my work as time goes on. Therefore, I've decided that as soon as I finish my special project with the Gerudo, I'll be officially stepping down from being a doctor." Granny stated.

"What? Are you serious?" exclaimed a younger doctor.

"Yes, I've seen you all have done a fine job keeping this place going for the past two years, to the point where I think my hands are no longer needed here." Granny said.

"Are you certain about this Granny...?" Ehia asked.

"Certain as can be." nodded Granny, "In fact, I think it's time you took over as the head doctor of this shop Ehia."

"M-Me?!" exclaimed Ehia in shock, "But I couldn't!"

"You'll do just fine, dear." Granny smiled warmly, "You've more then proven yourself. I see that you've learned so much over time, and I think you'll be able to handle this place, to make people as happy and healthy as I used to."

"...o-okay..." Ehia said bowing her head, "I won't let you down Granny!"

Granny continued, "Don't worry, you won't be entirely by yourselves in this, I'll still help you as a consultant if you wish. Plus, I have a little friend here who has something to say herself."

Saria then nodded and got up, standing alongside Granny, "Um, hello everyone."

"Just who is she, Granny's granddaughter?" whispered a nurse.

"I don't know, she came in with her and the king." said another.

"Aww, she's so adorable!" said a third nurse.

"Um... my name is Saria, I'm a botanist for the Gerudo people, and fiance of King Link." the Kokiri said bowing her head.

"A... fiance...?" one of the nurses asked, as they all looked over the green-haired girl who looked like a ten-year old, and then at Link with somewhat disturbed looks on their faces. Even Chester was giving Link an odd look.

"She's a Kokiri, and she's over four hundred years old." Link clarified flatly.

"Sounds like you get this a lot." Granny said sweatdropping.

Saria coughed and continued to explain herself, "I originally came from Kokiri Forest where I grew up with Link before moving to Gerudo Town and joining them. In the time I've spent working with them, I've decided that the Kokiri should reach out to the other tribes in Hyrule. We have many enchanted plants in our forest thanks to the blessing of the late Great Deku Tree, and I'd like to offer a partnership with you to use them. I think the resources in my forest could do a lot of good for the people of Hyrule."

"I've seen it for myself." Granny said, "With the assistance of the Kokiri, I think we can help more people then ever before."

Sarami smiled brightly at Granny's words. While it was sad that she was retiring from her practice, Granny was working to find ways to help heal people in other ways, and she couldn't be prouder of her for working to make things right.

The nurses and Chester meanwhile were all surrounding a quickly panicking Saria and they all started asking questions about her and hugging her affectionately.

"Aww, you're such a cute little thing! Of course we'll work with you!"

"Who does your hair?"

"How do you keep yourself so young looking?!"

"Um... I... uh..." Saria's eyes spiraled as Chester was affectionately nuzzling her again.

"That sounds like a great idea." spoke up a voice, as everyone turned to see Impa, Knave and Lackee all standing before them. Impa was leaning backwards with her hands against her lower back to keep her balance due to her gravid form, "When I get back to the castle I'll have a word with the royal family about the Kokiri's place in Hyrule. With some luck we may even see about getting either you or a representative of yours a seat within the Hylian Parliament."

"That would be great Lady Impa!" Saria said with a bow.

"So what are you going to do now then?" Link asked Impa.

"There is another situation I need to see into here in Kakariko Village, would you mind coming with us Link? I could use a hand with carrying our child." Impa said running a hand along her bump.

"Oh, sure." Link nodded, getting up and helping to escort Impa out of the shop, but called out to everyone, "I'll catch up with all of you later!"

Sarami paused and watched the longing look in Link's eyes as he helped take Impa outside. Link seemed absolutely fascinated about Impa's situation. And how could he not, since she was carrying the first of his children, and between his child-bearers and fiances he was taking, it wouldn't be his last by far.

The doctor was happy to see how much Link had changed from being worried about becoming a father to absolutely loving the idea. His royal child-bearers were a few months away to giving birth themselves, and Sarami couldn't wait to help them deliver four new additions to the Gerudo family for Link to have and to love as a father.

"If you don't mind, I'll come with you to make sure Lady Impa's all right." Sarami said, getting up and following after the four.

Granny chuckled softly, having seen the look in Sarami's eyes, and thought deeply to herself. She gestured to Ehia and asked her, "Hey, you know that one friend of mine with that store over near the back gate, is she still around?"

"Yes, why?" Ehia asked.

"Give her this message, I think I'm going to call in a favor from her." Granny said with a mischievous grin.

* * *

"Impa you sure you're okay getting around like this?" Link asked, as he gripped the Sheikah's hand and shoulders as they walked through Kakariko Village.

"Yes, I said I'm fine already! Want me to do triple somersaults or something to prove it?!" Impa snapped suddenly, her hormones getting to her again.

"Hey, hey, I didn't mean it like that!" Link said defensively, only to hear a giggle from behind, as he turned to see Sarami, Knave and Lackee following after them. Sarami herself was sporting an amused smile and he quickly assumed she was the one who giggled.

"Here we are." Impa then brought up. The group had arrived at a lone well in the back of town, not too far from the local windmill and the Kakariko Graveyard. Impa slowly waddled up to the well and propped herself against it with her hands to keep her balance.

"T-This well...?" Link asked, peering inside to see some wooden boards had been nailed down over it, but with some gaps in the boards showing the well was completely empty of water. Back when Link was a child, the well had drained of water due to a strange circumstance involving the windmill. He had ventured down there to investigate, only to find the well had a crypt hidden underneath it. It was probably one of the more horrific times in his quest to stop Ganondorf, he shuddered a little just from the thought alone.

He then looked to Impa and saw her concentrating on something. Her eyes were closed as she took a deep breath. She then sighed out and looked sadly into the sky.

"Did you sense anything Lady Impa?" Sir Lackee spoke up.

"Nothing..." Impa muttered, "It is indeed completely gone. But how?"

"Impa, what's going on here?" Link asked, a disturbing thought occurring to him.

"You remember the Lens of Truth you retrieved for me from the bottom of this well?" Impa asked, "A long time ago, the remainder of my people the Sheikah sealed a great evil within here. It was sealed far, far deeper in here then even one such as you could have gone."

"I see..." Link muttered, "And you're sure it escaped?"

"Yes, and from what witnesses have said, there was a group of mysterious cloaked people who arrived at the well one night shortly after Ganondorf's capture. I'm not entirely sure what they did, but since then the evil within this well has disappeared."

Link grimaced at that thought; back in the dark future while working to stop Ganondorf, he had arrived in Kakariko Village and was attacked by a strange shadow monster from within the well, unleashed by Ganondorf's influence. He had been able to destroy it in that future, but it appeared to have found another way to escape in this time.

"Do you think it could be hiding in the Shadow Temple?" Link asked worriedly.

Impa seemed a little surprised at Link's guess but shook her head, "No, the Shadow Temple has been kept purified by the royal family's head mystic Minister Odleh and her team." she said, referring to the head of supernatural affairs within the Hylian Parliament, "An evil like this couldn't hope to enter that place as of now."

"I see..." Link muttered, recalling that Ganondorf had used the shadowy evil being to curse the Shadow Temple in the dark future. He then thought of a heavy feeling he had when he encountered a certain someone after destroying the monster. He took a look to Impa, and down to her pregnant belly containing their future son, and he inched just a little bit closer to Impa, putting his arm around her.

Sarami meanwhile just looked to Link, seeing the somewhat sad and reminiscent look in his eyes as he held Impa. She wondered just what it was that was bothering him so much in that moment...

"Well anyway, thank you for coming with us Link." Impa said sporting a smile, "I just thought you should know about this since you had investigated down here previously."

"Sure thing Impa, anything to help." Link nodded.

"Well... if you are still offering help..." Impa trailed off as she ran her hand over her belly. Impa then leaned forward and whispered into his ear, "To be honest I could use a bit of relief from my pregnancy, if you catch my drift."

Link's eyes widened, quickly getting the hint. He smiled and nodded, "Of course Impa. Nabooru taught me a lot about love-making to women in your... delicate condition, and I got plenty of experience with my child-bearers over the past months, so I think I can put it to the test tonight."

"Good." smirked Impa, "Now if you could just help me to the inn?"

Link turned to Sarami, "Looks like I'm going to be busy tonight, you going to be okay getting back Sarami?"

"Oh of course! I'm probably going to go stay with Granny overnight. You two have fun, okay?" Sarami said with a mischievous gleam of her glasses.

"Heh, thanks." grinned Link as he escorted Impa off to the inn.

Sir Knave bowed and spoke in a nervous voice, "P-Please excuse us Ms. Sarami, but under Lady Impa's orders we'll be patrolling around the village for her safety, and to ensure none of our colleagues back at the castle don't come here and see you."

"Did you need an escort back to Dr. Truttlo's Potion Shop?" Lackee asked.

Sarami just paused, staring at Sir Lackee a bit, before shaking her head and waving her hand dismissively, "You're both sweeties, but I should be fine. Have a good night."

The two knights nodded and went off on their way, leaving Sarami by herself. She started off on her way back to Granny's shop, but took a moment to look back at Link and Impa going into the inn. She put a hand up to her chest and sighed deeply, thinking about Impa's mention earlier that she was over fifty years old.

"Impa may be older then even me, but Link doesn't allow that to get in the way of how he feels for her... he's a truly kind person." Sarami whispered with a smile.

Sarami thought back to the day Link came to greet her back in her medical clinic, and the words he told her about how he found her to be a beautiful woman despite being nearly twenty years older then him, and that any man would be lucky to have a woman like her. She could never forget those words, they filled her with newfound confidence in herself as a woman.

She then frowned and looked upwards, seeing the windmill rotating slowly in the gentle breeze. Sarami moved her hand down to her stomach and rubbed it slightly.

"But... could he still ever want to be with me, after what he's been through...?" Sarami spoke softly.

* * *

Link lead Impa into her room at the Kakariko Inn, and set her down on the bed. It creaked a little as she sat down, and she scowled in annoyance at how much weight she had put on from her pregnancy.

"Don't say anything." Impa muttered in annoyance.

"I didn't?" Link asked curiously.

"Good, keep not doing it." Impa said.

"How about I get you some water?" Link proposed, going off to the washroom to get a cup.

"Oh GREAT! Just what I need is to feel more bloated!" Impa shouted out sarcastically.

Link just came back and handed her the water, and she took it and gulped it down, letting out a sigh, "Well thanks... I guess."

"No problem." Link said taking a seat beside her, after a moment he brought up, "So, just wondering, but how is Zelli- Princess Zelda doing right now?"

"Oh is that why you wanted to talk...?" Impa scowled.

"Huh?" Link asked in confusion.

"You worried about your dainty little princess more then the fat-ass mother of your baby?!" Impa snapped at Link, she waved her fists in the air in a tantrum, "You go and put a baby in her and she won't be so dainty anymore, not like that prince of hers ever will anyway!"

"Impa, calm the hell down!" Link shouted back.

"I mean it! He cares about her greatly, but Zelda keeps telling me about how he refuses to get intimate with her! And they got the Parliament breathing down their necks about having an heir, especially now that they're wed! I don't know what the hell he wants!"

The two of them then heard a banging on the wall beside her and someone's voice shout out, "Hey keep it down in there!"

Impa's eyes turned angry as she shouted out, "Oh yeah, how about I come over there and shove a nightstand up your ass so YOU can see what it's like carrying around forty pounds of extra weight?!"

"...sorry, carry on." the voice then said, clearly panicked.

Link sweatdropped, "I suddenly feel really bad for Sir Knave and Lackee."

Impa then finally sighed out and calmed down a bit, "Ugh, sorry Link. It's just this STUPID pregnancy is STUPID aggravating me."

"Hey, it's alright. I've seen my child-bearer Ragome doing the same thing." Link assured her, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks..." Impa said, calming down more with a light blush on her cheeks. It was then her eyes widened a little, "Hey Link, feel it, our child is kicking again." she said, pulling her dress up and showing off her bare stomach to him.

Link went ahead and placed his hand on it, and he could feel the small bumps of the child within her, he could tell their son was going to be a strong one. He smiled warmly at the sensation of the life growing within Impa, a life he helped her make. He glanced up at Impa and saw the now serene look on her face, the sensation of her child seeming to do wonders to calm her.

"So you do this with your child-bearers?" Impa asked with a small smile, enjoying the look of fascination on Link's face as he felt her stomach.

"Yeah, I don't want the kids I have with them to just be for the pure duty, I want to love them all as a father." Link said, "And I'd like to do that for yours as well."

"Jees, you smooth talker..." Impa muttered with a blush. She then looked down to Link and smirked lightly, "So speaking of talking though, just what do you plan on doing with that Gerudo doctor friend of yours?"

"You mean Sarami? Is it that obvious?" Link chuckled a bit, looking to the side.

"I only saw you two back in the potion shop and it was plenty obvious." Impa chuckled, "She desires you, and I think you feel the same."

"Well to be perfectly honest I'm still trying to figure it out myself." Link said, giving Impa a belly rub to help calm their child, "For a while, she thought she was too old for me, but I assured her that she was a beautiful woman. She did once tell me she's too afraid to be in a relationship out of fear of losing another child... but I'm not sure what I can do about that."

"Perhaps it'd just be best if you had a private chat, between the two of you?" Impa proposed.

"Yeah, probably." Link nodded.

The two of them then looked eye-to-eye, and Impa couldn't take it anymore, she took Link by his tunic and puled him into another deep kiss.

"Link," Impa gasped out, "I can't take it anymore... I need you, right now."

"Of course, Impa." Link nodded, he helped her pull off her dress and gave her another kiss, before laying her down on the bed...

And the two shared a wonderful night together.

* * *

**That ends things for now, next week Link finally decides to go out on a date with the good doctor, but what will come of this...?**

**Thanks again everyone for your support! Leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure!**


	81. A Miracle Remedy

_**Hey viewers, chapter 81's here! The group is still at Kakariko Village, and Sarami has a big decision to make about her future with Link...**_

* * *

"Sarami-dear, are you ready yet?"

"Um... in a minute... just trying to get these earrings on..."

A moment later, Sarami walked out of Granny's bedroom in a new outfit. It was a black, form-fitting split-leg dress that showed off her hips and legs quite well. It had spaghetti shoulder straps, and a v-shaped gap on top that held Sarami's breasts in place. She wore high heeled shoes with straps that led halfway up her shin. She had also applied a little makeup to her eyes and lips, extenuating her beauty.

It was the next evening after the group had arrived in Kakariko Village, and Link and Impa had just spent last night together. The next morning Link had come to see Sarami, and by Impa's advice, invited her out to eat at a restaurant and chat later that night. Granny and the other doctors were quick to make Sarami agree to it. She now found found herself getting ready for what was to come that night.

"My goddesses, would you look at you." gasped Granny, "You look gorgeous."

"T-Thank you Granny... but where did you get a dress like this?" Sarami asked blushing, trying to straighten herself out, "And how did you know my measurements?"

"I could tell your measurements just from looking at you. I met with one of my old friends last night and asked if she could modify a dress for you." Granny chuckled, "It's not repayment for what you've done for me, but I thought you might like it for when you went out with that fine young man, course I wasn't expecting to be tonight!" she laughed.

"It's nice, but um... a bit revealing..." Sarami stammered, pulling on the rim.

"Then it'd be perfect to impress that handsome young king of yours!" laughed Granny again.

"D-Darn it Granny! I told you Link didn't ask me out on a date or anything! He just invited me to chat...!" Sarami exclaimed, she then timidly poked her index fingers together as she continued, "...privately... at a really nice restaurant... on a beautiful, full-moon night like this..."

Granny just laughed and scooted off on her wheelchair, "Well I hope you enjoy your 'chat' then dear. Have a wonderful time."

Sarami sighed lightly, putting a coat over her shoulders to conceal herself, and went out the door.

* * *

"Is this really necessary girls?!"

"Yes it is, now stay still! Saria, are you done washing his hair?"

"Just getting the knots out. Honestly Link, you need to let the servants groom you more!"

Link let out a heavy sigh as he sat back in a bathtub while Nemisa and Saria were at work washing him down. Nemisa was scrubbing most of his body while Saria was working on his scalp.

"Girls, this isn't that big a deal, I just asked Sarami out to have something to eat and talk about things going on lately." Link clarified.

"Oh please Link, we all know what's going on between you and Dr. Sarami. With the way these things tend to go it'll end with the two of you making out and sleeping together!" Nemisa said, lifting up Link's leg from the water so she could scrub it, "And we need to make sure you look perfect for this night! Sarami deserves it!"

"Am I really that predictable...?" Link asked, recalling Impa caught on pretty quickly herself.

"Link, you have a real knack for drawing women towards you, even back when you were younger." Saria said softly, putting her hands on his shoulders, "Hee hee, I still remember back when you were a young boy, how the girl Kokiri would flirt with you and it'd go right over your head, you'd always assume they were just being friendly. But we can tell Sarami wants to be far more then just friends with you!"

"S-So do I..." Link admitted, "But I think something else is holding her back..."

"Well that's why you're going to put on a good impression then!" Nemisa said, pulling up a brush covered in soap suds, "Now turn around, I need to get at your backside!"

"But you already scrubbed my back." Link pointed out.

"I don't mean that part of your back." Nemisa said, looking down with her eyes gleaming.

"Uh oh." Link said with his eyes shrunk in.

* * *

Dr. Sarami was standing by a lantern post that night in the center of Kakariko Village. She had her coat over her shoulders and holding it together with one hand while holding her handbag in the other, taking a moment to look around at the villagers passing by. She felt a little worried about being out in public like this due to the banishment law, but then she saw Sir Knave and Sir Lackee walking by who waved to her, and she smiled and waved back, remembering they had friends looking out for them.

"Hey Sarami, there you are!"

Sarami's eyes lit up as she turned and looked to who had called out to her. Naturally it was Link, but she was surprised at how different he looked. Rather then the worn Kokiri Tunic he wore into town, he was now dressed in a red jacket with a ruffled collar, a clean white shirt under it that was tight enough to show his physique, and thin black pants. He also had his bleached hair neatly combed back. She had to admit he looked pretty rugged and handsome in that outfit.

Link walked up to Sarami and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, he took a moment to look her up and down, "S-So uh, I've never seen that outfit on you before..."

"It's... uh... a gift from Granny..." Sarami muttered, squeezing her hand over her coat so as not to show off how exposed her chest was in the dress.

"Well it's definitely a good gift, it looks great on you." Link said.

"Thank you..." Sarami spoke.

The two of them stood there motionlessly for a brief while, before Link awkwardly cleared his throat.

"So... dinner then?"

"Yes!" Sarami nodded, and they went off on their way.

As the two of them went down the road to the restaurant, Sarami noticed some people passing by looking at them. She blushed a bit and huddled closer to Link, who wrapped an arm around her and held her close. She subconsciously brought up her hand and put it on his chest as they walked along.

"Woah, what a hot couple!" said one villager passing by.

"Are they fashion models or something?" asked another.

Sarami and Link both blushed at the people's reactions and separated a little, as they continued down the path.

* * *

Link and Sarami soon arrived at the restaurant Granny suggested, it wasn't the fanciest restaurant they had ever seen, but it was clear the owner did what they could to make it as high class as they were capable of. One thing being an outdoor balcony they could sit and eat at. There were strings with small lanterns hanging off them lining the edge of the balcony, illuminating it quite nicely while giving the patrons a good view of the town.

The two of them sat down at a table a waiter presented to them. Sarami saw there wasn't a whole lot of people at the balcony, so she decided to get a little bold and remove her coat, showing off her dress to Link. He had a hard time not gawking at how she looked; the lanterns were shining on her, and the dress was showing off her voluptuous figure quite well, especially her breasts and legs.

"S-So uh, what do you think you're going to have?" Link asked, quickly starting to look over a menu.

"Hmm..." Sarami muttered, looking over the choices herself. There were plenty of interesting and frankly tasty looking options. There was even pictures drawn of certain foods to make them more eye-catching. But she hid her face behind the menu and looked down at her stomach, gulping a bit nervously.

"Something wrong Sarami?" Link asked.

"Well... see I'm trying to... um... lose weight and..."

That was when Link reached out and put his hand over Sarami's, causing her to squeak out.

"Sarami, don't worry about it. You know I love a woman with a good appetite." Link smiled gently, "Besides that, you've been through a lot lately and have done so much for everyone, I think you deserve to spoil yourself."

Sarami blushed heavily, finding herself enjoying the warmth Link's hand brought her, and taking in his words. She looked down at the menu and licked her lips slightly, before she smiled brightly and nodded.

"Okay then!" Sarami said, going over the menu more thoroughly.

* * *

Meanwhile, Nemisa was going for a walk down through Kakariko Village. She looked around with a pleasant smile, enjoying the cool weather of Hyrule as opposed to the extreme heat or cold of the desert. It reminded her of back when she went husband hunting with her friends. As painful as the experience had been thanks to the slave trader Jayde, she found herself not really dwelling on it anymore and just enjoyed it now.

She took a stop and looked up at an outdoor balcony, recognizing Link and Sarami enjoying a dinner together. She saw Link talk to the doctor about something, and she giggled in response. Nemisa smiled warmly at the sight and continued on her way, assuming that Sarami might very well join their weird family by the end of the night.

As Nemisa rounded the corner, she past by two guys hanging out by a lantern pole. As she walked past them she heard one of them let out a whistle.

"Hey there babe, where you going?"

Nemisa stopped in her tracks and narrowed her eyes. The two guys walked up to her and stood to the left and right of her, looking the dancer over.

"You're a Gerudo ain't cha? How bout going drinking with us?" one of the guys asked.

"Not interested." Nemisa said coldly, starting to walk off, but was stopped when one of the guys grabbed her shoulder.

"Hey wait a minute! Don't wuss out of us! It'll be fun!" the guy said with a snide grin.

"Yeah, aren't ya out here to find herself a boyfriend?" asked the other.

"I'm already engaged you damn mongrels. Let go of me, now." Nemisa said sternly.

"Really? Well your man must not treat you right if he's not with you tonight!" the guy said, "Come on!"

"Unhand me or you'll regret it." Nemisa said, growing more angry by the moment.

"Hey, don't threaten us." the guy said with a shady glare, "You know you're violating the law by being here, right? What if we rat you out to the Hylian knights?"

"Yeah, if you know what's good for you, you'll come with us!" the other guy said.

Nemisa scowled; she could easily take them both down in seconds, but she was resisting every urge in her body to clobber them both. She was trying to hold herself back so as not to cause trouble in the village, especially with Link trying to have a pleasant date with Sarami. At the same time though, this didn't mean she wouldn't be complacent with these two, and she clenched her fist.

Before things could escalate any further though, a voice called out.

"There you are Mommy!"

Nemisa and the two Hylian guys turned to see Saria running down the path to Nemisa. The Kokiri took Nemisa's hand and looked up at her with an annoyed childish pout.

"Where did you go? You said you were going to get me some juice from the store!" Saria said in a grumpy tone, "Daddy is waiting for you to get back too!"

Nemisa looked baffled at what Saria was talking about at first, but caught on quickly, and smirked lightly, "Oh, sorry about that honey. Momma was just chatting with these gentlemen."

"H-Huh?!" exclaimed one of the guys with his jaw dropped, "This kid is yours?!"

"Of course." Nemisa said with a smirk, "She's my precious little one that my fiance blessed me with." She wasn't exactly lying when she said that last part.

The two guy's faces turned seven shades of pale in that moment. They quickly bowed at the waist, shouting, "W-We're sorry, but something came up, we gotta go!" and ran off down the road.

When they were convinced the two were gone, Nemisa looked to Saria and smiled warmly.

"Thanks for that Saria, I was trying to hold myself back but they were pushing me." Nemisa said.

"Hee hee, of course!" Saria giggled, "Anything for my sister!" 

"Sister, huh? Yes, that's right." Nemisa said with a smile, "How about we go get some drinks together then while Link and Sarami are enjoying themselves?"

"Sounds great!" Saria nodded.

As the two went down the road further, they turned another corner and bumped into someone, who dropped a bunch of things to the ground.

"Oops, sorry about that!" a female voice spoke out.

"Oh no, it was my faul-" Nemisa started, looking down to see a girl having been knocked onto her rear. She stopped in her sentence though, seeing the girl with wide eyes. It took her a few moments to properly think about it, but she looked very familiar...

The girl was gathering up a few things she had dropped when she bumped into Nemisa, including a waitress outfit. The girl then stood up with her things collected.

"Sorry, sorry, I guess I've been scatterbrained lately, I used to be a slave for a corrupt nobleman, but I was freed and just got back into town a month ago!" the girl said with a sheepish smile.

"Oh... that's... great." Nemsia said with wide eyes.

"Well I gotta get to work, you two have a good night!" the girl said bowing her head, before running off.

Nemisa turned and watched the girl, seeing she was running in the direction of the local sushi restaurant. In that moment, she recalled the day she went to that restaurant to reunite with Jayde, and learned the horrible truth about him, and the girl he had left with that night to sell into slavery. Saria looked up to Nemisa, and saw her just staring, before small tears formed in her eyes and she sported a small smile.

'It's... her.' Nemisa thought to herself.

"Nemisa, you okay?" Saria asked.

"...yes Saria, I feel great." Nemisa said, more uplifted and happy then ever before, "Come on, how about those drinks then?"

And with that, the two of them went off to spend the rest of the night together.

* * *

About an hour later back at the restaurant, Link and Sarami set down their utensils, having just finished their meals. Sarami seemed to be in complete bliss from the delicious meal she had. She looked across from Link who was rubbing his finger on his plate and tasting the sauce left behind from his own meal, it was clear he was still a bit hungry.

"So did you enjoy it Sarami?" Link asked, licking his finger.

Sarami giggled at how childish Link could be at times, "It was splendid Link, thanks for encouraging me!"

"Hey, I think you deserve the best." the young king said.

"Oh, you're so sweet to an old lady like myself!" Sarami said, putting a hand to her cheek with a smile, "But I'm sure you'd be happier if you were spending the night with Nemisa or Saria."

Link paused, staring at Sarami. He took a small gulp, and decided this might very well be the right time to say what's been on his mind for so long.

"No Sarami, right now you're the one I want to be with." Link said, "And you're not an old lady in the slightest, you're a beautiful, hard-working woman with great passion. I owe my life to you for everything you've done, I think you deserve everything you've wanted..."

Link then took her hand with both of his and squeezed it.

"...and frankly, I'm willing to do everything in my power to give it to you."

"...Link?" Sarami spoke with wide eyes.

"Sarami, if it pleases you, I want you to become my wife and queen, and be with me forever, alongside everyone else." Link said.

"You... want... me..." Sarami stammered, her eyes were wide and small tears were starting to form in them, "You... couldn't possibly mean that..."

"I mean every word Sarami. I want to marry you, and when the time is right, I want to give you a daughter to love your whole life." Link said with an unflinching look in his eyes.

"Link..." Sarami whispered, she was at a loss of what to say. Her mouth was agape, and there was a part of her who just wanted to answer, but seemed to hold back.

"Sarami?" Link asked curiously, but that was when a voice spoke up.

"Excuse me, did the two of you enjoy your dinner? Will you be having anything else?" a young waitress asked. She apparently hadn't heard the conversation the two were having.

Somewhat relieved she didn't have to answer at that moment, Sarami took a deep breath, and spoke to Link, "H-How about we discuss this further later on, when we're alone?"

"...okay." Link nodded, with a blush on his cheeks.

Sarami then told the waitress, "Actually yes, we'd both like to order something from the dessert menu."

Link grinned and went to looking over the menu for what sounded appetizing.

It wasn't long after that the waitress set down their desserts. For Link it was a double fudge sundae with the works, while Sarami had, against her normally better judgment, got a double order of strawberry cheesecake. She gazed down at it with sparkling eyes, she hadn't had this in years, not since she left Kakariko Village, and it looked just as good as when she had it all those years ago.

Sarami took a small fork full and delicately placed it in her mouth, and the flavor shot across her taste buds in an instant. Her eyes lit up, sparkling with delight.

Link took a moment to look up from his sundae to see Sarami putting her hand to her cheek, trying her hardest not to smile so much. It warmed his heart so much to see Sarami enjoying herself after everything that has been happening.

Meanwhile one of the patrons who happened to see Sarami got the attention of a waitress walking by and asked, "Hey, can I have what she's having?" as well as a number of others.

* * *

After their meal at the restaurant, Link and Sarami went down the road through Kakariko Village to see the sights. Much had changed, namely to reflect the ways the Sheikah lived back when they were the majority that lived there. Link recalled Impa saying this was to honor the Sheikah for their devotion to protecting the royal family, as well as fighting off the evil spirits that tormented them in the past.

"Ooowiiiee! It huuurts!" they then heard a small voice cry out. Link and Sarami looked over to see a small boy clutching at his knee as two other kids were standing there worried.

"Is something the matter, sweetie?" Sarami asked, walking up to the children and kneeling down, making sure to hold her coat together so as to not give them a show of her chest.

The kid sobbed, "I... I tripped and fell on my knee..." he moved his hands away to show he had scraped it and there was some blood leaking out.

"Oh dear, you poor thing." Sarami said, taking her handbag and pulling out some alcohol and bandages

Meanwhile, Link was folding his arms, looking down at the two other boys, "Okay you two, what involvement did you have in this?"

The two boys looked alarmed that Link caught on so quickly, and they both looked down sadly, "We... played a little prank on him by jumping out from some bushes, and when he ran away he tripped..." one of the two boys said with clear regret in his tone.

"Jees," Link sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "There's nothing wrong with a little joke now and then, but you two took it way too far. I think you two need to apologize to your friend."

"O-Okay mister." the other boy said.

Sarami smiled lightly seeing Link discipline the boys, as she turned to dabbing at the injured boy's knee with the alcohol until it was cleaned, then applied the bandage, "There you go, just be careful with it. Make sure you come by the Potion Shop tomorrow and I'll have Dr. Ehia change your bandage!"

She then gave the boy's knee a small kiss, causing him to turn a beet red.

"O-Okay..." sniffled the boy, "Thank you doctor lady."

The two other boys came up right after and apologized to their friend. The three of them then thanked Link and Sarami and they went off together. As they left, one of the boys asked his friends,

"I wonder whose dad and mom those two are?"

Link and Sarami both flushed in embarrassment over the kid's remark, before they decided to move on.

* * *

Later into the night, and Link found himself sitting at his bed at the inn they were staying at for their time in Kakariko Village. He was tapping his fingers impatiently on his knees while Sarami was in the washroom freshening herself up. The young king was racking his brain trying to think about where Sarami was planning to go with this tonight...

"Link?" he heard Sarami speak up, the young king looked over to see her and his jaw dropped.

Sarami was now wearing one of the bathrobes that were included in the washroom. It was a plain gray one, not very fancy due to it being complimentary, but she looked amazing in it. Her chest was covered, but it still left an impression crammed into the robe. He also noticed she removed her makeup, and while he could see she had some age lines on her face due to age and stress, she was still quite beautiful in his eyes. She sat herself down on the bed beside Link.

"H-Hey Sarami," Link said, "So did you enjoy your night?"

"Yes I did, it was quite a lovely night and the food was delicious." Sarami said nodding, "And you did so well the way you handled those boys earlier! You're going to make a great parent when the time comes!"

"I could say the same about you, 'mom'," Link grinned, referring to what the boys said.

Sarami coughed a little awkwardly as she twirled a stand of hair in her finger and changed the subject, "W-Well anyway, I have to thank Granny for getting me that dress, as embarrassing as it was to wear."

"Noting to be embarrassed about, it looked great on you Sarami." Link said without hesitation.

Sarami glanced to the side with a small smile, "You... you're probably just saying that because it showed off my breasts so well..."

"Well, I can't deny that's one reason." Link chuckled, "But you looked absolutely stunning, I've always thought that."

"But... even if you still find me beautiful now..." Sarami spoke, reaching up and stroking her face, feeling her age lines, "I'm still almost twenty years older then you and the other girls."

"I know." nodded Link.

"I'll be an old hag before you reach my current age... my body will wrinkle, I'll have less energy and probably get fatter... these large breasts will start to sag..." she spoke, placing a hand up to her chest.

"I'll be fine with your body no matter what changes you go through." Link spoke, "The same will happen to all the other girls eventually..." he paused, "...well maybe not Saria, but most of them."

"I guess, but..." Sarami whispered.

But before Sarami could say anything else, Link took her by her chin and pulled the doctor into a deep kiss. Her eyes widened at the sensation, as he continued to kiss her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and she felt a heated sensation going through her. She nervously brought up her hands to his shoulders, about to grip them and return the kiss, but she instead hesitated, and pushed him back a bit.

"What's the matter?" Link asked curiously.

"Link, you're such a sweet young man, and I care about you so much... But even if you can get past my age, I don't think I could be a good wife to you..." she said.

"But why not?" Link asked.

"Well, to start things off..." Sarami spoke bringing her hand to her lips, "You just gave me my first kiss."

"Wait, seriously?" Link exclaimed in surprise, "No one's ever kissed you before?!"

"Yes, well, besides the practice kissing I had to do during my child-bearer training..." Sarami said, blushing lightly as she recalled her tutors having her kiss other girls her age at the time, "And then there was that one time Nabooru had way too much to drink, but I'd rather not go into it."

"No, go ahead." Link said with almost too much enthusiasm, "Details would be nice."

"Oh you!" Sarami said in amusement, batting him lightly before going back to being serious, "My point is you're the first man who's ever kissed me, not even Ganondorf did that when we conceived my child..."

Link frowned, the fact that Ganondorf didn't so much as kiss Sarami, even when they were having intercourse to conceive a child, wasn't surprising considering what a heartless monster he knew Ganondorf to be, but he was still disgusted by the demon king's uncaring attitude.

"After my daughter died, I became too scared to be in a relationship, I was afraid if I ever had another child, they might die as well. I'm a dedicated doctor, but I also believe firmly in the will and power of the desert goddesses... and I think because I laid with Ganondorf, I may be cursed."

"Cursed? Like with what happened to Sheeva?" Link asked.

Sarami nodded nervously, "What if the desert goddesses were displeased with me trying to bear a child of the demon king, that they would curse me for it? I know how much you're looking forward to when Ragome and the others' children are born, and it makes me afraid that if I had a daughter with you, that she would die in childbirth. I don't want you feel the same pain I went through Link... I don't want you to lose a child that you brought into the world."

Link was stunned, this was really what was bothering Sarami for so long. He thought the experience of Sarami losing her child and being exiled were bad enough since it drove her to try and attempt suicide, but her fears seemed to go beyond that; she thought she was being disgraced by the goddesses themselves, and was worried about his own happiness.

Link closed his eyes in deep thought, he recalled a time long ago, when he was in a small village of some kind, with many monsters coming towards it, and the smile of a young woman there. He nodded to himself and cleared his throat.

"I won't allow that to happen." he spoke.

"Huh?" Sarami asked.

"Sarami, if what you think is true, that the goddesses really cursed you, then I won't allow it." Link said, "If the goddesses try to take away your child, then I'll do everything I can to keep her safe!"

Link then took Sarami's hands, "You remember when I vowed to fight the Desert Goddess Aifet to protect Kesuta and Korume back at the Spirit Temple? I'd do the same for you and our child, I would never allow the goddesses to take her away."

"But..." Sarami spoke, only for Link to inch closer to her.

"When I decided to become king, I made a promise to protect you all and make you happy. Just as I intend to fight to give the Gerudo their freedom from the banishment, I'll fight to allow you to keep your child no matter what Sarami, to have and to love forever."

Sarami gasped out, smitten by her king and friend's kind words, and it was then she recalled what she had said back when she was treating Sheeva...

* * *

Flashback to a week ago, at Granny's research room in Meokuro's laboratory...

"_But... aren't you afraid I'll hurt you...?" Lady Sheeva of the Wolfos asked as she laid back, covered in injuries._

"_No, I'm not." Sarami shook her head, then looked to Link, "Because no matter what could or will happen, I know that Link will always be by my side to support me."_

_Link nodded and smiled, "Sarami is one of the most important people in my life, she's saved me more times then I can count, so I make it a point to help her whenever she needs it. We relay and depend on each other, like how a family does."_

* * *

'That's right...' Sarami thought to herself, 'No matter what, Link will always be by my side... I don't need to feel afraid anymore...'

The thirty eight year old woman opened her eyes and smiled beautifully, "Link... I would love that... I would love to be your wife, and for you to give us a daughter to have and to hold..."

"Link, I love you with all my heart!" Sarami said.

With that, the two embraced and kissed, Sarami was filled with happiness she thought she could never have before, and Link was overjoyed at having such a wonderful woman as his future wife. Their hands stated to wander around each other's bodies. Sarami's hands running along his strong back and felt his firm rear end, while Link's hands ran along her thigh while another hand stroked her left breast. Sarami gasped out as she leaned back a bit and looked down to the breast he was touching.

"Yeah, I have no excuses to make for myself, they are really nice." Link grinned.

"Fufufu... you know, before my child-bearer training these used to be rather small. My diet and pregnancy made them this way." Sarami giggled, putting her hand over Link's, "From my physical examinations with them I can say there's a good chance at least a few of your other wives could have ones like these by the end of their trimesters."

"That sounds pretty nice." Link chuckled, laying Sarami back against the bed. He gazed down at her form and grabbed at her robe belt. She seemed somewhat nervous, but he pulled he rope away and opened the robe, gazing at her nude form, "But I think I'd rather concentrate on you and this gorgeous body of yours for tonight."

"Please then Link..." Sarami whispered lustfully, "Take me, and make me yours."

Link nodded and removed his shirt, giving Sarami a look at his impressive physique he had been working on over time. He was indeed much buffer then when they first met, back when she was taking care of his injuries from The Slicer's attempted assassination.

He then leaned down and kissed her again, she brought her hands up to his cheeks and returned the kiss, getting more into it with each second...

...and Link and Sarami shared a wonderful night together.

* * *

The next morning came, and Sarami was the first to wake up. She realized what she had done last night and sighed out contently. She looked over at Link sleeping soundly and smiled. Link was an excellent lover, and his healthy body would ensure he could last in bed for long periods, as proven when he kept going at her all night. He was a far better lover then Ganondorf was, and very much unlike the demon king, he cared for her with all his heart, and treated her as a real woman.

She sat up, reaching over to the nightstand and took her glasses to put them back on. She stretched a bit, only to cringe from some back pain, she put the back of her hand to her back to try and rub it out, but was having difficulty reaching.

"Oh dear, maybe we went at it a little too much." Sarami whispered with a small giggle.

Link stirred a little and yawned out, sitting up and stretching out himself, "Mor-" he yawned again, "Morning Sarami." he then looked over to his lover rubbing at her back, "Feeling sore?"

"Oh, uh... no, I just-" Sarami paused, "Well okay, maybe just a little..." she admitted. She decided now that they were a couple that she was done trying to hide things about her from him.

"How about I help you out then?" grinned Link, he laid Sarami down on her stomach, got himself up kneeling over her, and started rubbing at her back in the spots where she was trying to rub at before.

"Oh... OH!" Sarami squealed out as Link went at her back. He rubbed down the center, and at her shoulders, his movements were firm yet gentle. Sarami squirmed a little from the feeling Link was giving her, his fingers delicately tickled the center of her back, making her spontaneously giggle, before he got down to her lower back and got just a particular spot that was bothering her and she moaned out loudly.

By the time Link was done, she was laying on her side, looking much more relaxed, so he went ahead and joined her, hugging her from behind.

"Link-sweetie..." whispered Sarami, "Thank you for that... that was even better then when you massaged me back at the hot springs."

"I aim to please." Link chuckled and kissed at her neck. The two of them just laid there for a little while, enjoying the warmth of each other's company, "So tell me, when you're ready to have children, how many do you want?"

"...honestly just one would be fine for me, maybe two." Sarami said after a moment of thought, "But I don't think I'll be ready until after everything with the banishment is over. Until then, I'll do everything I can to care for you and the rest of our family." she said, reaching behind her and stroking the back of Link's head.

"And I'll keep supporting you, so you don't have to carry all their troubles on your shoulders alone." Link said, turning her head to him and giving her a kiss on the lips, before they resumed their activities from last night once again...

* * *

Naturally, Nemisa, Saria, Impa, Granny, Bradson and the Potion Shop staff all took to Link and Sarami getting together quite well. They were met with hugs and congratulations all around. Granny in particular was happy Sarami finally found the man to be her family and help relieve her of her troubled past.

"This is so great, we're like sisters now Dr. Sarami!" Saria said happily.

"Fu-fu-fufufu, you can drop the 'Dr.' part if you want Saria, there's no need to be professional with me anymore." Sarami giggled, kneeling down and hugging her new family member.

"She's a fine woman Link, you should be proud to have her for a wife." Impa said with a smirk.

"Thanks, I'll do everything I can to take care of her." Link said, he reached out and rubbed Impa's stomach, "And you make sure to take care of our little one, I want to see him when we meet with the Hylian Parliament."

"Lady Impa!" stated a voice, everyone turned to see Sir Knave stumbling in and falling over on his face while Sir Lackee came in and saluted, "The Gerudo carriage back to the valley has arrived, but I've been given a report the gate guards are returning soon!"

"Damn, that was quick." Nemisa said, "Looks like we'll have to leave now."

"You all better get a move on then," Granny said, "But don't worry, I'll leave the shop to Ehia and the others, and I'll focus my work here on the cure for FZ-501 as I promised to Lady Nabooru."

"I'll be sure to have my people in Kokiri Forest mail over whatever plant materials you need for it." Saria said with a small bow, "I hope we can use them for more then just the power tonic cure someday as well."

"Indeed." nodded Granny, "As for you Sarami; I have nothing left to teach you as a doctor, but you can count on me for support, especially with that one patient of yours."

"Thank you Granny." Sarami said, hugging her mentor tightly.

"No, thank you for helping me remember what was important." Granny chuckled patting her back, "Go on then, back to your people... Queen Sarami."

"Oh my," Sarami said with a blush, "I don't know how I feel about being called a queen now!"

"I think we're both going to need to get used to it sister." chuckled Nemisa, taking Sarami by the shoulder to guide her out of the shop along with the others.

Sir Knave and Sir Lackee meanwhile were watching them leave, Knave in particular had small tears running down his face from under his helmet.

"It's so nice, I never would had thought the new Gerudo King king to be a kind person like that!" he said, "Even if Impa told us not to I don't think I would have the heart to report their trespassing!"

"I'm glad to hear that, you have an understanding of what's truly important, Sir Knave." Sir Lackee nodded, looking to Link intently as he held Sarami's hand, escorting her off to the Gerudo carriage to get back to their town. A small smile formed on Sir Lackee's lips, as he whispered, "And someday all of Hyrule will see that as well."

"Huh?" Knave asked.

"Nothing." Lackee said shaking his head.

* * *

"Oh my gosh, you're serious?!" Aviel exclaimed.

"Alright, that's the best! Congrats on baggin' a hottie like Doc Sarami, lover-boy!" Togau cheered out.

"Well, well, it's about time, nice work Link, and you too Sarami." Nabooru smiled.

"Heh heh, thanks everyone." Link said, rubbing the back of his head grinning.

Back in Gerudo Town, Link and Sarami were immediately met with applause and compliments from their friends and family over the doctor becoming Link's next betrothed.

Sarami bowed her head and spoke out to the group as Aviel was hugging her, "I just wish to say that I vow despite my engagement, that I'll continue to be the head doctor of the medical clinic, including working with Granny to find a way to counteract the power tonic."

"That'll do just fine Sarami." Nabooru said, stepping up and putting her hand on Sarami's shoulder, before pulling the doctor into a friendly hug, "And congratulations on courting Link."

"Thank you Nabs." Sarami said, hugging her back.

"We really need to celebrate!" Aviel said waving her wings, "We need to call over Kesuta, Korume and Ruto for a party! Oh, and don't forget Reirousa too!"

"That sounds delightful!" Sarami said cheerfully, as the others ran off to prepare the engagement party.

But the good doctor then sported a serious expression, knowing there was one important thing in particular she had to do before she could move on...

* * *

"Dr. Sarami, Sister Gonaeti is here to see you!" a nurse called out from within Sarami's checkup room at the medical clinic the next morning.

"Send her in, please." Sarami called out.

Instead of just seeing the patient like she expected though she saw Link was there as well, escorting the heavily pregnant Gerudo in and helping her to sit down on a chair.

"Thank you King Link." Gonaeti sighed out.

"Oh Link? What are you doing here?" Sarami asked in surprise.

"I brought you some lunch since it's almost your break, and I ran into Gonaeti on the way over, thankfully not literally." Link said holding up a diner bag, he walked over and gave Sarami a gentle kiss on the lips, "Good morning by the way."

"Good morning Link-sweetie." Sarami said smiling.

"That's so sweet of you two, congratulations on your engagement to the king Dr. Sarami!" Gonaeti said happily.

"Thank you Gonaeti, now let's get you checked out here." Sarami said, she went over to Gonaeti to look her over. Seeing that were no new abnormalities since the last visit, she took a deep breath, knowing there was a difficult subject to bring up with her, "Um... so I think I need to discuss something, in regards to your pregnancy."

"Ah yes..." Gonaeti muttered, putting a hand to her stomach.

"I wish I could suggest what you should do, but I realize it's not my place to decide for you." Sarami said, "Regardless, I think we do need to determine what you need to do about your conditio-"

"It's okay doctor." Gonaeti cut her off, "I think I've already decided, that I want to keep my Rimel."

Link and Sarami's eyes widened as they looked to Gonaeti, who sported an unflinching expression. It was clear she was certain in her choice.

"But what about the tumor?" Link asked worriedly.

"It's fine, the day I took that sweet young Hylian man and had him impregnate me, I knew I wanted this daughter." Gonaeti said with a serene look on her face, "I don't desire to die, but if I'd rather she be born into this world then to be taken from it before she can experience it for herself."

Link nodded at Gonaeti's words; recalling the argument between Aviel and Nemisa back when they first heard about the situation. Whether it was a good choice or a bad choice Gonaeti made, it didn't matter, she just made a choice with her heart and decided to go through with it to the end, it was something he could definitely understand...

Sarami meanwhile, bore a determined look in her eyes as she put her hand down on Gonaeti's leg and spoke, "Well now that you've made your choice, I'm going to make one of my own, and I promise you I will do anything and everything within my power to save you from that tumor. I want you to be able to live to see little Rimel grow happy and strong Gonaeti!"

"And I'll do everything I can to help Sarami accomplish that." Link agreed, "Your life is just as precious as your daughter's, and we'll see to it that both of you can be truly happy."

"...thank you Dr. Sarami, King Link." Gonaeti said, with small tears in her eyes. She then took a breath and said, "Um, listen Doctor, I do have a question for you though..."

"Oh?" Sarami asked.

"I don't intend to die to this tumor, but if anything does happen to me..." Gonaeti spoke, before taking Sarami's hands and holding them up, "Would you be willing to be Rimel's godmother?"

"Her... godmother...?" Sarami asked with wide eyes.

"You mean you want her to be the mother of Rimel in case something happens to you?" Link asked.

"Yes, I think if anyone will take great care of her, it would be you Dr. Sarami." Gonaeti said.

Sarami sat there in disbelief, tears started to form in her eyes ever so faintly, as she lunged out and hugged Gonaeti, saying "Of course! Of course I will Gonaeti!"

Link had a relieved smile on his face as he saw Sarami and Gonaeti embrace. While the experience Sarami endured over the past couple of weeks had been difficult, he was glad to see how uplifted she was now.

And he vowed to keep her smiling for the rest of their days together.

After seeing Gonaeti out, Sarami then turned to Link and spoke up, "By the way Link." she spoke, taking a close look at him, "You seem a bit fatigued, did you get enough sleep last night?"

"Well..." Link trailed off, "Since Ragome, Leivuri and Esolu are about to give birth in a few months, Nabooru introduced me to my new child-bearers late yesterday... and I kinda wound up working on them through most of the night..."

"Oh my, how many?" Sarami asked, "Three? Four?"

"More like five." Link sighed out, "They're all nice women, but I think Nabooru doesn't understand my limits."

"Oh you poor thing." Sarami giggled lightly, "Maybe I could offer you one of my experimental chu jelly mixtures to increase your stamina?"

"After that time when I got turned into a child, I dunno about that..." Link muttered.

But that was when Sarami took Link and hugged him gently, making sure her bountiful chest was pressed against him.

"Well if you like, you can stay here and I'll tell Nabs that you're ill..." Sarami said, "And perhaps later tonight you and I can share some personal time... alone..." she spoke with a bit of lust to her tone, her glasses giving off an unreadable gleam.

"Sounds nice." Link grinned, giving his newest fiance a soft kiss.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter, and with it the Sarami and Granny arc! Next time around a certain young gerudo girl's time to shine has finally come, as she and Link go to find out the truth about her past! But just what awaits her, and what path will she ultimately choose? Find out next time!**_

_**Well, I say next time because I'm admittingly having some trouble writing this out due to writer's block. I had to completely remove one part because of how needlessly long and unnecessary it was. I might have to take an extra week or two in making this, so I apologize if I can't get it out by next Wednesday like I usually do. Regardless of how long it takes though, I will finish this story, you can trust me on that!**_

_**Please leave a like, follow or comment if you choose to do so, your encouragement has motivated me to keep this story going all this time and see it through to the end!**_


	82. The Mountains of Snowpeak

**Howdy everyone, it's time for chapter 82, and the start of a new story arc! **

* * *

It was a dark night, as a loud crash of thunder roared across Gerudo Valley. Storm clouds had formed overhead and lightning was striking down in certain areas. Travelers and adventurers trekking across the sand were forced to find shelter in caves, while monsters retreated into the sands. Storms like these were an uncommon occurrence in Gerudo Valley, but it was still treated cautiously by the inhabitants.

In Gerudo Town, the buildings were constructed mostly with hardened sandstone, made that way by the power of the Sand Rod. Because of their design, the Gerudo didn't have much to worry about in regards to lightning storms, but as a a precaution by Nabooru she had tall metal rods set up on the cliffs near the town to attract lightning and absorb any possible nearby strikes.

This didn't however, protect against one thing that thunder and lightning can still cause, fear.

"KYAAA!" screamed out a young Gerudo woman in her bed at the sound of a loud rumble, as lightning came down and struck one of the poles outside.

This was Aviel; an apprentice of the head of the town's archery club, and used to be a former lookout for Gerudo Town, before being promoted to the bodyguard of her friend and king, Link.

"Stupid lightning..."

Aviel gulped as she hugged her legs with her arms. She wanted to go over and put on her feathery Roc's Wing sleeves for comfort, but was too scared to even get out of the bed at that moment.

The Roc's Wing was a treasure she had for years now, they gave her the power to turn her body into that of a half-bird creature. When she first found herself with them they could only turn into arms into wings, and her flying ability was limited and clumsy.

But after a situation in Death Mountain involving a young dragon and a strange feather though, the form she took with the Roc's Wing magically changed, giving her more wing span, tail feathers, and even bird legs to increase her abilities, including being able to use her crossbow in the sky.

Right now though, no amount of flying ability could help Aviel deal with the storm outside. Another rumble of thunder went off, making her squeal in terror and hide completely under her silk bed sheets. She peeked out for a brief second, only to see a flash of lightning and she went right back to hiding.

When the loud noise and flashing finally died down just a little, Aviel gulped and climbed out of bed, dragging her bed sheets with her, wrapped around her shoulders as she hurried out of her room

* * *

In Link's bedroom, the young king was sleeping on his bed of pillows, along with Saria. The two of them had spent the night making passionate love together and had fallen asleep in each other's arms. The Kokiri snuggled against Link in her sleep and sighed out blissfully.

But that was when Saria felt someone nudging her, causing her to stir and slowly open her eyes. She blinked sleepily and looked up to see Aviel over the two. The Gerudo had her blanket on top of her and small tears in her eyes. Saria nudged Link a bit, making him yawn out at look up at Aviel as well.

"What'd you want Aviel?" Link muttered.

"Link, Saria, the storm's scaring me, can I sleep with you guys...?" Aviel asked.

Link and Saria looked to each other for a moment, before Link sighed and said, "Uh, I guess Aviel... just give me a sec to change into my pan-"

"Yaaay! Thank you!" Aviel cheered out in relief, jumping forward and falling in between the two, covering herself, Link and Saria with her blanket.

"Um, Aviel? I think it'd be a really good idea if you waited for me to-" Link was about to protest, but realized Aviel was out like a light all of a sudden. She was nuzzling her face into the pillows that made up the bed, while her arms were over Link and Saria's bodies, making it tricky to get up without waking her.

The two decided to just live and let live with the situation as they were too tired to protest, and drifted off to sleep themselves.

* * *

The next morning, Aviel was the first to wake up. Her bright golden eyes opened and she smiled happily, it had been a while since she had slept that good, but for some reason her bed felt different then before.

"Huh...?"

She then realized where she was and what she was doing; her arms were wrapped around someone's body, which she quickly identified as Link, and she was in his bedroom. While it wasn't out of the ordinary for her to be here or to hug Link, in this case it was far different, namely that he was hugging her back closely, and he was completely nude.

"Um... Link?" Aviel asked, with a slight blush on her face.

"Mmm..." Link muttered in his sleep, holding Aviel closer, her head was pressed against his muscular chest. She struggled a little to get out from his grip, but he just held her in his arms.

'He's gotten so much stronger then back when I first met him...' Aviel thought to herself, thinking about the time he hugged her out of relief after he had escaped prison.

Link had been spending time weight training with Reirousa to strengthen his body so as to not only fight against the threat of the rebels, but also to increase his endurance for when he was making love to his fiances and the child-bearers Nabooru was starting to throw at him, so it wasn't surprising he was so strong, and yet the way he held her was so gentle...

It was then in that moment Aviel realized there was a strange feeling of something pressing against her leg.

"What is that, a cucumber?"

Aviel squirmed out Link's grip, sat up, and lifted up the sheets to see what was poking at her. She laid there staring at it for a short while. She didn't even blink as she looked at what it had turned out be.

The girl then slowly lowered the sheet to cover Link, and gulped a bit. Shortly after that, Saria woke up, she stretched out and yawned out.

"Mmm... g'morning Aviel..." Saria said in a groggy voice.

"M-Morning Saria." Aviel said sitting there motionlessly.

"Hey you guys, get up already!" Nemsia shouted from outside, "Lady Nabooru has a meeting for us today!"

"Ugh, alright..." Saria sighed, reaching past Aviel and nudging her fiance, "Link, get up. Lady Nabooru wants to talk to us."

"Mmph, come on Saria, five more minutes." Link muttered in his sleep, burying his face in the pillow, reaching out and grabbing Aviel, pulling her close to him again.

"Ahyayayaya!" Aviel stammered out with her eyes spiraling, as her face was blushing a beet red.

"Huh...?" Saria rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked down to see Link was snuggling against Aviel, "Uh, Link...?"

"Hey Saria... wanna have another go?" Link muttered in his sleep. He was unknowingly feeling around Aviel's body. The young woman was breaking out in a sweat as Link's hands were running up her legs, stroking her rear end, up her back, and then feeling at her large round breasts before-

"Wait, you're not Saria!" Link then realized, suddenly jolting awake instantly.

"That's what tipped you off?!" Saria shouted in frustration.

"Oh jees, that was you Aviel?!" Link exclaimed, quickly bowing his head, "I forgot you were sleeping with us last night, I'm so sorry!"

"It's... it's okay Link..." Aviel said, getting herself up and starting to walk, but staggering around as she did so, "Let's just go... go to the meeting and-"

Link and Saria just watched as Aviel staggered and walked right into the door frame, bonking her head on it, before falling over.

"Let's... go help her out." Link said.

"Y-Yeah." Saria agreed.

* * *

"Good morning everyone, I hope you all had a good sleep." Nabooru said, with her assistant the half-Hylian and book enthusiast Halei sitting to her right.

"I slept just fine." nodded Nemisa.

Link and Saria meanwhile looked awkwardly over to Aviel who was sitting there with a bandage on her forehead, and with small tears in her eyes as she was pouting from her headache.

"Did something happen this morning Aviel?" Nabooru asked with concern.

"I... um..." Aviel muttered, rubbing at the sides of her head, "I dunno, the storm was scary so I went to sleep with Link and Saria... I can't remember anything besides that cause of this headache."

"Do you two know what happened?" Nabooru asked Link and Saria.

"Nope!" "Nothing!" the two said smiling way too innocently for their own good.

"Uh huuuh..." Nabooru said sweatdropping, "Fine, I'll just leave it at that."

"So what do you have to report today Lady Nabooru?" Nemisa asked.

"Well you'll be happy to know that the final preparations are being made for our meeting with the Hylian Parliament! We'll be going to meet with them three months from now!" Nabooru said proudly.

"It took a lot of paperwork, but we're finally going to Hyrule Castle!" Halei said cheerfully.

"That's great to hear!" Link said enthusiastically, "It's finally time for us to speak out on behalf of the Gerudo people!"

"We've also arranged to meet with some of our allies from the neighboring tribes about two months from now so we can discuss what we plan to present to the Parliament." Nabooru said, "It'll include Chief Darunia, Queen Ruto, Lady Impa and a representative of the Kokiri to act as their diplomat."

"Huh, a nice little social gathering." Nemisa said grinning.

"You're not going to be the diplomat after all Saria?" Aviel asked.

"I was originally, but we recently learned about a law that basically says since I'm engaged to Link it disqualifies me as a diplomat due to a technical conflict of interest. Ruto is fine since she was already born into royalty." Saria said, "As for us, I'm speaking to Mido about who can represent the Kokiri in the Parliament, and they'll be meeting with us that day."

"So have you decided which of us are going to Hyrule when the time comes Lady Nabooru?" Nemisa asked.

Nabooru answered, "Well naturally me, Link, Saria and Halei will all go, both you and Aviel will come as Link's bodyguards of course. Aside from some extra guards for protection, I thought it would be helpful if we also brought others who could help promote things we could do to benefit Hyrule as a whole, like agriculture, medical knowledge, war training and the mystic arts, so I was planning to bring along Togau, Sarami, Reirousa, Kesuta and Korume as well."

"...so basically we're bringing the whole gang then." Link said with a grin, "Sounds great, I think they deserve this chance to get out there and see Hyrule."

"Yaaay! Road trip to Hyrule Castle!" Aviel cheered out.

"I can't wait to get to meet Princess Zelda, I heard she's such a wonderful person!" Saria said, "You said you were friends together as kids, right Link?"

"Yeah, I worked with her to stop Ganondorf, then I spent a number of months training with Impa for my journey, and I spent a lot of time with Ze- Princess Zelda too." Link nodded, "We used to play and even spar together."

"That's so sweet, a young commoner and a kind princess growing up as children... and though they were separated by their social status, they hold a precious and spirited bond together..." Halei said with a blissful look in her eyes, "It's so romantic!"

"Ehhh... I wouldn't have called it romantic Halei..." Link said sweatdropping, "Besides, she recently married the Fargent prince."

"Oh wooow..." Halei said with her eyes sparkling even more then before, "Torn apart by an arranged marriage, but remain loyal to each other, until the day the handsome young rogue sweeps the beautiful princess off her feet, and true love will prevail!"

"Halei's been reading a lot of romance novels lately." Nabooru clarified.

Link couldn't help but blush lightly at Halei's words, as he thought back to his days with Zelda. The reality was that he and Zelda shared a closer connection then Halei or any of them could possibly know...

"Leaving in three months then, huh?" Aviel spoke, but then a thought occurred to her, "Um, Lady Nabooru, actually there is something really important I need to ask you."

"What's that?" Nabooru asked.

Aviel gulped, took a deep breath and spoke, "I want to ask to take a temporary leave, so I can travel to the mountain of Snowpeak."

"What...? Why there of all places?" Nabooru asked.

Aviel went ahead and explained herself, "When we ran into Professor Brad at that Meokuro lady's hideout, he told me that the creature I got my wings from may have come from a place up there."

Everyone was pretty shocked by this, aside from Nemisa who had been there when Professor Bradson told her.

"And you want to meet this creature, but why now?" Nabooru asked curiously, "We don't have much longer before we go to Hyrule Castle, and there's a lot to do before then like the meeting with our allies. There's also the matter that you need to be protecting Link, especially since the rebels have been causing us more trouble as of late."

Aviel straightened herself out and cleared her throat, before looking to Nabooru sharply, which surprised the Gerudo leader,

"...because I want to know where my treasure came from... and in doing so hopefully figure out where my family is."

"Huh?" everyone exclaimed aside from Saria, who Aviel had told her past to previously back at the hot springs.

Aviel explained herself, "Before I came to live here in Gerudo Town, I was with my momma and papa. They were travelers and the three of us went to all kinds of places. One day I got separated from them, and when I woke up I had these things on me." she gestured to the feathered sleeves on her arms, "Someone told me the feathers came from some kind of bird creature called a 'Roc'."

"So that's why you call them the Roc's Wings?" Link asked.

"Yep, they're my most important treasure, because they're the only thing I had after I lost my parents..." Aviel said sadly.

The others couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards Aviel; Halei in particular since she was separated from her father due to the banishment law, and she reached up and rubbed the ears of her bunny hood, his gift to her.

"But why now of all times?" Nabooru asked again.

"Because I don't know what's going to happen with the royal meeting and the banishment law, for all I know this could be my only chance to get the answers I need. I just want to know what happened to my momma and papa!" Aviel said.

Nabooru sat there, staring at Aviel. She wasn't nervous or shaking, her eyes didn't shift, and her breathing was steady. It was clear to Nabooru how serious Aviel was about this.

"I... understand your situation Aviel, but like I said we still have much to do here to prepare for the meeting..." Nabooru said,

Aviel hung her head down slightly, "Oh..."

"...so I'll give you one week to find the answers you're looking for." Nabooru spoke with a smirk.

Aviel's eyes lit up at Nabooru's words and she nodded eagerly.

"Thank you Lady Nabooru!" Aviel nodded, "I can use the warp point to get to Zora's Domain real quick, and go from there to Snowpeak!"

"But will you be okay going alone?" Halei asked worriedly.

"Well..." Aviel muttered, trailing off.

Link just looked to Aviel, he had known her since the day he arrived at Gerudo Town, she the first Gerudo he met that day she crashed down on him, she became his friend without hesitation, and introduced him to the town that would become his home. She helped him learn he could become a fine king just by his own skills and merits, and she has stayed loyal and kind to him since the day they met...

The young Gerudo king closed his eyes and nodded, before speaking up to Nabooru, "I'll go along with Aviel and support her."

Aviel looked to Link with wide eyes and smiled, a light blush forming on her cheeks, though she wasn't sure about this new warm feeling she had...

"I'll come along too, she is my partner after all." Nemisa said smiling.

"So will I!" Saria agreed.

Nabooru chuckled at the words of Link, Nemisa and Saria, "Heh, I figured you all would. Well I guess I wont stop you, but just be back as soon as possible. Aviel may be searching for her past, but we still have a future to build for our people!"

"Right!" everyone said, and with that they all got up and went off to prepare for the journey to Snowpeak.

"Do you think she'll find the answers she's after?" Halei asked after the group had left.

"Who knows for certain? One thing I do know, it'll be a fine bonding exercise for all of them." Nabooru said with a grin,

"And knowing Link, it might lead to answers to questions she never considered until now..."

* * *

Some time later, Link and Aviel were heading down a hallway to meet up with Nemisa and Saria so they could head off on their journey. The two of them were carrying packs full of warmer clothing for when they got to the mountains.

"Ever been to a snowy mountain before Link?" Aviel asked.

"Not Snowpeak itself, but I've seen the snow a few times on my journey." Link said, "Like back when I was in Termina I went to a mountain called Snowhead where Gorons lived."

"Ah yeah, that's right! And you got a mask that turned you into a Goron right?" Aviel asked anxiously, hopping around him as she spoke, " I would had loved to see that! Did try eating rocks in that form?"

"Yeah, it was certainly a different experience, that's for sure." Link chuckled, "I didn't bother trying to eat rocks, but I admit I kinda miss the mask, I used to use it to roll all around Termina in a Goron ball."

"That sounds so cool! You always have such fun adventures to tell us about!" grinned Aviel.

"Well now you got an adventure ahead of you to tell your friends at the archery club!" Link nodded.

"Hee hee, that's right!" Aviel said nodding.

"..."

That was when Link stopped in his tracks, confusing the archer. Link glanced behind his back as he saw someone duck behind a corner. He sported a small smile and called out to the someone.

"Hey Korume, something the matter?"

"Kukuku... you're quite sharp, my love." the ice elemental mystic said, walking out and strolling up to the two, "I overheard about all of you going out to the mountain of Snowpeak, and I thought maybe you'd like having my assistance."

"Have you been there before Korume?" Link asked, at this point not surprised Korume had been ease-dropping on them.

"No, but if you'll have me, my ice power could provide some assistance to you." Korume explained, "Plus I've been reading into some of the neighboring tribes around Hyrule in preparation for the meeting with those bloated swines in the Parliament, and I've heard something about a mystic power high up in Snowpeak."

"Well that's a good sign there might be something of interest up there." Link said.

"What about Kesuta? She interested in going to?" Aviel asked.

"Kesuta wouldn't want to go because the extreme temperature would be too much for her. A pity, as it would be fun to see her shiver like a fragile little leaf..." Korume said, giggling darkly.

"Well thanks Korume, it means a lot having you come along with us!" Aviel said, giving the ice mystic a small hug with her wings.

Korume was startled by Aviel's affection, but returned the hug a little, "Of course, little birdbrain." In that moment, Korume thought about something she had overheard from Aviel a long time ago. She looked down at Aviel holding her and frowned a little.

"Now let go before you make me melt with those warm wings of yours."

* * *

"Wooow... look at all this!" Saria gasped out.

Link, Aviel, Nemisa, Saria and Korume all stood at the base of the mountain of Snowpeak. It wasn't too far from Zora Domain, and thanks to their alliance with the Zoras, they were granted permission to travel the route there. There was snow everywhere they could see, with green pine trees lightly covered in it as well. Some white furred rabbits hopped through the slush to keep their distance from the group.

"It's beautiful." Nemisa spoke softly.

"Have you not seen snow before?" Link asked.

"I've never had the chance," Nemisa said looking around, "But it looks so wondrous..."

"It is really cold though." Saria said, rubbing her hands together to generate warmth.

The group were all properly dressed for the trip in coats, gloves, hats and boots. It was a huge contrast from the skimpy desert wear they were used to. Saria in particular was wearing a blue parka with a matching ushanka, a thick and warm hat with earflaps. Korume meanwhile just went in her usual skimpy mystic garments, as she wasn't affected by the cold due to being an ice elementialist.

"I am so jealous of you right now." Nemisa said glaring at Korume, as she rubbed at her coat arms to keep warm, while Korume just giggled in response.

"We made it..." Aviel said with wide eyes, she smiled brightly and hopped up and down, "Well come on, let's get going!"

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Saria asked.

"Well according to Brad's notes, there's this place somewhere in Snowpeak where the Roc is." Aviel said, pulling out the picture Bradson gave her and showed it to the others. It had picture of a girl with bird wings, and next to that was a picture of a giant door with some kind of humanoid figure with wings that were more insect-like drawn on the center of it, as well as some sort of lined box with five small blacks dots and a three 'x's drawn below it.

There was also a sketch of a large majestic looking bird with it's wings curled downwards, seeming to be wrapped around a small circle with a strange symbol on it. There was also some writing under the bird sketch that Bradson said translated to "Roc".

"How peculiar, the symbol that bird figure is holding looks familiar somehow..." Korume muttered.

Link meanwhile, stared at the picture of the figure on the door. He rubbed his chin slightly seeing the insect-like wings on it, thinking to himself, 'The wings on that thing almost remind me of a...'

"Well I don't see anything resembling these drawings around here, let's get going." Nemisa said.

The group soon came across a dirt trail and started traveling along it. While the weather was cold, the area was quite calm. The pine trees were covered in snow, some small rodents were scurrying through the slush and grabbing at whatever plants and nuts were laying around. Saria inhaled deeply and took in the pleasant alpine scent coming from the plants around them.

"Gee, I wouldn't have a house here or anything, but this place is really peaceful." Saria said.

"It's definitely nicer then most snow mountains I've been to, usually there's blizzards and monsters everywhere." Link nodded.

As they went down the trail, Korume's eyes widened as she felt a presence nearby. She turned to see some bushes rustling.

"Everyone..." Korume said, "Be on your guard."

"Huh?" Saria asked.

That was when jumping out from the bushes were a group of about four large creatures, all tall but thin, and covered in white hair, and having rather scary faces not unlike a baboon. They all roared out, showing off sharp teeth and beat their chests.

"Wha-what are these?" Nemisa exclaimed.

"I've read about them, they're Migoui, large snow apes that inhabit mountainous places." Korume said, "Strange though, they're usually supposed to stay in high elevated areas..."

"Ugh, so much for this place being nice..." Saria gulped.

"Either way, looks like we're in for a fight." Link sighed, puling out his sword and shield. Aviel armed her crossbow, Nemisa went into a fighting stance, Saria drew out her Deku Staff, and Korume conjured up two ice spears.

The Migouis all roared out and the group went into battle. Nemisa dashed at one Migoui and swung up her leg to kick it, her leg impacted into the creature, but it grinned and knocked her away. Aviel tried firing an arrow at another one's chest, but the arrow was deflected away, surprising her.

Saria used her Deku Staff to shoot out vines to snare one by it's legs, but the Migoui just paused and pulled on them, snapping the vines apart, before rushing at her and swung out it's fist. Link stepped out in front of Saria to protect her and swung out his sword to slash it. The creature brought up it's arm and actually managed to block the sword with it. Startling Link and allowing the creature to knock him and Saria backwards.

"What the heck?" Link exclaimed, "It even withstood my sword?"

"What's with these things?" Saria asked, staying by Link's side.

"I've been told that the Migoui's fur is extremely durable." Korume said, putting her back against Link's so as to prevent back attacks, she launched an ice spear at one of the Migoui but it didn't have any effect due to it using it's fur to protect itself, "It's like soft padded armor to them."

"Swell." Link muttered, he pulled out his Fairy Bow and fired off some shots at the Migoui he was facing, only for it to swat the attacks away and come at Link with it's fist. Korume countered this by creating a shield of ice in front of the Migoui, surprising it. Korume then flew Link into the air, giving him the chance to strike the beast in the face with an arrow, sending it staggering back. He then landed down and rushed out, bashing into it from behind, knocking it to the ground in a daze.

"That's it, their fur makes them really resistant, but..." Link said, calling out to the others, "Everyone aim for their faces!"

"Yes, everyone do what you can to subdue them and I'll finish them off!" Korume shouted, using her ice spears to distract another one as it tried to attack Saria.

"Sounds like a plan!" Nemsia said, swiftly kicking a rock at the Migoui attacking her. It blocked the rock, but distracted it long enough for Nemisa to leap into the air and deliver a flying kick across it's face, stunning it. Nemsia dropped down to the ground behind the Migoui and delivered a sweeping kick at it's legs, tripping it over to the ground. Before the Migoui could recover, Nemisa brought back her fist and punched it square in the face to knock it out.

Aviel stayed airborne, firing arrows at a Migoui. When it used it's arms to protect itself from her attack, she switched to her bomb arrows and started firing them down on the ground around her opponent. This whipped the Migoui into a frenzy, it roared out and threw rocks at Aviel, but she managed to evade the projectiles. One smaller rock flew right up at her, but she brought up her leg talon and caught the rock. She then tossed it right at the Migoui with perfect accuracy, bashing it right between it's eyes and making it topple to the ground.

Saria meanwhile spun her staff in her hands and rushed at the last remaining Migoui. It tried to grab her, but she slid underneath it just as it slapped it's palms together. The Migoui turned to confront Saria, only to realize as she slid under it's legs that she tied up it's elbows with her staff's vines. It tried to break the vines apart, but she bashed it across the face with her spiked deku boas to knock it over.

"Good work everyone, now allow me to deal with these wretched fiends." Korume said flying into the air on her broom, she conjured ice spears from her hands and shot them all down on the Migouis, impacting right into their faces and finishing them off, causing the creatures to burst into purple mist.

"We did it!" Aviel said with relief, landing to the ground.

"Well now with that over we can-" Link started, but was cut off by a loud sound.

"Graaaah!"

"Now what?' Nemisa asked annoyed.

That was when more Migouis emerged out from the trees, knocking some over in the process. They saw the remains of their fallen comrades and roared out in anger.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Link said, "What's with all of these things, and why are they so aggressive?"

"No clue." Korume muttered, "I wish my dear sister could have been here, her fire could make short work of these things..."

The group stood ready to fight as the Migoui started to lurch forward at them, but that was when they heard a new loud roar. Making the Migoui stop in their tracks as everyone looked around in confusion.

"What was that...?" Nemisa asked.

"I don't know..." Aviel said, her face paled a little, "But it sounds real scary..."

That was when a shadowy figure flew through the air and release a giant blast of flames down at the Migouis. The lead one was entirely engulfed in the flames, causing it to fall to he ground in a smoldering heap. The Migoui looked up in panic to see another stream of flame come down at them, burning many of them to death and forcing the others to retreat in fear.

"What th- fire?" Aviel exclaimed.

"Is Kesuta here after all?" Saria asked looking around.

"No, I don't sense my dear sister's energy, but it is something quite powerful..." Korume said, before looking up and spotting something flying overhead, "What...?"

That was when the shadowy being flew downwards to the ground, and turned to the group. It was a large orange scaled dragon with a flaming forehead. It looked with eerie green eyes down at them, before it roared out. Korume's eyes widened as she huddled closely to Link for protection.

"W-What is that monster... and what is this power I'm sensing...?!" Korume spoke.

"It's you!" Link realized, seeing the dragon before them.

The dragon's body then erupted into flames, and when the fire went away there then stood a small child-like creature. He had long, wild orange hair that hung down over his left eye, and he had a small fang sticking up from his mouth. He was also wearing dark orange light armor.

"Uh, hi guys." the small child said with a casual wave.

"Oh, it's V!" Aviel realized, she sighed out in relief now seeing it was friendly.

"V, thank you for the help!" Link said, "But what're you doing all the way out here?"

"Arriving just in time apparently." V said, "Those things seemed pretty strong, but they sure don't like fire."

"Link, just what is this thing...?" Korume asked.

"Oh right, you and Kesuta didn't go with us to Goron City." Link recalled, "Korume, this is V, he's a dragon we met in the Goron Mines, he's the son of the Death Mountain dragon, Volvagia."

"Uh, hi." V said, giving a timid wave.

"..." Korume paused, peeking out from behind Link. She walked up to the child and stared at him for a moment. Her cold stare was starting to unnerve V for a bit, before Korume suddenly scooped up and hugged him.

"He's so precious... may we adopt him, my husband...?" Korume asked as she pressed him against her chest.

"L-Let go of me lady!" V shouted, scrambling around while blushing brightly.

"Wow, she took a shine to him quick." Saria commented.

"Maybe we should set up camp and talk." Nemisa said.

"Kukuku..." Korume just giggled, hugging the squirming V closely.

* * *

**And that ends the chapter, with V's arrival, the group will continue on their search for the mysterious Roc, but just what secrets await them in Snowpeak? Find out next week!**

**Thank you all for your support! If I do end up having to take an extended break, I don't want you to worry, as I am seeing this story through to the end no matter what!**

**As always leave a like, follow or comment at your leisure, your feedback is always encouraged!**


	83. Lost in The Flurry

_**Hey guys, Chapter 83 is here! Now that V's joined the expedition through Snowpeak, just what will our heroes find out here...?**_

* * *

After their victory over the Migoui with the assistance of the young dragon child V; Link, Aviel and the group decided to take a rest for lunch. The six of them all sat around the campfire cooking up some meat while explaining to Korume who V exactly was.

"Are you guys sure I can have these?" V asked looking down at a plate of grilled meat slices marinated in a hickory sauce.

"Eat up V, you earned it for helping us out." Link said with his mouth full, while Saria giggled and took a moment to wipe off some sauce from his face.

"Okay then." the young dragon nodded, taking a bite of his meal and his eyes sparkled, "Ah, it's good!" he then started scarfing it down.

"Kukuku, he's so cute..." Korume giggled lightly, "So you all befriended him back at Goron City?"

"Yes, at first we thought of him to be an enemy, but Link decided to show him mercy, he even returned the favor by helping us battle a dangerous rock monster in the Goron Mines." Nemisa said.

"That's just like you, my darling husband..." Korume said smiling softly, "I can't wait for the day we can have cute little ones of our own..."

Link chuckled lightly with a small blush, before asking the little dragon, "So what exactly are you doing out here anyway V?"

"Well to be honest I've been hanging around your valley for a while. The octoroks are tasty enough that I could sustain myself." V explained, "I overheard two Gerudo ladies watching your front gate talking about you all going to Snowpeak, so I came over to see what you were doing."

"So that explains why the Octorok infestation has been going down. Reirousa was thankful for that." Nemisa smirked.

"As for us, we came here looking for a large bird called a Roc, I think it's where my wings came from." said Aviel as she pulled out the drawing Bradson had made for her and unfolded it, showing off the strange door, the box with dots and some 'x'es on it, and the large bird wrapping it's wings around a symbolized circle, "Have you ever heard of it?"

"A... Roc?" V asked, tilting his head, "That's weird, I could have sworn I overheard Mother once talk about something like that..." he said, referring to the dragon monster Volvagia that was destroyed by Darunia.

"Come to think of it, Aviel said her wings transformed when she and Link-Goron found a feather in your nest V, do you think it could be connected?" Link asked.

"Maybe... I don't know what interest Mother would have had with a creature like that. She and I never cared for poultry..." V spoke, he tried thinking deeply to himself for an answer to their question, "Uh... um... just gimmie a minute..."

"H-Hey, don't burn yourself out doing that." Nemisa said worried.

"Ugh... I thought too hard..." V then groaned, as it looked like smoke was starting to come out from his ears.

"Wait you literally burned yourself out?" Nemisa exclaimed.

"Maybe I could cool off his head?" Korume giggled darkly, spinning ice around her finger.

"Please don't." Link said sweatdropping.

"Oh wait, I got an idea!" Aviel said, she took two bowls from her supplies and ran over to the snowy field, scooping up some fresh snow into them. She went back over to her travel pack and pulled out a small bottle of cherry syrup juice. She poured it out on the two bowls of snow and handed one to V, "There you go, eat up!"

"Uh, what's this?" V asked.

"It's shaved ice, my favorite treat!" Aviel grinned, "I thought it might help cool your head!" she then turned to the others, "You guys want me to make you some?"

"No way, it's freezing out here!" Nemisa pointed out, "How can you stand eating snow?"

"Fav-or-ite treat." repeated Aviel with a big grin, before taking a bite.

"Oh, so it's a treat...?" V muttered, he took a spoonful and tasted it, "Huh, it's pretty sweet and tart, but it doesn't taste anything like blood..."

"It's cherry juice." Nemisa clarified with a grossed out expression.

Link meanwhile smiled fondly at Aviel treating V to shaved ice, recalling way back when she introduced himself to it when she was getting him acquainted with Gerudo Town. It was one of the many fond memories he had made with her over the past two years.

"Saria, what are you looking at?" Korume asked.

"Just the drawings on the sheet Aviel's professor friend gave her." Saria said, looking particularly at the box with the dots and 'x'es, before showing it to her husband-to-be, "Doesn't this kinda look like a music score to you Link?"

"Now that you mention it, it does." Link realized, "But what song could it be for?"

"Hm... let me try to play it." Saria said, pulling out her ocarina and putting it to her lips, playing notes as she saw on the box.

'Fluoo FLUOO fluo, fluoo-FLUoo fluoo fluoo FLUOO...'

"Huh..." Link muttered, "Never heard of that song before."

"I'm not positive, but it sounds incomplete." Saria said studying the score, "That must be what the straight line of 'x'es represent."

"La LA la, la-LAaa la la LAAaa!" they then heard a strange singing.

"Who did that?" Link asked, looking out at everyone.

"It was... Aviel." Nemisa said in surprise as they all looked over to the young Gerudo girl, who was sitting there with her eyes closed, seeming to be in complete bliss as she sang the little tune again, waving her shaved ice spoon around in tune to her singing.

"La LA la, la-LAaa la la LAAaa!"

"Aviel, I never knew you liked singing!" Saria gasped, "You're pretty good at it!"

"I do...?" Aviel asked, seeming to snap out of it, "I... don't know, I've never really sang before... but when I heard that tune, it made me feel really happy!" she said with a grin.

"She does sing it rather cutely..." Korume said with a soft giggle.

"Yeah, but I wonder what it could mean...?" Link pondered, "And what connection does it have to this Roc bird?"

"Say, why are you looking for this Roc anyway?" V asked taking another bite of his shaved ice.

"Well to be honest, we're here to find my parents." Aviel admitted, "I was separated from them when I was little, and the last thing I remember after that was getting my wings. I'm not completely sure, but I think if I can find the 'Roc' creature that my wings came from, then it might help me find out what happened to them."

"Oh, you lost your folks too? That really sucks..." V said sympathetically.

Aviel stared over at V, and she could see a sad look in his eye that wasn't shadowed by his long wild hair. She recalled what happened back at Goron Mines, where he mentioned he was abandoned by Volvagia and never knew his father...

She closed her eyes and nodded to herself, before putting on a big smile. She went over to V and took him his wrist, "Hey, have you ever been to a snowy place like Snowpeak before V?"

"Snowy... no, I lived in Death Mountain my whole life, why?" V asked in confusion.

It was then Aviel yanked V forward over to the snow and fell onto it, taking V with her, and Aviel took to rolling around in it.

"Hey, what was that for?!" V shouted, only to get hit in the face by a snowball. When he wiped it off, he saw that Aviel was missing, "Wha-"

Aviel then suddenly popped out of a small pile of snow grinning widely, "Hee hee! Come on V, let's have some fun in the snow!"

"Huh...? Fun?" V asked inc confusion.

"Yep! Come on and join us Saria!" Aviel called out to the Kokiri.

"Oh, sure!" Saria said smiling, catching on to what Aviel proposed. She ran over and jumped into the snow herself.

"Hey, you all are going to catch cold doing that!" Nemisa shouted to the three.

"Don't worry, we're just fine!" Aviel said, getting up and running around as fast she could in the snow, with Saria joining her.

"I say just let them, looks like they're doing just fine Nemisa." Link grinned.

The two girls were giggling out as they ran around the field, V moved his head left and right trying to follow their movements, before he got frustrated and started following them around too. Aviel reached down and started gathered up some snow, before she turned and threw it at V, getting snow on his face.

"Hey, what th-" V quickly dodged two more snowballs thrown by Aviel and Saria. The little dragon snarled and started spitting out small fireballs at them.

"Eek!" the girls screamed out in shock, but they protected by Link instinctively stepping out in front of them and blocking the attack with Hotaig's Shield.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Link shouted in anger.

"Seriously, that's going way too far!" Nemisa shouted, coming up behind V and bashed him upside the head with a kick.

"Yeah, don't go spewing fire like that V!" Aviel exclaimed to V as she was hugging Saria defensively.

"B-But you were attacking me." V pointed out, now with a bump on his head and small tears in his eyes from being yelled at by everyone.

Aviel frowned at the sight of V being so upset, so she got up and ran over to him, gathering up some snow into a ball and handing it to him.

"Its not a battle, it's a game!"Aviel said, "Try using these instead!"

"A game, huh...?" V asked, staring down at the ball, "Weren't we just eating this earlier?"

"Yeah, but now you throw it at us! It's a way to have fun in the snow!" Aviel nodded with a pleasant grin once again.

"Oh... okay..." V said, he then brought up his arm and threw it at Saria, who quickly turned so it hit her side instead.

Aviel and Saria both laughed out and returned with snowballs of their own, and the three started having a little snowball fight.

"Well I guess he got the hang of it." Link said, as he and Nemisa had both sat down again by Korume, "Ugh, that got kind of dangerous for a second."

"Yes, that child really needs to watch his power." Nemisa sighed.

That was when one stray snowball flew through the air and hit the ground by Nemisa, making her start to turn towards the three shouting, "Hey, watch where you're thro-!"

It was then a snowball hit Nemisa right in the face. Everyone paused for a few seconds as Nemisa sat there, until Aviel, Saria and Link all burst out laughing uncontrollably, even Korume started giggling to herself.

"Okay, which one of you threw that?!" Nemisa shouted fuming in anger, her face was freezing as the slush fell off her face.

"She did." both Aviel and Saria both said in unison, pointing at each other.

"Why you little brats!" Nemisa shouted.

"Nemisa's angry again! Retreat!" Aviel shouted.

Link laughed out as Nemisa chased around Aviel, Saria and V while they retaliated with snowballs. He enjoying seeing Aviel's attempt to lighten the mood and cheer V up, she always had a knack for doing that sort of thing, it was one of the things he admired so much about her.

"Well while they're freezing each other, that leaves us alone, my love..." Korume said, scooting over to be beside Link, and nuzzling him softly. While her body was cold, Link still decided to endure it for her sake, putting an arm around her. The two of them just watched as Aviel, Saria and V were playing in the snow, even Nemisa seemed to end up enjoying it as she started throwing snowballs at them as well.

Later, Link watched Aviel carefully as she was had switched to rolling a snowball with V, showing him how to build a snowman, he spoke up to Korume, "It's really sweet to see Aviel take to V so well. She used to be scared of him back when we were at Death Mountain, but now she's opening up to him. I'd say she's almost being like a big sister to him."

"My sister would absolutely dread being in a place like this," Korume giggled, "...but I think even Aviel could help convince her to try to have fun in it."

"Yeah, Aviel seems to love being here." Link nodded, "It's almost like she's at home."

"Hm, about that Link..." Korume spoke after some thought, "Maybe it's not my place to say this, but a while back, around the time you were crowned the king of the Gerudo, I overheard something peculiar Aviel said in her sleep."

"You were ease dropping on her in her sleep?" Link asked blankly.

"Hmph, of course not. I was merely just trying to wake her up that time." Korume said defensively.

"'That time'?" Link parroted with annoyed look on his face.

"Anyway," coughed Korume awkwardly, "I was using my ice to try and wake her up..."

* * *

**Flashback - The day of Link's inauguration as the Gerudo King**

"_Korume, quit teasing Aviel and get her up!" Link said as he rushed out the door. He had overslept and was almost late for his coronation as king. Aviel had been sent to wake him up, but instead fallen asleep slept beside him. Korume had been exhaling her icy breath on Aviel to tease her._

"_Fine, fine." Korume said, taking Aviel by her shoulder and shaking her, "Get up already, little birdbrain."_

_It was then in that moment, as Aviel was shaking from the cold feeling Korume had been giving her with her ice breath, the ice mystic gasped. Korume had saw faint tears in Aviel's eyes, as she spoke out in her sleep._

"_Ooohhh... it's so cold..." Aviel muttered in an upset tone, "Can you please keep me warm again... Grandpa...?"_

_Korume was in stunned silence at Aviel's words, but decided to just hurry to get her up._

"_Aviel wake up, there's a ghost in your shoes!" Korume exclaimed._

"_Kyyyaaa!" screamed Aviel immediately._

**End Flashback**

* * *

"Grandpa...?" Link asked in confusion, "She said she was looking for her parents, but never mentioned a grandfather."

"I think it's something she's not even aware of..." Korume said, "When me and sister were learning of hypnosis magic for interrogating the rebels, we researched the human subconscious, and based on what I've read about it, I beginning to think she may be unknowingly suppressing her memories of this grandfather of hers..."

Link thought on that note, could it have anything to do with her knack for singing that song on the paper Bradson made for her? He looked out at Aviel pointing V to the head of the snowman, and he stuck a stick into it to make it look like a nose.

"It was one thing for me to be an orphan and never knowing my parents." Link spoke solemnly, "But for Aviel who was so close to hers, only to lose them at such a young age, that might very well be even worse for her..."

Link just stared at Aviel, who just blocked a snowball thrown at her by Saria, she was laughing happily with such a bright smile as they went back to their snowball fight with V and Nemisa once again.

"And she always puts on such a strong face too..." he whispered. Korume saw the look in Link's eyes and put a hand to his shoulder.

"Perhaps my love, that it's time you tell her something..." Korume spoke.

"...you mean...?" Link trailed off.

"We can all tell how you feel about her Link." Korume nodded, "She's a birdbrain, but I admire her determination and kindness towards you and everyone. I'd be happy if she married you alongside all of us."

Link looked to Korume, who was nuzzling his shoulder affectionately. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, causing her to giggle softly, before turning to look back at Aviel running around with V and Saria.

"Alright then," Link nodded, "I'll tell her right after we get back from this trip, thanks Korume."

"Kukuku... not a problem, just watch out for that." Korume said.

"Watch out for wha-"

That was when a snowball went flying through the air and whacked Link in the face.

"Hey, what the heck?" Link exclaimed, only to get pelted by three more snowballs. He wiped off the snow to now see the girls all grinning, Nemisa in particular was throwing a snowball up into the air and catching it with a smirk on her face.

"You two are relaxing so much you're sucking out all the fun out of the area." Nemisa called out.

Link grinned at his future bride, she had changed so much since the day the two met, and he knew it wasn't just because of him, but Aviel as well, the three of them having stuck by each other for so long, it was only natural a little bit of each of them would rub off on each other.

Speaking of which, the young king quickly gathered up some snow to make into snowballs and started tossing them back at Nemisa, Aviel, Saria and V, everyone laughing all the while.

"Kukuku... you little amateurs, I'll show all of you the true power of frigid ice." Korume said with a sadistic smile, conjuring ice around her finger until a large snowball formed, and then she took and hurled it forward like a bowling ball, sending it right at the three girls and the dragon boy, knocking them all over in an explosion of ice

"Hey, no fair Korume!" Aviel popped out of the snow and protested to the ice mystic.

"That's it!" Nemisa said narrowing her eyes, gathering up more snow in her hands.

Nemisa went and chucked a snowball at Korume, but the ice mystic simply lifted up her hand and stopped it in midair, before launching it back at Nemisa, who had to quickly shift her head to avoid the reflected attack.

"She's unstoppable!" Saria said, hiding behind a waist-high snow wall she and Aviel set up.

"Kukuku... now you all will feel my wrath." Korume said, bombarding Aviel, Saria, Nemisa and V with snowballs.

"What do we do? We're overwhelmed in the trenches!" Aviel exclaimed, now wearing an army helmet she built from snow.

"I thought you guys said this wasn't a battle!" V pointed out.

"Seriously, why does this feel more intense then our fight against the Migoui creatures earlier?" Nemisa said, only to quickly dodge another snowball while trying to throw one back.

Link paused for a second in thought, before he slowly and silently snuck over to Korume. Waiting for the exact moment when she wasn't noticing him, he took the chance and kissed her softly on the lips. The ice mystic's eyes widened as she blushed heavily red. She gasped out when they finally broke the kiss.

"Link... that was amazing..." she gasped out in surprise, before moaning out, "Please, I want more of-" only to get cut off when she was pelted by four snowballs from Aviel, Saria, V and Nemisa, "Ack, what?!"

"Bullseye!" Aviel grinned widely, as she, Saria and Nemisa all high-fived at once at their victory.

V looked down at his own hands curiously, before slapping them together, "Am I doing this right?"

"Nah, you do it like this!" Aviel grinned, taking V's wrist so he opened up his hand, and she slapped her hand against his, "It's a high-five!"

"I see..." V said in astonishment, "Is this more of that 'fun' you mentioned?"

"That's right!" Aviel nodded.

"Nice shot guys!" Link waved to them, making her Korume realize he kissed her to let down her guard.

"How dare you..." Korume said coldly to Link and the others, ice started to manifest all around her as her eyes glew blue and she levitated multiple snowballs into the air, "I'll destroy you all for that deception..."

"Incoming!" Aviel shouted, ducking behind the snow fort as snowballs started to rain down at them.

* * *

Sometime later after the game, the group packed up their things and continued down the road. Despite the rumble with the Migoui earlier, they didn't run into any real trouble.

At one point, Aviel heard some light peeping sounds, she looked up at a tree and saw what appeared to be a mother bird landing down into it with a small bug she caught, and the peeping settled down. The young Gerudo sported a faint smile on her lips, before bumping into Nemisa who had stopped.

"Ugh, is it just me or did everything suddenly get colder?" Nemisa asked, pulling her coat closed, hugging herself to keep warm.

"Now that you mention it, it is getting a lot more chilly..." Link said, peering out at the area.

"Oof, I need to warm up." Aviel said, turning her arms into bird wings and using them to hug herself. She looked over at Saria and put her arms around him to help keep her warm.

"Thanks Aviel." Saria said smiling warmly at her friend.

"We don't feel a thing." both Korume and V said, the ice mystic and fire dragon walking along without even flinching.

"Don't rub it in!" Nemisa snapped at the two.

As the group reached the top of an incline, they saw something out in the distance. there was a great blizzard going by at a rapid pace.

"Yikes, that looks dangerous." Link said.

"Maybe we should go in a different direction?" Saria said looking around.

"Doesn't look like there's another way besides back though." Nemisa said, seeing the tall, steep mountains on both sides of the path.

"Can you do something with your ice magic to drive away this blizzard Korume?" Link asked.

"Let me see..." Korume muttered, she held up her hand and focused. After a second she let out a small breath, "How strange, I can't manipulate it. This blizzard doesn't feel natural..."

"How do you mean?" Nemisa asked.

"Like there's some sort magic I'm unfamiliar with being used to make it happen... It's not moving towards or away from this area like a natural one would either..." she muttered.

"Hmm..." V muttered, staring at it closely himself.

"So we wouldn't be able to just wait it out? How weird." Link said, "Aviel, you're leading this expedition, what do you think we should do?"

Aviel walked slowly up to Link's side, still in her bird form. She stared out at the blizzard, and Link noticed a pained look in her eyes as she gulped a bit nervously.

"I... don't know..." Aviel said, "I want to find that Roc, but it does look really dangerous. Maybe we should just..."

That was when everyone felt a powerful cold wind blow against them from behind.

"Great, there's a cross breeze being generated by this accursed blizzard..." Korume said, "Let's get out of this befor-"

But that was when the wind picked up Aviel by her bird wings, and sent her small frame up and flying forward towards the blizzard.

"Kyaaa!" screamed Aviel as she was blown inside of the raging blizzard, completely disappearing into it.

"AVIEL!" Link shouted, impulsively running into the blizzard himself.

"Link wait!" Nemisa shouted, running at the icy storm as well, only to be pulled back by Korume and Saria.

"Stop, or you'll get caught too!" Saria shouted.

Nemisa, Korume, Saria and V all just looked to the blizzard, worried for Link and Aviel...

* * *

Inside the storm, Link forced himself through the freezing wind, looking around frantically for Aviel.

"Aviel, where are you?! Aviel!" Link shouted out.

He eventually spotted the girl having changed back to her normal self, but was laying face-first in the snow. Link did what he could to fight the wind, and managed to get just close enough to Aviel that he could grab and lift her up tightly in his arms. He tried to walk, but couldn't figure out which way was out from the raging blinding blizzard. He then spotted an old tree off in the distance, and used his Longshot to fire out at it. The Longshot pulled the two over to the tree where Link quickly hid himself and Aviel behind it to try and avoid the wind.

"Aviel, are you okay?" Link shouted to Aviel over the wind.

"P-Please help me..." Aviel sobbed and screamed out, burying her face in Link's chest, "Please help me Grandpa!"

"Grandpa...?" Link muttered, remembering what Korume said earlier. He then spotted another tree in the distance and fired his Longshot at that, pulling him and Aviel forward like before. He kept identifying trees which he could use to pull himself and Aviel through the blizzard, hoping to find a way back outside of it. He did notice however that the more trees he came to, the weaker the blizzard wind felt, so he figured he was getting closer and closer.

Link soon pulled himself and Aviel to one last tree which sent the two flying out of the raging blizzard and into a much calmer area. The wind was still blowing, and their vision was still limited, but at least it wasn't as brutal. He looked around seeing they were nowhere near the path they were on before, he sighed out and looked down to Aviel who was still clinging to him,

"You okay there Aviel?"

She didn't say anything, but snuggled against Link and sighed out a little, showing she was a little more relaxed now. Link was relieved for that, but saw she was still shaking from the cold. Deciding they didn't have much other options, Link went ahead carrying Aviel through the snow. He wasn't sure where they were in Snowpeak, but just kept walking forward, doing what he did back on his seven year journey whenever he felt lost. All he could do was hope at that point.

That hope seemed to come through thankfully, as he saw in the distance two giant cliffs with a large red open gate in between them. Realizing this could mean civilization, he trudged forward through the snow to get to the gate.

For a brief second, Aviel's eyes slowly opened, as she looked up to Link carrying her. She smiled faintly as she snuggled more against him, her eyes grew heavy again and she dozed off.

Link went through the gate and saw it was a long road. The wind wasn't able to get through this way due to the cliffs, so he let out a sigh of relief from being out of the blizzard.

The young king went ahead and pulled out his ocarina to contact Saria using her song and let the others know they were safe, but didn't know where they were exactly. He did make sure to tell them about the trees he followed to get to where he was, as well as the red gate he discovered.

The path ended up sloping uphill, so Link continued walking along, and he past through more of the open red gates. With each gate he passed, he started to notice something in the air, a strange melody was playing in the distance. When Link went through the last gate where the cliffs ended, the sun beamed down on him, and he saw a rather wondrous sight.

A winding trial that led up to the top of a mountain, and at the top was some sort of large red gate like the ones they had traveled through before, and beyond it was a long staircase that led up to a great number of houses on multiple hills overlooking the horizon. The music he heard before was clearer then ever, something he had never heard before, but it was a rather beautiful melody, and assured him that there was people up there that could potentially help them.

As Link went up the hill to the giant gate, he felt the young lady in his arms start to stir, and her eyes slowly opened.

"Ahhh... I want a cheese omelet and bacon this morning... with some toast..." Aviel said with some drool leaking out from her mouth.

"Aviel!" Link said with relief, stopping in his tracks and hugging her, "I'm glad you're awake!"

"Ahyayaya!" Aviel exclaimed with dizzy eyes from being hugged by Link. The young king set Aviel down on her feet and she regained her balance in the snow, "Just... what happened... where is everyone?"

"You got carried away in the blizzard." Link explained what had happened and where they had ended up.

"Ugh... I'm so sorry Link, this is all my fault..." Aviel pouted, she lunged forward and hugged him tightly, "Thank you for saving me... even though I'm the one that's supposed to be your bodyguard..."

"Heh, no problem Aviel, we just watch out for each other, right?" Link sported a goofy grin.

"Yeah, I... I guess..." Aviel said, she turned and saw the place they had arrived at.

The two of them continued up through the giant gate and up the staircase. They took the time to look around at the area, seeing tall red buildings on the hills with long bridges and staircases linking everything together. Mist was flowing through the area, but rather then obscuring their vision of the area, it was faint, and actually seemed to add to the tranquil beauty of the place.

They also noted the peculiar inhabitants of the town, they were tall humanoid creatures who all appeared to be covered in feathers and had beaks like birds. They all wore robes that were sleeveless, and they had large arms with fingers that resembled feathers as well. Their feathers were all as varied and colorful. Some where even flying around the mountain town flapping their strange arms.

"Just what is this place...?" Aviel spoke looking around, as they reached the top of the staircase and onto a bridge pathway.

"And what are those bird creatures?" Link asked, looking at the feathered people walking around, "Could this be the place Professor Bradson was talking about?"

"You mean we actually found it?!" Aviel said with excitement, "Wow, this might really be the place the Roc came from then!"

"Yeah, guess that bit of bad luck with the wind turned out to be lucky for us after all!" Link said with astonishment, "Well, let's go find the owners of this plac-" but he was then cut off by a shout.

"Halt, intruders!" shouted a voice. Link and Aviel looked up to see three of the bird people in unusual plated armor flying down from above, they landed down and held weapons up to them. Some were holding spears up at the two of them, while some in the distance were holding strange looking items that appeared to be long pipes with inflated sacs at the end, "What are you doing in our sacred land?"

"Hey, we don't want any trouble, we can explain!" Link said, only for one of the bird knights to point their spear at him.

"You can explain yourselves in prison, intruder!" the knight said, as another one aimed one of the odd pipes up with his hand gripped onto the inflated part at the two.

"Wait, we're not bad people!" Aviel said holding up her hands, "We came all the way out here to find a giant bird called Roc!"

"What th- What do you know about the Sky Guardian?! How dare you speak of it's name!" another bird knight said angerly, pointing his spear at Aviel.

"The... sky guardian...?" Aviel asked, tilting her head.

"Enough of this, you're coming with us." the bird knight said, grabbing Aviel's wrist.

"Hey, let go of her!" Link demanded, about to reach for his sword.

Thankfully before the situation could escalate any further, a voice called out.

"Eh? What is going on here, piou-piou?"

The group all turned and saw another bird man slowly shuffle up to them. Compared to the slim knights, he was a short and wide one, with a blue head, a large yellow bill with two long feathers hanging off the sides of it and some ruffled feathers below it. He was wearing a black and jade colored robe, and a hat with straps hanging off the sides of it. He was also carrying a gold staff with a strange symbol hanging off of it.

"Mayor, we've caught these land-dwellers intruding on our sacred grounds!" one of the knights said saluting.

"I'll be the judge of that, piou." the large bird said coming up to Link and Aviel, looking them both over, "And just who are you two?"

"Um," Link snapped out of his anger and cleared his throat,standing upright, "I'm Link, and this is my friend Aviel!"

"P-Pleased to meet you!" Aviel said, doing a polite bow, but bowing her head so low she lost balance and bonked her forehead against the stone ground.

"Hey, be careful there Aviel." Link said helping her up. As he did, her coat sleeves rolled up, exposing the Roc's Wing sleeves she wore on her arms.

"Excuse me miss, if you don't mind a question..." Mayor Nymnalo said, looking intently at Aviel's feathered sleeves, "Just what are these...?"

"This? This is my treasure, the Roc's Wing! They let me fly as free as a birdie!" Aviel grinned, demonstrating by unfurling her sleeves, transforming her arms into wings, her legs into long bird legs, tail feathers coming out from behind her, and her hair lengthened and stuck up behind her.

At the sight of this, the Rito all collectively gasped out in shock.

"It's... it's the wings of..." one of the Rito knights gasped out, dropping his spear.

"Huh?" Link and Aviel both looked in confusion.

"I... I can't believe it... so it's finally come to pass!" Mayor Nymnalo exclaimed.

It was then the Ritos all fell to their knees and bowed down at Aviel. The young archer as well as her friend just looked down at the bird people in confusion.

"What the heck?!" Link asked.

"Did... one of them drop their glasses?" Aviel asked, looking around, "Should we look too?"

"No, I... I'm not exactly sure..." Link pondered, "...but I think they're worshiping you Aviel."

"HUH?" Aviel exclaimed with wide eyes.

* * *

_**And that ends the chapter. Link and Aviel have reached a strange new place, and have encountered a strange new circumstance! Just what was Aviel chosen for, and what wonders and danger could possible be here? Find out next time!**_

_**So I'm still going to try and get out chapter 84 by next week, but there may be delays here and there. **_

_**Rest assured to all of you though, I will get this story completed, I've come too far in my writing to bail on it. Drop me a like, follow or comment if you like, as your support has helped push me forward!**_


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